Local News

Jai6 Youth Foundation: Creating opportunities for underserved youth

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Tuesday, 12 November 2024

Written by Amber Little

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” -Nelson Mandela

Resilience is born from the courage and strength to keep going even when the world is saying “give up.” It is also the perfect word to describe the founder of Jai6 Youth Foundation, Dinesha Neal. Jai6 Youth Foundation is a local nonprofit aimed at securing opportunities and resources for at-risk youth in the Cumberland County area. Its mission is to “gather mentors and specialists to inspire, educate, and empower at-risk youth through character building, innovative thinking, and entrepreneurship. Along with fostering personal responsibility and accountability by empowering our youth to actualize their potential and productively contribute to society.”
Neal is a Fayetteville native and E.E. Smith High School graduate and a woman of many hats and talents. Her current roles include founder, head coach, and mentor, but her most important role is that of mother. A mother to six beautiful children, Neal has always made the care and wellbeing of her children a top priority, even making the hard but brave decision to put her oldest two children up for adoption.
This is a choice that she does not regret when she’s sees videos and pictures of her children thriving in the homes she handpicked for them. Her love for her children and the understanding that life doesn’t always go as planned and children need resources outside of their parental units is a big part of the reason she started Jai6.
“The thought of the foundation started as a teenager in high school going through the trauma and emotional and physical abuse that I endured within my family and the group homes and foster homes in the North Carolina system. Or just being a person aging out the system with no life skills or support system,” Neal said.
When naming her organization, Neal knew there was only one choice with the work she would be doing, an homage to her children, she explained, “Jai6 stems from all 6 of my kids and their names being Jai.”
Nonprofits are the grey area that help when situations aren’t black and white, but there aren’t enough to help with the need. This is a lesson Neal learned very early in life. Neal’s childhood was a bit of a roller coaster. She spent various amounts of time in foster care and group homes. These experiences left Neal discouraged and oftentimes advocating for herself, as a minor. Not to see anyone go through what she went through, Neal has made a conscious effort through Jai6 Youth Foundation to make sure that other children don’t fall through the cracks and provide not only resources but love, even if that means “tough” love.
“[The idea behind the foundation was] making sure I could be a guidance or a person that can prevent the next child going through what I had been through. Teach life lessons, skills and be the community I wish I had,” Neal said.
Jai6 Youth Foundation provides a safe environment for youth that are considered at-risk: children of low income households, children in foster care and group homes, single parent homes, children with incarcerated parents or deceased parents, children labeled as difficult, etc.
The foundation offers mentoring for girls and boys ranging from age 7-17, with a focus on self-love and redefining what their future can look like. Monthly meetings range from group discussions to paint parties. Youth can also choose between two programs that are umbrellaed under the foundation: the Dynamic Jewels and Dynamic Gentlemen. Dynamic Jewels are a dance and cheer team for girls aged 5-17. The group meets four days out of the week for practice and performs at local events, including parades and entertainment events at the Crown Complex.
This year saw the girls hit the stage at the Harlem Globetrotters game at halftime and more recently the Fayetteville State Homecoming parade. The girls can also be found giving a helping hand and a good performance for other nonprofits, like Drumzup Gunzdown and First in Families.
The Dynamic Gentlemen is a mime and spoken word team for boys ages 7-17. The group has performed at events hosted by the organization and several churches in the area.
This year has been one of growth, from performances and new experiences to installing a new board and having its inaugural Empowerment Ball.
For more information on the Jai6 Youth Foundation, Dynamic Jewels and the Dynamic Gentlemen, check out the website at https://jai6youthfondation.org/. The organization is currently looking for male mentors and a space for the Dynamic Jewels and Gentlemen to practice weekly. If you would like to help, send an email to jai6youthfoundation@gmail.com.

Diane Wheatley, Val Applewhite, Charles Smith keep state seats

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Tuesday, 12 November 2024

Written by Evey Weisblat & Morgan Casey, CityView Today

Diane Wheatley
Cumberland County voters renewed two-term Republican incumbent Diane Wheatley’s seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives, according to unofficial election results.
The unofficial results on Nov. 6 showed Wheatley, who will continue to represent county residents living near the I-95 corridor, earning 24,536 votes. The almost 58% margin of the voter share Wheatley earned is almost the same as in the 2022 midterm elections when Wheatley beat out former district representative and Democrat Elmer Floyd. Wheatley has not lost an election to represent the 43rd District since she first ran in 2020.
Wheatley’s Democrat opponent was Janene (Dublin) Ackles, a business consultant and grant writer with the non-profit Grantastic.
In the 2023-24 legislative session, Wheatley worked on a bill to bring $2.5 million to beautify Fayetteville and another that would prevent Fayetteville State’s name change under the University of North Carolina system. She also co-sponsored the House version of the General Assembly’s Opportunity Scholarship expansion.
Wheatley has long served Cumberland County on governing boards. From 1994 to 2004, Wheatley was one of two at-large members of the Cumberland County Board of Education and chaired the board during her first term. She also was elected to the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners in 2004.

