Since 1924, The Duke Endowment has worked to help people and strengthen communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Fulfilling a Legacy Located in Charlotte, N.C., the Endowment seeks to fulfill the visionary genius and innovative legacy of James Buchanan Duke, one of the great industrialists and philanthropists of the 20th century. Mr. Duke established the Endowment in 1924 with $40 million. In 1925, it was expanded with an additional $67 million from his estate. Adjusted for present value, Mr. Duke's total gifts would amount to more than $1.4 billion today. Governed by a board of trustees, Endowment staff conduct grantmaking according to guidelines in Mr. Duke's original Indenture of Trust, a legal document that remains relevant and timely after nearly 90 years. Our Work The Endowment has awarded nearly $3.6 billion in grants since its inception, including over $1.5 billion to Duke University. With assets of $3.35 billion in 2015, the Endowment is one of the nation's largest 501(c)(3) private foundations. Today, almost 82 percent of our total spending goes to grantmaking. Financial information is available on our web site or by contacting us.

Established in 1951, the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization whose examinations are universally accepted for optometric licensure in the United States and accepted internationally. NBEO's mission is to serve the public and profession of optometry by developing, administering, scoring, and reporting results of valid examinations that assess competence.

The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance is the voice of business and only regional economic development organization that grows the economy, advocates for business and convenes diverse stakeholders for the city of Charlotte and the 14-county, bi-state region.

Charlotte Center City Partners envisions and implements strategies and actions to drive the economic, social and cultural development of Charlotte’s Center City. The organization envisions a Center City that is viable, livable, memorable, and sustainable, with modern infrastructure, a tapestry of unique neighborhoods, and a diversity of thriving businesses. For more information, please visit www.charlottecentercity.org.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina (SHFBM) strives through education, advocacy, and partnerships to eliminate hunger by the solicitation and distribution of food. SHFBM has been in existence since 1981. In 2016-2017, SHFBM distributed 54 million pounds of food to 700 agencies in our 19 county service region. Who We Are and What We Do: We provide a regional distribution warehouse and branches that supply food and grocery items to charitable agencies that assist people in need. We provide training, technical assistance and hunger education to our partner agencies. Counties Served: We serve a total of 19 counties - 14 counties in North Carolina including Anson, Burke, Cabarrus, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly and Union. We serve 5 counties in South Carolina including Cherokee, Lancaster, Spartanburg, Union and York.

The American Children's Home opened in 1928 by the Junior Order United American Mechanics North Carolina State Council, our country's oldest patriotic fraternity. The Home initially served orphaned children of Junior Order members. However, as time passed there were fewer and fewer true orphans and we began accepting children through county Departments of Social Services. These children, who have suffered abuse, neglect and/or abandonment, have been removed from their homes by court order and need a caring, nurturing environment to help them deal with past experiences and prepare them for their future. We believe that every young child has the inherent right to live and grow in a happy and loving environment. The stability of tomorrow's world depends upon the strength of character within the spirit of each child today. The purpose of the American Children's Home is to help instill in the hearts of our boys and girls an understanding and love for their Creator, a loyalty to their country and its freedom and a respect for others and themselves. The American Children's Home seeks to provide the nurturing care that will heal a child's broken spirit and help reunite families who have experienced discord and separation.

OLD HICKORY COUNCIL, INC. BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA is a company based out of 6600 SILAS CREEK PKWY, WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina, United States.

Apparo is a Charlotte, NC based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that transforms the community and improves lives by connecting local nonprofits to technology expertise and resources that amplify their mission. As a nonprofit ourselves, Apparo depends on the generosity of skilled volunteers and funders. We curate opportunities that deliver powerful benefits to employers and employees and link our corporate partners directly to community impact. Skilled volunteer (individual and corporate teams) and funding opportunities are available across all of our nonprofit services. Find out more at apparo.org/nonprofit-support

Since 1938, the NJCAA has served as the nation’s premier governing body for two-year collegiate athletics, providing student-athletes opportunities to PREPARE, COMPETE, SUCCEED and ACHIEVE in their academic and athletic disciplines. The NJCAA is the second-largest national intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States with over 500 member schools in 42 states. Each year over 3,400 teams compete in 25 different sports across multiple divisions in the NJCAA and the organization sponsors 47 national championship events and nine football bowl games.

Our Mission: To make dreams come true for children with chronic illnesses, developmental & intellectual disabilities, or life-altering conditions by creating experiences of joy and magic through the world of sports. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed and passionate about creating personal experiences for our “Dream Kids” with their favorite athletes, at a sporting event, or with their favorite sports team. We work directly with the social workers and treating physicians to identify children that are in need of assistance in living out their dreams. Our vision includes everything from throwing the first pitch at a major league baseball game to having their favorite athlete come for a special visit. We use donations and resources to create an absolutely unforgettable experience for the kids!

RUFTY-HOLMES SENIOR CENTER, INC. is a focal point for older adult programs, services and resources in Rowan County, NC.