The mission of the Northern Moore Family Resource Center (NMFRC) is to encourage the development of strong families, healthy children, and caring communities by matching resources with needs in northern Moore County. The area served by the center, dramatically impacted by the loss of manufacturing over the last 30 years, has been further threatened in recent months by the COVID-19 pandemic. NMFRC pursues its mission through two areas of focus: supporting children in their education, and helping to improve housing and economic conditions in northern Moore County.

HOPE Academy

NMFRC opened HOPE Academy – Harnessing Opportunity, Promoting Education – in the fall 0f 2015, providing early-childhood education to 3- and 4-year-old children in northern Moore County. HOPE Academy doubled its capacity to serve students in our second year of operation, and we hope ultimately to serve children in a combination of full- and half-day classes. Combining learning experiences and structured play in a nurturing, secure, literacy-rich environment, the preschool program strives to meet the social, emotional, intellectual and physical needs of each child. HOPE Academy cultivates a love of learning so that each child will enter kindergarten eager and ready to learn.

After-School Program 

For six years, NMFRC served over 200 children in after-school programs at Robbins Elementary School and Elise Middle School. Our After-School Program Director coordinated with the principals at each school to ensure there was cohesion as children transitioned from the school day to the After-School program. Teachers from Robbins and Elise saw that children who participated came to class with completed homework and were more prepared to learn and participate in their daily lessons. Regrettably, we’ve had to suspend this valuable program, but we hope to secure funding to allow us to offer it again soon.

Santa’s Workshop

Since 2012 NMFRC, along with numerous faith-based and civic organizations, has provided a helping hand at Christmas for families in northern Moore County. Parents visit NMFRC to select a toy, a book, and suitable clothing for each of their children. More than 600 children typically receive gifts through Santa’s Workshop.

Emmanuel’s Angel Tree

Last year, Emmanuel coordinated our support for Santa's Workshop by creating an Angel Tree in the Parish Hall foyer. Each paper angel displayed the age and sizes of one child, so parishioners could select one or more angels, do the appropriate shopping – sometimes as a family project – and return items to be placed under the tree. The Outreach Committee will be sponsoring this activity again this year. Watch for additional details about the Angel Tree and how you can participate!

NMFRC’s 25th Anniversary

Our plans for a festive celebration of NMFRC’s 25 years of service to the community had to be postponed last April when the pandemic made such gatherings impossible. We did hold a “Virtual Gala” in September, and we’re making plans for an in-person celebration once conditions are suitable next year. (We had a couple of options for marking this milestone, as NMFRC was incorporated in 1995 but began serving families in 1996.)