News

The John Rex Endowment announces an investment of more than $370,000 for six grants to support an environment where children and families in greater Wake County live healthy lives. The grants will support a Latino youth empowerment project, three nonprofit capacity building projects and two nonprofit organizational assessments. 

Students at York Elementary School were among the first to turn the dirt at a (play) groundbreaking event on November 12. More than 500 attended the celebration of a grant-funded project to develop a safe space for outdoor learning, active play, team sports and physical activity for the entire school community. First-graders sang about planting seeds to grow strong and tall, and Holly Berry of York Elementary PTA presented the North Carolina PTA and the John Rex Endowment with oversized cards of thanks from the children. 

Two programs are changing the way children eat and play in child care centers in Wake County, and four groups are working together to raise awareness about the healthy weight of children. At a recent Farm to Preschool Day celebration, Advocates for Health in Action (AHA), Wake County Cooperative Extension, Natural Learning Initiative and Wake County SmartStart (WCSS) shared how they are working with child care centers to create environments with healthy choices. 

The John Rex Endowment awarded Project Enlightenment of the Wake County Public School System a $2 million grant to help parents with young children in Raleigh improve parenting skills. Project Enlightenment will work with approximately 18 community agencies to train and provide Triple P - Positive Parenting Program® (Triple P), an internationally acclaimed model that is designed to give parents the skills they need to raise confident, healthy children.

The John Rex Endowment is pleased to announce new officers and members of the board of directors. Tom McGuire, partner of Armstrong and McGuire Philanthropic Advisory Group, has been elected as the new treasurer. New board members include Cathy Moore, deputy superintendent for school performance at Wake County Public School System (WCPSS); Deborah Nelson, consultant for early childhood system building initiatives; and James R. Talton III, senior vice president and financial advisor of CapTrust Financial Advisors.

Children and families in the York Elementary school community will soon have a whole new way to get moving while they learn. With support from a recent grant from the John Rex Endowment, the York Elementary School PTA has developed a detailed rendering of the planned playground renovation and paved school track, which will provide a safe space for active play, team sports, passive play and outdoor learning activities. 

The John Rex Endowment has new funding available for projects related to the following two goals from our five-year plan, Our Plan for Impact, 2013-2018: Positive Mental Health and Nonprofit Capacity Building

The Town of Zebulon Parks and Recreation has earned a Let's Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC) Bronze Medal for their work to make Zebulon a healthier place to live. Residents can enjoy walking or strolling on new trails through Zebulon Community Park; kids receive healthy snacks while in programs; and church youth groups participate in free program nights through the "Churches on the Move" initiative.

The John Rex Endowment announces the approval of four healthy weight grants totaling $586,538. The North Carolina Council of Churches, Salvation Army of Wake County, Town of Zebulon and York Elementary School PTA will receive grants for healthy weight projects that focus on policy and environment changes, long-lasting preventive benefits, and wide public impact.  

The John Rex Endowment announces two grants to support nonprofit capacity building. Passage Home will be awarded an $11,000 grant, and Wake Education Partnership will receive an $11,000 grant. Both grants will support organizational assessments of current capacities.