Triangle United Way names Tameka S. Brown

The United Way of the Greater Triangle started the “10 to Watch” grant program in 2018 after to directly address racial, gender, and resource disparities in leadership within the non-profit’s funding portfolio. BY UNITED WAY OF THE GREATER TRIANGLE | STEPHANIE BUNAO

After reviewing their funding portfolio in 2018, leaders of the United Way of the Greater Triangle noticed that of the nonprofits they were supporting, those led by men had three times the assets as those led by women and people of color.

That’s when they came up with the “10 to Watch” list, an initiative that grants $50,000 spread out over two years to 10 nonprofit leaders and their organizations.

The goal of the program is “to directly address racial, gender, and resource disparities in leadership,” said Nick Allen, United Way’s chief program officer, in an email to The News & Observer.

Tameka S. Brown, founder of H.E.A.R.T.S.

Tameka Brown founded Helping Each Adolescent Reach Their Spark, or H.E.A.R.T.S., with the goal of supporting teen parents from her hometown in Durham with resources to become independent and self-sufficient.

Growing up, Brown says she saw the challenges facing teen parents firsthand, with close friends and classmates becoming parents while in high school.

A graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, Brown says her love for children began as a teenager when she was a group leader for Little River Elementary School in Durham.

According to the H.E.A.R.T.S. website, Durham’s repeat teen pregnancy is at a rate of 18%.

Brown has been the organization’s sole leader throughout its eight-year run. With the “10 to Watch” grant, Brown will be able to hire a social work intern this year.

“With this grant, we plan to hire staff, but more importantly impact the young parents in our community by way of enhancing our programming, developing our Love Bugs children’s closet, enhancing group sessions, and expanding to surrounding counties,” Brown said.