On this episode, we’re talking to Elizabeth Cooper, Director of Hispanic ministries at Christ Community Church. For season one listeners, you’ll remember she was part of the team that started the community health clinic at the church. On this episode, we check in with her to talk about how Christ Community Church is helping the Hispanic community weather the COVID-19 crisis.

This is a community voice. My name is Kevin Maurer, director of community engagement for the Cape Fear Collective. On this episode, we’re talking to Evan Folds. He is a Supervisor with the New Hanover Soil & Water Conservation District. He is also consulting on the Northside Grocery project. We talk about the north side grocery, urban farming and quite honestly the importance of food.

On our second episode of the Collective Voice, we covered food deserts. More than 16,000 residents of our neighbors live in food deserts. The episode was an eye-opening look at the problem and offered some insight into how pervasive the issue is in our community. So, when schools closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, we started thinking about the children in our community who rely on the school system to provide breakfast and lunch and how this crisis is only going to exacerbate this...

On this episode, we’re talking to Dr. Robert J. Sherertz, an infectious disease doctor, about COVID-19, the U.S. response and the data that we all should watch as we try and understand this crisis. We recorded this interview Tuesday moments after the White House coronavirus response coordinator recommended anyone who has left New York City recently should self-quarantine for 14 days.

This episode wraps up season one and offers a preview of season two. In the coming week or so we’ll be recasting the whole season with some added data, graphics and updates. Our goal was to start a conversation with season one and come up with a common language around the social determinants of health and how our neighbors are more affected than others. Let’s keep doing that. Season two is going to focus exclusively on race and equity. We’re going to tackle everything from the Confederate...

On this episode, we’re talking to David Beauregard, access and advocacy coordinator at the Disability Resource Center. David was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident in 1976 when he was 20 years old. On this episode, we talk about his work at the center, but more importantly we get a chance to see the world from a wheelchair. David is a great storyteller and it was an eye-opening conversation for me.

On this episode, we’re talking to Audrey Hart, director of the New Hanover Disaster Coalition, a collaborative group of faith communities, non-profit organizations, businesses and governmental agencies working toward long term disaster preparedness. We recorded this interview Monday to talk about the latest on the corona virus in New Hanover County. We’ll try and update as necessary.

On this episode, we’re talking about housing. Shelter ranks right at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. But in Wilmington – like in many places in the nation – finding affordable housing is difficult, if not impossible. Housing is considered affordable when it doesn’t exceed more than 30 percent of household income. Families that spend more are considered cost burdened. Thirty-two percent of households in New Hanover County are cost burdened. We’ll start with a conversation with Rachel...

On this episode, we’re talking to Tommy Taylor, interim CEO of the United Way of the Cape Fear Area.The United Way of the Cape Fear Area's mission is to work with the community to leverage resources and improve the lives of local people. We talked to Tommy about Wilmington’s workforce, the lasting impact of Hurricane Florence and adequate funding for nonprofits.

Last fall, a majority of the county commissioners voted to end New Hanover’s direct financial support for Wave, which operates vans, buses and shuttles in New Hanover County and northern Brunswick County. Then in February, county and city officials took over the Wave board to evaluate and potentially restructure the financially struggling public transit agency. For the next two weeks, we’ll have a conversation about transportation. Part one, we’ll talk with Julie Olson-Boseman, the chair of...

On this episode, we’re talking to Frankie Roberts, executive director of Leading Into New Communities or LINC. His organization helps people getting out of prison re-enter society. Frankie is one of our leading nonprofit and community leaders. I never pass up a chance to chat with him.

Last fall, a majority of the county commissioners voted to end New Hanover’s direct financial support for Wave, which operates vans, buses and shuttles in New Hanover County and northern Brunswick County. Then in February, county and city officials took over the Wave board to evaluate and potentially restructure the financially struggling public transit agency. For the next two weeks, we’ll have a conversation about transportation. Part one, we’ll talk with Julie Olson-Boseman, the chair of...

On this episode, we're talking with Anne Jones and Dan Gonzalez the co-founders of District C. District C is preparing the next generation of talent by providing students with real-work learning experiences. We recorded this episode in Raleigh after Wilmington's own Sean Bynum and Kevin Maurer completed the District C Coaching Institute. Cape Fear Collective is partnering with District C to bring this model to New Hanover and surrounding counties. Contact Meaghan Lewis at...

Unemployment levels are at historic lows. New Hanover County’s unemployment rate hovers around 3 percent – slightly lower than the state rate of 3.7 percent and way down from 11 percent in 2010. Adam Jones, regional economist at the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Swain Center presented the region’s economic forecast last month and said over the past decade, the region has created more than 30,000 jobs and reduced unemployment by 6.9% But sometimes, having a job isn’t enough,...

On this episode, we’re talking to Althea Johnson, chief executive officer of MedNorth Health Center. MedNorth is Wilmington’s only federally qualified health center. I recorded this in December and we talk about access to healthcare and some of the issues facing the clinic and how they’re overcoming them.

On this episode, we’re talking to Audrey Hart, director of the New Hanover Disaster Coalition, a collaborative group of faith communities, non-profit organizations, businesses and governmental agencies working toward long term hurricane recovery and disaster preparedness. We recorded this interview after the coalition’s February meeting. Audrey and I talk about the coalition’s work, the state of our community post Hurricane Florence and how her organization is preparing for future disasters.

On this episode, we’re talking to Jane Morrow, executive director of Smart Start of New Hanover County. Smart Start is the county’s local early childhood initiative, designed to ensure that every child in North Carolina will arrive at school healthy and ready to succeed. On this episode, we talk about the importance of early childhood care and Smart Start’s 7th Annual First 2000 Days Community Summit Feb. 17. For more information, check out Smart Start’s website.

On this episode of Community Voice, we talked to David Zucchino about his book Wilmington’s Lie, why he took on the story of the 1898 coup and massacre in Wilmington and what the story means in our current political climate. We recorded this interview the day before his standing room only event at the New Hanover County Library in January 2020.

We're taking a closer look at Wilmington’s health care landscape and the importance of preventive care. Join us as we visit a clinic at Christ Community Church and hear how it's working to close the gap between those with access to care and those who struggle to get it.

More than 16,000 residents of Wilmington live in food deserts. And the impact is not just unappetizing meals. Food insecurity leads to a host of health issues ranging from diabetes to gout. In New Hanover County, 6.8 percent or 13,220 adults over 20 years old suffer from diabetes. Those are just the diagnosed cases. Actual numbers are likely higher. The two biggest risk factors for food insecurity is obesity and physical inactivity and New Hanover County’s numbers are staggering. Slightly...

As our community moves towards a collective impact model to address social progress across the Cape Fear region, it is critical that we establish a common language and build awareness around the deep disparities that exist within our population. On our first episode, we sit down with Cape Fear Collective CEO Patrick Brien to discuss collective impact, his work in Africa and how it influences his approach to problems in the Cape Fear and his vision for the Cape Fear Collective.