This October, we’re excited to announce Molly Woodruff Painter as our Partner of the Month!
Molly is the chair of CASA’s King’s Ridge campaign committee, and over the past year and a half has dedicated countless hours of her time to helping us fundraise for the building’s construction.
As she tells it, her sense of community widened after she joined friends volunteering at the Women’s Center, hosting weekly coffee sessions with women who are homeless in Raleigh. The deep friendships Molly formed there changed her desire to do good work into a deeply personal quest. As Molly watched, many women who were matched with housing would return to the streets. Often, they were paying nearly all their paychecks for rent, with little left for food, transportation, and healthcare. Molly also saw friends become disconnected while in apartments on the outskirts of town. They couldn’t easily access support services and they missed their peers. Their mental health suffered.
In 2018, Molly and many friends read the book The Hundred Story Home by Kathy Izard, which details the creation of Moore Place in Charlotte, a permanent, supportive apartment community (PSH). Determined to replicate this model in Raleigh, Molly and friends researched affordable housing in the Triangle, visited Moore Place in Charlotte, and searched for solutions.
After nearly two years of searching, they found their partner in CASA.
With Molly’s leadership as campaign chair, CASA has raised over $11M toward our $18.6M construction goal. Her approach to community donors is passionate, personal, and authentic. When meetings couldn’t be held indoors, Molly and her friends bundled up and hosted outdoor talks –even during the coldest winter evenings last year.
Molly says, “When I met the CASA staff for the first time, we connected on a heart level. They understood the struggle of my friends who are currently experiencing homelessness. CASA’s mission to break down barriers and house those who are the most vulnerable aligned with my dream to do the same. It is an absolute joy to partner with CASA in bringing King’s Ridge to life. I’m honored to be part of this community and part of a proven solution to homelessness.”
We’re so grateful to call Molly our partner, and know she deserves every bit of recognition. Thank you, Molly!
