Self-Help Shares

To run a successful school, administrators must juggle a daunting list of goals aimed at providing high-quality education while maintaining financial stability. For many schools, energy efficiency and protecting the environment never even make it to the list.

Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School (ANCS), located in Georgia, is a shining exception. In this high-performing public charter school, school leaders decided to make energy efficiency a priority as they renovated the campus in 2012.

We are feeling very lucky at Self-Help Credit Union this week. On Monday, we were able to re-open two of our branches – in Kinston and Windsor, NC – that were closed temporarily last week because of damage from Hurricane Matthew. Thanks to many dedicated staff and vendors, both branches are again up and running.

But we are painfully aware that many communities in eastern North Carolina and elsewhere have not been so fortunate. Many people continue to face hardships from storm damage and flooding. Significant parts of NC are underwater, and several thousand families are still living in shelters or trying to get by without essentials such as clean running water. 

Last week more than 150 local residents and community partners came together to commemorate the first anniversary of the Northside Neighborhood Initiative, an organized initiative to revitalize and preserve a historic neighborhood in Chapel Hill, NC. In a short time, this effort has shown great results.

On Monday, September 26, Self-Help joined a group of more than 50 investment management firms calling for the full repeal of North Carolina's House Bill 2 (HB2).  Investors that signed on to a joint statement included RBC Wealth Management, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, John Hancock and Trillium Asset Management. Collectively, all the investors opposing HB2 manage $2.1 trillion in assets. That figure is expected to grow as more investors formally join the opposition in the coming days and weeks.

Investors are known to be practical people who care about bottom-line profits. So why would they care about HB2?

It's been an exciting time at Self-Help's Revolution Mill property in Greensboro. This week saw the installation of a new pedestrian bridge that runs alongside the future site of Natty Greene's Kitchen + Market (coming in 2017), connecting the Revolution Mill campus with land on the south side of Buffalo Creek.

It was a day of pride and gratitude. On September 16, kids, parents, elected officials and community leaders celebrated the completion of KIPP Durham College Prep, a public charter school dedicated to serving lower-income students and closing the achievement gap. “KIPP,” which is a national non-profit network of public charter schools, stands for the “Knowledge is Power Program.”

We’ve been inspired by the determination of Tracy Scott, a Self-Help borrower and entrepreneur who knows how to make dreams happen.  Take a minute to meet Tracy in our latest video and find out about some really tasty salad dressings, too.

Ed Holland, Jr., in his Durham office.

When you talk to Ed Holland, Jr. about his career, two words come up a lot: trust and loyalty. In his 35 years as CEO of Greater Piedmont Credit Union, he worked hard to meet the financial needs of his members. They, in turn, have shown a strong loyalty to their credit union.

Greater Piedmont officially became part of the Self-Help family in April this year. Merging two businesses is never simple, but when considering the possibility, Ed and his board of directors were confident that the fit was right.

We’re pleased to announce that Durham’s Kent Corner development is a project finalist for the U.S. Green Building Council North Carolina’s Sustainable Business Award. We are proud to share this honor with the other inspiring finalists.