Val Applewhite
State Sen. Val Applewhite will hold onto her seat in the state legislature after a victory over Republican challenger Semone Pemberton and Libertarian challenger Steven Swinton.
Applewhite is the incumbent and was elected to her first term in the state senate in 2022. According to unofficial results as of 1:30 a.m. Nov. 6, Applewhite received 54,761 votes, or 62.81% of ballots counted so far. She leads the district by 25,163 votes. In comparison, Pemberton received 33.95% of ballots counted, while Swinton received 3.24%.
District 19 is solely located in Cumberland County and covers the majority of Fayetteville. The district is heavily gerrymandered, so Applewhite’s victory — as a Democrat in the blue pocket of Fayetteville — was largely ensured.
Applewhite has previously served on the Fayetteville City Council. She is an Air Force veteran and works as a real estate broker.
During her first term, Applewhite sponsored several bills aimed at providing clean water for Fayetteville area residents affected by PFAS contamination. The first-time state senator supports abortion rights and voted against S.B. 20, North Carolina’s 12-week abortion ban. Applewhite also opposes school vouchers included in the state’s fiscal year 2023-24 budget with the Opportunity Scholarship program.
Swinton is the Libertarian candidate. Pemberton is a realtor who recently served as chair of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission. Pemberton’s campaign gained traction locally, raising almost $34,000 in the first half of the year, and though a Republican, Pemberton has billed herself as the “unity candidate.” In her campaign, Pemberton supported the existing 12-week abortion ban in North Carolina and the state’s school choice voucher program.

Charles Smith
Charles Smith will again represent the North Carolina House of Representatives 44th District after defending his seat against Republican challenger Freddie de la Cruz.
The 44th District is a Democrat stronghold in Cumberland County. Unofficially election results show Smith earning 20,612 votes, or 62.20% of ballots counted so far.
“I’m grateful to the voters of House District 44, and I’m thankful for the people that gave their time, talents, and energy for my campaign,” said Smith in a statement to CityView. “I look forward to a second term in the General Assembly, building on the experiences and relationships gained during my first term. North Carolina has work to do, and I’m excited to get back to it.”
Smith is a single-term incumbent. He was first elected to represent the 44th District in 2022 when he ran unopposed after beating out Terry Johnson in the Democratic primary.
De la Cruz is a retired Army lieutenant colonel who described himself on his campaign website as a “conservative, capitalist, constitutionalist and bible-believing Christian.” He unsuccessfully ran for Fayetteville mayor in 2023.
During his last term, Smith worked on bills that, amongst other things, sought to increase access to broadband in rural areas and provide more information on rape kit status to sexual assault victims. He voted against S.B. 20, which limited abortion access to the 12th week of pregnancy in North Carolina.
Smith focused on Medicaid expansion, public education and early child care while campaigning for reelection. In his responses to CityView’s candidate questionnaire, Smith outlined changes around price regulation that he’d like to see made to the state’s Opportunity Scholarship expansion, including greater government oversight of private schools. Smith also said he would secure more funding for Fayetteville’s Public Works Commissions to install forever chemical-filtering equipment.

