Delores Bailey and EmPOWERment Inc. Responds To Residents Needs In 2020

CHAPEL HILL, NC – Delores Bailey has become a leader in Orange County through her ability to use her passion to drive her actions, especially with the challenges of 2020.  As the head of EmPOWERment Inc., she utilizes her skills to improve the lives of people throughout the region by providing resources that will enable them to work and enjoy the community they call home. Anyone that has the pleasure to speak with Bailey hears the passion in every word she speaks as she talks of the work her organization provides for the community.

In 2002, she returned home to Chapel Hill after graduating from the University of Wisconsin to find her neighborhood in a downward spiral that caused her heart to ache. She saw that her childhood streets had become downtrodden and filled with little hope of redemption.  It was then that Delores Bailey decided to do something to stop the decline.  As she began to search for a way to use her skills to benefit her neighborhood, she discovered an organization that seemed to be geared towards making a difference in Orange County that aligned with her motivation.

In 1996, two UNC Social Work students, Myles Presler and Termain Kyles saw a need for residents of Orange County and launched EmPOWERment Inc. to help low-income residents find affordable housing.  The organization caught the attention of Bailey and she decided to join the organization to expand its programs to offer more than providing housing for residents.

EmPOWERment Inc. manages 58 affordable rental properties and 6 privately-owned homes in Orange County. All tenants earn 30-60% of the Area Median Income and EmPOWERment provides housing counseling, financial literacy training, and utility fund assistance as needed. 

In 2005, Bailey assumed the position of executive director for EmPOWERment Inc. and has watched it grow into a powerful entity for those involved.  When the community was forced in 2020 to deal with the stresses brought on by the COVID 19 virus, EmPOWERment Inc. responded in a manner that showed the true nature of the organization.

With many people in Orange County facing lessened hours and unemployment, Bailey began to utilize ways the organization could provide supplies for households that were affected by the economic downturn.  They handed out enough supplies for 80 residents to get through a month as they regrouped from the hardships facing their households.

EMPOWERment Inc. also assists small businesses with the operation of the Midway Business Center, located at 109 N Graham Street.  This center provides office space for local small businesses to grow by providing them with one free month and half the rent of most office spaces.  The center provides people with resources to begin and grow their businesses with lessened financial strain.

The organization also has a program geared towards getting youth off the streets and helping them find employment.  Career Explorers has created jobs for numerous participants and helped them turn their lives into ones that fill them with pride and allows them to live a lifestyle away from the streets.

It is very clear through the actions of EMPOWERment that they are here to improve the lives of the people they serve.  With everything our country experienced in the year 2020 along with the current pandemic, the future remains a mystery.  One thing we can all be certain of is that Deloris Bailey and EMPOWERment Inc. will find ways to improve the community regardless of the obstacles thrown their way.

For more information, visit EmPOWERment Inc.