Programs
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Sports and Little League Initiatives
This is the 9th season of UPI’s participation in preparing young boys (and girls) for play in the little league program of Durham Parks and Recreation Department. UPI sponsors baseball teams in the Durham Bulls Youth Athletic League and basketball teams in the Durham Parks and Recreation Division of the Jr. NBA Little League Association.
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Partnership with Big Brothers/Big Sisters
UPI currently has a dedicated partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle. UPI is currently providing many “Bigs” that are paired with “Littles” through the BBBS program. Since Big Brothers Big Sisters has a well-developed and uniform mentoring model, the pool of college-educated men that comprises UPI’s membership creates a genuine and natural affiliation.
UPI Programs
Social Action and Youth Initiatives now focus on various ways to ensure academic success of those youth who are disadvantaged and misguided. Public Awareness work evolves around hosting community forums to educate and discuss issues that face the community: education, health, economic development, etc. Strategic Leadership and Community Development currently centers around formulating collaborative initiatives with other organizations in order to achieve community objective of closing the achievement gap, reducing crime and violence, and empowering individuals to make appropriate life long decisions.
The programs listed on this page are specific programs developed and administered by UPI.
Urban Ministries Soup Kitchen
Since 2002, UPI has partnered with Urban Ministries of Durham to feed those who are less fortunate in our community. Every second Sunday, UPI organizes the meal service at the Urban Ministries facility at 410 Liberty Street by purchasing food, preparing and serving meals to scores of individuals among Durham’s citizens who find themselves hungry. Since the partnership began, it is estimated that UPI has prepared and served over 25,000 meals through this outreach effort.
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Youth Mentoring Program
UPI’s youth mentoring program is an established male mentoring and manhood outline designed particularly to impact the development of young men, many of whom do not have a father figure in the home. Unfortunately, gang affiliation, teen violence, teen pregnancy and high school dropouts remain prevalent in the Durham community and beyond. UPI’s youth mentoring program was created to curb these negative trends and reinforce a positive foundation for our young men to grow into productive and responsible men, husbands, fathers and citizens in our community.
5
Back to School Youth Fair
For many years, UPI partnered with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority to organize and execute a back-to-school youth fair wherein underprivileged children in the community received much needed school supplies at no cost, and participated in a half-day-long motivational and educational curriculum to promote their readiness to return to school and achieve at the highest levels. The program serves children ages K through 8 and has been an enormous success. In fact, the model created by UPI has been duplicated by numerous community service organizations and thereby served to inspire others to fill this pressing need for our children.
5
Public Awareness Seminars
The Public Awareness Series of UPI is a dialogical and informational venue that deals with local, state, national, and world issues that impact the life of the citizens of Durham. These forums will feature insightful speakers and provide excellent networking opportunities for participants.
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6th District Omega Summer Camp
UPI is a co-sponsor, along with Beta Phi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. with the 6th District Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.'s Summer Camp. Each year, UPI sponsors atleast 10 young men from the ages of 11 to 14 years old to participate in the program. The camps alternates between North and South Carolina.