School board may see major changes: new members take reins

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Tuesday, 12 November 2024

Written by Evey Weisblat, CityView Today

Voters have successfully replaced almost half of the Cumberland County Board of Education with new members, unseating three incumbents in Tuesday’s election and casting uncertainty over the board’s future direction with a major shift in membership.
All told, four of the nine school Board of Education members will be changing hands come December, when new members are sworn in. Incumbents Alicia Jones Chisolm, Donna Blackmon Vann and Nathan Warfel lost their seats to challengers Mary Hales, Jackie Warner and Terra Jordan, while incumbents Susan Williams and Deanna Turner Jones held onto their seats. Delores Bell also replaced Carrie Sutton, who did not run for reelection. The board has six district seats and three at-large seats; the at-large board members did not have an election this year.
The changes come at a time when a number of pressing issues face Cumberland County Schools, including low-performing schools, chronic absenteeism, teacher shortages and security concerns including the loss of some school resource officers.
The large member turnover came as a shock to several of the candidates who spoke with CityView. The incumbents all expressed some form of concern over the future direction of the Board of Education with the seismic shift in membership.
Chisholm, who narrowly lost her District 1 after 16 years on the board, said she felt she and her fellow board members “accomplished a lot” during her tenure. Chisholm lost by 325 votes, or 1.91 percentage points, according to uncertified election results. She expressed concern about the inexperience of new members.
“Some people who have never been on a board and don’t know how they operate with a board, they’ll find out that they tell all these lies when they run about what they’re going to do when they get there, but no one person does anything or makes any decisions by themselves,” Chisholm told CityView.
Vann, who also lost her seat on the board after nearly a decade, worried about the board’s ability to continue making progress on existing issues after the election. Vann lost by 2,077 votes, or 10.4 percentage points.
“We have really been on the rise, and I wanted to see the plan, the roadmap to success,” Vann told CityView. “I wanted to see that through and see whether we make the gains and we accomplish what we wanted to accomplish. We were on the road to do it. I would like to have gotten to the end.”
Several board members who spoke with CityView expressed surprise that Warfel had lost to Jordan. Warfel lost by 2,616 votes, or 11.75 percentage points. He has been on the board since 2020.
Speaking to CityView Wednesday, Warfel said he “didn’t understand the strategy employed by my opposition before Election Day,” and described Jordan as a “great political strategist.” He also argued his chance of success in getting reelected was limited based on time and resources he could commit to the campaign because of his family and professional commitments. He is an assistant public defender with Cumberland County Public Defender Office.
“I’m concerned about the direction in which CCS is headed,” Warfel said. “I wish those opposed to what they believed my candidacy represented would have made attempts to discuss their concerns with me about the assumptions underlying their perceptions before labeling me an opponent to their cause. I love the community I’ve grown up in, that my children have grown up in, that I’ve served now for 11 years and the results in this election won’t affect my commitment to this community into the foreseeable future.”
Warfel declined to elaborate on specific assumptions he said were made about his candidacy. Responding to Warfel’s claims, Jordan told CityView she has “no idea what he’s talking about.”
“My philosophy going into this race was that I was going to run my race the way that I thought that was necessary for me to be successful during this time,” Jordan said. “So I did not allow any distractions to allow me to run my race.”
New members plan ahead
Meanwhile, newcomers to the Board of Education told CityView it’s time for a change — and voters have agreed with them. Warner, who beat out incumbent Vann in District 4, said her focus will be on addressing low-performance in schools, chronic absenteeism and advocating for the concerns of students and parents.
“I ran on wanting to be a voice for those that don’t appear to have a voice,” Warner said. “I’m just concerned about the low performance, especially the continual low performance in that district of some of the schools … So what are we doing to stop that progression?”
Warner said she is also passionate about pursuing solutions to chronic absenteeism, which she believes can have a number of contributing factors. Warner is a former mayor of Hope Mills and a retired principal at Cumberland County Schools.
“With high absenteeism, you’ve got to look at what might be the underlying problem,” Warner said. “And a lot of times there’s something about the school. It might be that they don’t feel like they’re cared for, they might not be happy there, it might be bullying, but there’s a lot of that within District 4, too, of students that aren’t going to school.”
Hales, who beat out incumbent Chisolm in District 1, said she wants to focus on improving the county’s low-performing schools, addressing barriers to learning such as hunger and homelessness, increasing student attendance, securing adequate funding and focusing on teacher retention. Hales is a retired principal and worked for Cumberland County Schools for 31 years.
“One of the things that I really, really want to try and get our policymakers — which are the school board members — to try and just think about [is] effective strategies, period,” Hales said. “Especially strategies for enhancing our low performing schools, which we don’t want that number to increase anymore, and encouraging them hopefully to address both the academic and non-academic barriers.”
Jordan, an educator at Fort Liberty, said her focus is on fostering open communication between the school board and the community, supporting student well-being programs and ensuring a safe learning environment
“I want to be, as I said, that voice that connects our school board to the community,” Jordan said. “And just let them know that I thank them from the bottom of my heart, the people that came out and supported me, as I continue this journey. My job is to make sure that I be a light that is set forth for our school board to make sure that we are doing what we need to do and how we need to do it.”
Bell, who retired in 2022 after almost 22 years working for Cumberland County Schools, told CityView she needed to learn more about the roles and responsibilities of Board of Education members before her term starts.
“I know I have a lot to learn,” Bell said. “I got to learn the policies. I have to learn what my job is, what it consists of, what I can and can’t do, or what I can and can’t say. So I got a lot of reading ahead of me before the swearing in, and I’m ready to get started.”
The next chapter
Williams, who managed to fend off challenger Tracy Pelt, said she is looking forward to another term on the board. Her focus will be on school safety, ensuring quality education and supporting teacher recruitment and retention to bolster student performance outcomes.
“So we obviously want to continue to work on getting our children in a place that we feel they’re learning at the level they’re supposed to be learning on,” Williams told CityView. “And we know we’ve made some progress, but we’re not where we want to be. … So I think if we invest in the people who are leading and teaching and guiding our children every day, that all of those things can happen.”
Jones did not respond to requests for comment from CityView.
For the incumbents who lost, the future is uncertain — though not without hope.
“I’m thankful to the relationships I’ve made through my service as a representative of CCS and I hope Dr. Jordan will be at least as passionate in her term as I was in mine,” Warfel said.
Vann concurred.
“It is what it is,” she said. “And all we can do is pray and hope that the decisions they make will be for the good of the school system, the boys and girls and everybody else involved in the school system.”

