
Sheriff's Office Deputy Organizes Diaper Drive
Durham County Sheriff's Office Deputy Lindsey Hamlett recently worked with sixth-grade students to collect more 3,000 diapers for families in need.
Hamlett was a School Resource Officer at Neal Middle School in Durham, where she also was an instructor with the Gang Resistance and Education Training (GREAT) program.
"We want to give back to the community and help to ensure our future children live healthy and happy lives!" Hamlett said. "One diaper at a time!"
The donate

County Engages in Creating a Durham Promise Zone
In response to community needs, Durham County Cooperative Extension is shepherding the federal application process for a Durham Promise Zone on behalf of the City, County and Durham community. A Promise Zone is a federal designation that creates a link between the federal government and the local community to address priorities within a high-poverty area in the community.
If designated as a Promise Zone (a ten-year designation), Durham would receive preferences for certain

Library Cards Now Available to All County Employees
All Durham County employees now can get a Durham County Library card at no charge – whether they live in the County or not. Thanks to the County Commissioners and the Library Board of Trustees, the annual $45 out-of-county fee will no longer apply to County employees who live outside of Durham County.
Now County staff can pick up 10 DVDs or borrow a Nook e-reader on their way home. Employees have access to valuable electronic resources as well, including ebooks, e-magazine

Get Your Grass Off Gas
On Saturday, June 27, people gave up their old gas-powered lawn mowers for discounts on new electric versions at the Get Your Grass Off Gas event in Durham. These old gas guzzlers will be recycled, and the new electric mowers can be ordered through Black & Decker.
If you did not attend and are a Durham County resident, you can still enter to win a free lawn mower. Just tag Greener Durham in a picture on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter (@GreenerDurham) and use the hashtag #G

Student Interns Assist Trees Across Durham
Southern High School students are hard at work this summer.
Through the Durham YouthWork Internship Program, nine Southern students are gathering data, watering, and updating maps of trees planted at elementary and middle schools in Durham. Over 800 hundred trees were planted at these schools over the past two years through Trees Across Durham.
In order for these trees to grow to their full mature potential they need some basic care. The students at Southern have been a

Open Space Matching Grants Applications Now Open
Durham nonprofits have until November 13 to apply for the latest round of matching grants funding.
Matching grants can be used for projects such as trails, school playground equipment, purchase of land, and more, according to a recent news release.
Learn more by checking out the news release. #GrantsApplications #OpenSpace

County Releases State of the County Health Report
The Partnership for a Healthy Durham, which operates out of the Durham County Department of Public Health, recently issued its annual State of the County Health Report.
Read the 2015 State of the County Health Report here. It is full of performance measures and status updates for various partnership priorities.
Learn more about the Partnership for a Healthy Durham at its website. #AccountableGovernment #stateofcounty #health #report

Happy 50th Birthday to Soil and Water Conservation District
At the end of this month, the Durham County Soil and Water Conservation District will recognize its 50th anniversary of protecting the community's natural assets.
The district's current mission is to "conserve, enhance and promote the natural resources of Durham County by providing technical assistance, environmental education information and economic incentives to County citizens and by exhibiting a diversified program to meet its changing needs."
Learn more about Soil

County Wins PTI Award for Cybersecurity Awareness Efforts
Durham County's Information Services & Technology Department recently took home a 2016 Technology Solutions Award from the Public Technology Institute.
The organization honored recent steps by the department to educate employees and the public about cybersecurity, according to a story from the IS&T website.
Here is a look at the issue and the department's approach to cybersecurity by the numbers, according to IS&T’s story: 200,000: estimated number of emails on an average

County Continues Donating Surplus Computers
For nearly a decade, Durham County has worked with various community partners to provide surplus computers to those who need them locally.
A recent story by Chris Whittle on the Durham County Information Services & Technology website explains how these initiatives have evolved over the years.
Durham County recently provided 91 used laptops to North Carolina Central University students via a partnership with the nonprofit Kramden Institute, according to IS&T.
"Durham Cou