StepUp Durham

Financial confidence is an important part of building a strong foundation for what comes next. 💙

A big thank you to the team (Cristof Ensslin and Sophia Ojha Ensslin) behind The Financial Blueprint Workshop, for bringing such an engaging, practical approach to our Step2 participants. We’re grateful for partners who show up ready to share their expertise, build confidence, and equip our participants with tools they can carry forward.

After the first session of The Financial Blueprint Workshop at StepUp Durham, the board member present—who has observed four cohorts of financial literacy programming before us—stood up and said (I paraphrase):

“This is the most impactful financial literacy program I have ever observed.”

We’re excited for what’s ahead!

A heartfelt thank you to Lakewood Social for choosing StepUp Durham as your July Nonprofit Partner of the Month, and to every guest who dined with purpose on Tuesdays throughout July.

Together, you helped raise $1,779.69 to support Durham job seekers as they build sustainable careers and brighter futures.

We’re so grateful for this incredible partnership and for a community that shows up to make a difference. 💙

Happy National Intern Day to our incredible intern, Citlalli! 💙

We’re so grateful for everything she brings to the StepUp Durham team. Citlalli joined StepUp through her interest in workforce development and community-based economic policy, and she loves getting to know our participants, supporting workshops, and seeing careers take shape.

Outside of StepUp, she enjoys exploring Durham’s restaurants and cafés, reading outside, traveling, trying new foods, and finding new ways to connect with the community.

Thank you, Citlalli, for your hard work, positivity, and the impact you’ve made. We’re so glad you’re part of the StepUp family!

📷 Gillian Ward

💙 Today’s the last Tuesday to support Lakewood Social’s Nonprofit of the Month, StepUp Durham. Happy hour with purpose? We love to see it. Bring coworkers, friends, or family to Lakewood Social and help support StepUp Durham while you dine and do good. Hope to see you all here! 

📍 1920 Chapel Hill Rd, Durham, NC
⏰ 11am-9pm

Learn more about StepUp Durham at www.stepupdurham.org.

Growth often starts with recognizing how far you’ve already come. Share your answer below! you never know who your story might encourage. 💙

Have you met Meg? 💙

Over the past several months, Meg Olhasque stepped into the role of Acting Development Director, helping keep everything moving behind the scenes—from grants and donor relationships to funder partnerships and all the many pieces that make development work possible. We’re incredibly grateful for her dedication, steady leadership, and unwavering support of StepUp Durham.

When StepUp Durham was featured as Nonprofit of the Week by The Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center last year, Meg shared that she was immediately drawn to the organization because of its radical inclusivity.

She explained:

“Justice involvement, gaps in work history, disability, housing instability—none of those things disqualify you here… when someone expresses a desire to move forward, the answer is simply, ‘Yes, we will walk with you.’”

We couldn’t think of a better way to describe the heart of StepUp Durham.

Thank you, Meg, for all you do and for helping make our mission possible every day. 💙