Local food resources for the holidays, beyond

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Tuesday, 05 November 2024

Written by Sheila D. Barker

The holiday season is frequently regarded as the most joyful and delightful time of the year, filled with celebrations, gatherings, and festive cheer. However, for individuals who are grappling with food insecurity or struggling to find their next meal, this time of year does not evoke the same feelings of joy and happiness. Instead, it can be a period of stress and worry.
Fortunately, there are many resources available in our community that offer vital assistance to those in need, ensuring that everyone can experience some level of comfort during this special season.

Thanksgiving Meals
Rivers International Church
113 Foch St, Fayetteville
910-670-1354
https://www.riverschurchnc.org/
They will be serving a Thanksgiving meal. Call for the exact date and time.

We Are One Big Family
Fayetteville Day Resource Center
128 S King St, Fayetteville
910-708-0205
They will be passing out Thanksgiving meals on November 27 & 28. Call for exact times.

Operation Turkey Fayetteville
682-226-2724
operationturkey.com

Meal Pick Up Locations

FAYETTEVILLE LOCATION: MAIN:
Fayetteville Chapter, 82nd Airborne Division Association
606 Johnson Street
Fayetteville NC 28304

For those who struggle with transportation or just need a closer location to pick up meals, they offer options through churches and community partnership locations:

Harvest Family Church
6575 Fisher Road
Fayetteville, NC 28304

Cedar Falls Baptist Church
6181 Ramsey Street
Fayetteville, NC 28311

OTHER LOCATION IN NORTH CAROLINA:

Hoke County Open Door Soup
Kitchen
320 Turnpike Rd
Raeford, NC 28376

Food Pantries
Be sure to call or visit the websites listed for additional information needed like whether you will need to show ID, if a referral is required or if there is a limit on the number of visits.

St. Paul's Full Gospel Food Pantry
602 Mann Street, Fayetteville
910-486-0202
http://stpaulfgbc.org
Food pantry is open on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Charity Church Food Pantry
431 Neville Street, Fayetteville
910-484-8764
http://charity-church.org
Food pantry is open every third Saturday from 10 a.m. to Noon.

Village Baptist Church Food Pantry
555 North Reilly Rd, Fayetteville
910-678-7178
http://thevillagebc.church
Food pantry is open every 3rd Tuesday from 10 a.m. to Noon.

Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Food Pantry
1601 Raeford Rd, Fayetteville
910-484-2134
http://www.holytrinityfay.org/serve
The food pantry is open for walk-ins Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Alms House Food Pantry
3909 Ellison Street, Hope Mills
910-425-0902 https://almshousehopemills.com/index.html
The food pantry is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Anderson Creek Community Church
2085 Ray Road, Spring Lake
910-436-0548
http://andersoncreekcommunitychurch.com/ac³-ministry-center
Food pantry is open on Thursdays 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Cruciform Church of Christ
360 Pinetree Lane, Spring Lake
910-447-2767
http://www.cruciformcoc.com/ministries/food-pantry
Food pantry is open twice a month. Call for specific dates.

Operation Blessing of Fayetteville
1337 Ramsey St, Fayetteville
910-483-1119
http://operationblessingfayetteville.com
Hours of operation are Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed daily from Noon to 1 p.m. for lunch.

