Duke's Impact on Durham Grows

Letter to the Editor

The Duke family's philanthropy has impacted Durham and the region in so many ways that it is virtually impossible to count.

Another significant example of that continuing commitment came Friday with the announcement that the Duke Endowment has given another $527,000 to Duke University to support the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Project.

The eight-year-old neighborhood project is a cornerstone of the revived and expanded role as a community leader that Duke has taken on in recent years. As the city's largest private employer and a major economic and intellectual engine, it takes on an importance as civic institution that would once have been filled by major companies such as those of the Duke tobacco empire in their heyday.

The endowment's generous support of those programs has not only the practical effect of underwriting specific programs, but also of providing validation of the partnership's importance from one of the nation's largest charitable foundations.

Since 1996, the Charlotte-based endowment has given Duke more than $4 million, fully a third of the $12 million the university has raised to support the partnership. A Duke University news release summarizes its goals, saying it "connects the university with local organizations and residents in 12 neighborhoods close to Duke's campus to improve the quality of life and to boost student achievement in seven nearby Durham Public Schools."

This year's endowment grant will support nearly a dozen partnership programs. More than half -- $258,500 -- will help in an effort to provide more affordable housing in Southwest Central Durham and Walltown.

The grant also will support Duke's efforts to help close the achievement gap between white students and African-American and Latino students in Durham schools. The endowment funds support tutoring and mentoring programs for more than 600 school-aged children.

In a statement released Friday, Duke President Richard H. Brodhead extolled the endowment's support. "We have been uniquely fortunate to have the backing of the Duke Endowment, which understands the importance of these collaborations to both local residents and to members of the university community."

We concur. Friday's grant is a much-appreciated link in two important partnerships -- between the endowment and Duke University, and between the university and the Durham community.

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