North Carolinians to be featured on TV philanthropy special
Posted: 10-30-2009 : RALEIGH, N.C.

On November 9, 2009, a new documentary called North Carolina Giving: Philanthropy Across Cultures & Communities will premiere on UNC-TV from 10-11pm. North Carolina Giving, which features an introduction from Bill Friday and narration by Ambassador James Joseph, will travel across North Carolina, uncovering stories of “ordinary people changing lives in extraordinary ways.” (The trailer can be seen at www.ncgives.org/documentaries.)

This special broadcast will include stories from a wide variety of North Carolina communities (Cherokee, Asheville, Waynesville, Kernersville, Charlotte, Pittsboro, Durham, Raleigh, Greenville, Hollister and Wilmington).

These and other stories make up the North Carolina Giving documentary project, commissioned by the statewide organization NCGives to recognize and celebrate the diverse giving practices found throughout the state. “These stories of giving are representative of how North Carolinians are generous in their support of each other, through both the good times and the bad times,” said Donna Chavis, NCGives’ executive director. “And though we actually began this project before the economic downturn, these stories may now resonate with North Carolinians even more.”

The project is the result of an 18-month process, during which producers at Minnow Media traveled around North Carolina capturing numerous giving stories on film. The full set of documentaries, which will be available from NCGives in early 2010, includes the one-hour piece that will broadcast on UNC-TV as well as six shorter documentaries that look at specific populations (women, young people, African Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Latinos and American Indians).

In tandem with the upcoming TV broadcast, NCGives has invited all North Carolina residents to enter the North Carolina Giving Contest. The grand prize is a Flip Video Camera plus $100 for “your charity of choice.” To enter, participants must watch the documentary on November 9 and answer several related questions, either by mail or online. More information can be found online at www.ncgives.org/documentaries or by calling 1-877-NCGIVES (1-877-624-4837).

NCGives (www.ncgives.org) is a statewide organization dedicated to celebrating and strengthening the giving of time, talent and treasure in North Carolina—particularly among women, young people and communities of color—by sharing stories, research and tools.

Minnow Media, LLC (www.minnowmedia.net) is a full-service, Emmy award-winning multimedia production company based in North Carolina with a commitment to enrich public discussion around issues of individual growth and social transformation.