Profiles of Service

Profiles of Service

In business, philanthropy and life, James B. Duke surrounded himself with smart, hard-working men and women, committed to success and impact. He believed that through partnership with these individuals, bigger and better things were possible. Today, Profiles of Service spotlight a few of the “behind- the-scenes” workers from grantee organizations, past and present, who share Mr. Duke’s commitment to making a difference. The Duke Endowment honors these exceptional nonprofit staff and volunteers who represent the human face of community efforts and who dedicate their time, talents and hearts to making those efforts successful.

Helping Children Heal from Trauma

Gaye Allen-Cook was in high school when her father had an accident at work that left him paralyzed. During his months of rehabilitation, the rest of the family sought counseling to help...

Guiding a Rural Church in Faith and Service

Just after dawn, the ribbon of road outside Laura Beach’s house is quiet. A black cow grazes in a nearby pasture. A harvested field sparkles with dew.

Making a Difference for Latino Families

Margarita Franco is a small woman with kind brown eyes and a soft voice. But people use heavy words to describe her.

Por Español, aqui.

They call her “indispensable.” “An expert...

Learning through Teaching

In his classes at Duke University, David Liu tackles problems in multivariable calculus. He studies circuit analysis. He builds robots.

But this summer, as a teacher with...

Promoting Healthy Smiles and Healthy Teeth for Life

Gary Smiley spent three decades as an orthodontist in South Carolina, so you might think he’s seen enough bicuspids to last a lifetime.

But in recent years, as a volunteer with...

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Areas of Work

  • Prevention and early intervention for at-risk children

    To equip children and families with skills to ensure that children reach developmental milestones to lead successful lives.

  • Out-of-home care for youth

    To drive child welfare systems toward greater accountability for child well-being.

  • Quality and safety of health care

    Improving the quality and safety of health care delivery

  • Access to health care

    Improving health by increasing access to comprehensive care

  • Prevention

    Expanding programs to promote health and prevent disease

  • Academic excellence

    Enhancing academic excellence through program and campus development

  • Educational access and success

    Increasing educational access and supporting a learning environment that promotes achievement

  • Campus and community engagement

    Promoting a culture of service, collaboration and engagement among schools and communities

  • Rural church development

    Building the infrastructure and capacity of United Methodist churches to enhance ministry and mission

  • Clergy leadership

    Strengthening United Methodist churches by improving the quality and effectiveness of church leadership

  • Congregational outreach

    Engaging United Methodist congregations in programs that serve their communities