Catholic Charities-Fayetteville & Newton Grove Regional Office
726 Ramsey St, Suites 10 & 11, Fayetteville
910-424-2020 Ext. 2601
http://www.catholiccharitiesraleigh.org/fayetteville-programs
This food pantry operates by curbside pickup on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to Noon.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast NC
406 Deep Creek Rd, Fayetteville
910-485-6923
https://hungercantwait.org/find-help/find-food/
Second Harvest Food Bank is a collection site where they distribute their food to other charities, churches and food pantries. The link above provides the locations where someone looking for food assistance may find some help.

HAND-EE
12254 Highway 210 South, Spring Lake
910-497-7100
http://hand-ee.org
They have a variety of food distribution and community services. Please call for more details.

Saint Pauls United Methodist Church Food Pantry
406 W. Main Street, Saint Pauls
910-865-4301
https://www.rise4me.com/resources/st-pauls-united-methodist-church-food-pantry/
Food pantry is open on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month . Please call for information on hours.

Loft Assistance Center
62 Joint Rd, Spring Lake
919-495-1415
Open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

New Hope Baptist Church
293 Bethel Baptist Rd, Spring Lake
910-497-1033
Food pantry is open the 1st & 3rd Monday of the month from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

FTCC Food Pantry
Horace Sisk Building, Rm 708, 2204 Hull Rd, Fayetteville
910-678-0077
This food pantry is only open to FTCC students. The hours are Monday thru Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Beatitude House
102 N. Main St, Spring Lake
910-496-0925
Food pantry is open Thursday & Friday from 10:30 a.m. to Noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Christ United Methodist Church
3101 Raeford Rd, Fayetteville
910-484-3340
Food pantry is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Cliffdale Christian Center
6427 Cliffdale Rd, Fayetteville
910-864-4911
Food pantry is open the third Wednesday of each month. Date may variety around holidays. Call to confirm hours.

Fayetteville Dream Center
336 Ray Ave, Fayetteville
910-568-3897
Food assistance is available on the 1st & 3rd Thursday of the month from 10 a.m. to Noon.

First Baptist Church
302 Moore St, Fayetteville
910-483-6505
Food bags are available on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m.
Gray's Creek Christian Center
3028 School Rd, Hope Mills
910-485-3005
Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. until Noon.

Harry Hosier United Methodist
6201 Milford Rd, Fayetteville
910-864-6019
Food pantry is open the 1st & 3rd Friday of the month from 10 a.m. to Noon.

Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church
118 Johnson St, Fayetteville
910-868-2770
Food pantry is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to Noon.

Person Street United Methodist Church
509 Person St, Fayetteville
910-483-4714
Food pantry is open the 1st & 3rd Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Seth's Wish
330 S. Cool Spring St, Fayetteville
910-476-6613
Food pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Simon Temple AME Zion Church
441 Donray Dr, Fayetteville
910-867-1183
Food pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

St. Matthews United Methodist Church
202 Hope Mills Rd, Fayetteville
910-425-0401
Food pantry is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to Noon.

True Vine Ministries
5301 Morganton Rd, Fayetteville
910-867-6762
Food pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Church at Cedar Creek
4010 Cedar Creek Rd, Fayetteville
910-483-6895
Food pantry is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Closed on holidays.

Soup Kitchens/Eat-In Programs
Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch
531 Hillsboro St, Fayetteville
910-433-2161
They offer a breakfast program Monday thru Friday starting at 7:30 a.m.

Person Street United Methodist Church
509 Person St, Fayetteville
910-483-4714
Community kitchen is open the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Salvation Army
245 Alexander St, Fayetteville
910-483-8119
Lunch daily at 12 p.m.

Seth's Wish
330 S. Cool Spring St, Fayetteville
910-476-6613
Hot meals served Sundays at 1 p.m.

Simon Temple AME Zion Church
5760 Yadkin Rd, Fayetteville
910-867-1182
Breakfast on Saturdays at 7 a.m. 100 plates are distributed into the downtown community. Call for more information.

St. Matthews United Methodist Church
202 Hope Mills Rd, Fayetteville
910-425-0401
Lunch served on the last Wednesday of each month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Hoke County Open Door Soup Kitchen
308 N. Main St, Raeford
910-875-2111
Open Tuesday & Thursday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Other Resources
Cumberland County Coordinating Council on Older Adults
339 Devers St, Fayetteville
910-484-0111
Home delivered meals. Call for more information.

Cumberland County Department of Social Services-
1225 Ramsey St, Fayetteville
910-677-2433
Applications for Food & Nutrition Service Program are accepted Monday thru Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call for more information on requirements.