A NOTE FROM JOY

Friends,

If you ask people what they love about North Carolina, most will put our state’s natural beauty at the top of the list.  

In April, you see it everywhere — spring green on mountainsides, dogwoods in bloom, seagulls skimming the ocean. 

Our natural environment is a point of common pride for North Carolinians. It’s also essential for our survival and prosperity – the foundation of thriving communities and a sustainable future.  

This month, the North Carolina Conservation Network, a ZSR grant partner, released a report on the state of our environment. It’s a comprehensive look at how NC is faring in a variety of environmental, health and economic areas – all of which are intertwined. 

The report reveals that while we've made progress in some areas – reducing air pollution, for example – there are many challenges ahead, including transitioning to clean energy, preparing for and mitigating the impacts of climate change, and protecting people from contaminants like forever chemicals. 

The report is also a powerful reminder that clean air, safe water, and access to healthy environments aren’t a given. They result from North Carolinians coming together — across local communities, nonprofits, government and universities — to identify threats, shape solutions and ensure public investments that secure our collective well-being.

At ZSR, we celebrate our state's progress, acknowledge how far we have to go, and remain committed to promoting a healthy and sustainable environment for all North Carolinians, now and for generations to come.  

All For NC,

Joy Vermillion Heinsohn

ZSR Executive Director

GET INSPIRED

Stories of hope and action

from our partners across NC

Take 8 minutes to watch this beautiful piece by PBS North Carolina that highlights how the Coharie Intra-Tribal Council is restoring the Great Coharie River, a sacred part of Coharie cultural heritage. The restoration effort is a powerful example of Indigenous leadership in environmental stewardship and cultural preservation, ensuring that both the river and the Coharie people’s traditions endure for generations to come.

In the current environment of fear and chaos, Siembra NC is helping immigrants sort fact from fiction when it comes to raids and deportations. This vital work helps ensure that community members' rights are protected, and that all immigrants in North Carolina are treated with dignity and respect.

In the US, Black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, and North Carolina has the 11th-highest maternal mortality rate in the country. PBS North Carolina interviewed leaders from Equity Before Birth and NC Black Alliance to unpack the systemic inequities that put Black women at greater risk, and to explore solutions.

Environmental nonprofits including CleanAIRE NC are taking legal action to fight back against a federal freeze on congressionally approved grant funds — investments that are vital to the health, safety and well-being of communities across NC and the South. The lawsuit, filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center, spotlights how funding freezes harm communities by halting programs that create jobs, improve housing and increase access to clean air and water.

Following years of advocacy and legal action led by Emancipate NC and others, the City of Graham and Alamance County officials agreed to a $120,000 settlement with individuals whose constitutional rights to peaceful protest were violated in 2019. This outcome underscores the critical role the legal system plays in protecting people's rights.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Mountain BizWorks and partners are supporting local businesses as they stabilize, recover and rebuild. In March, the Asheville-Buncombe Rebuilding Together Grant Fund awarded over $4 million to 339 small businesses across Buncombe County, and in April, the Rural Rebuilding Together Grant Fund awarded $700,000 to businesses in Hot Springs and Marshall. While the progress has been meaningful, there is still so much need, and Mountain BizWorks and its partners remain committed to securing additional funding to help more local businesses.

The Southern Environmental Law Center, representing Cape Fear River Watch, Environmental Justice Community Action Network, and the North Carolina Coastal Federation, filed a motion opposing Chemours and DuPont's attempt to seal thousands of pages in documents related to PFAS contamination in NC. The nonprofits argue that public access to these records is essential for transparency and accountability concerning the environmental and health impacts of PFAS pollution.

In Goldsboro, state officials broke ground on a natural infrastructure demonstration project to mitigate flooding near UNC Health Wayne hospital, where flooding during heavy rain events can block access and prevent first responders from getting residents the help they need. Environmental Defense Fund, a primary partner in this effort, sees it as a testament to “what we can accomplish together at the state level to advance climate resilience initiatives.”

Families First in Cabarrus County is a Concord-based nonprofit that supports the whole family, from participating in the earliest moments of a child’s learning to helping a mom secure her dream job. Check out our grant partner story:

The ZSR team attended a luncheon at UNC Greensboro to celebrate the Katharine Smith Reynolds Scholars. The scholarship program, which was established in 1962 and funded by ZSR for many years, has given $6 million in awards to 700 scholars since its founding.

UNCG Reynolds Scholars with ZSR staff Barbara Gorham (second row, far left), Natalie Ditta (second row, seventh from left), Pamela Spalding (second row, sixth from right), Alexandria Jones (second row, fourth from right), Ricky Hurtado (second row, far right), and Jamilla Hawkins (first row, far right).