DENVER, COLO. (Sept. 30, 2021) — The National Service Office for Nurse-Family Partnership ® and Child First honored The Duke Endowment with the Robert F. Hill Award for Exceptional Impact — the organization’s highest honor. Rhett Mabry, president of The Duke Endowment, accepted this award this morning at Re: Connect 2021, Nurse-Family Partnership’s annual education summit. In its second year as a virtual event, the summit provides the opportunity for Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) nurses to learn and connect across the country.
The Duke Endowment has provided critical philanthropic support to bring Nurse-Family Partnership to more families across North Carolina and South Carolina. From their support of a Pay for Success project in South Carolina to championing the Get Ready Guilford initiative in North Carolina as leading examples, The Duke Endowment has been a key partner to the National Service Office in our shared commitment to build a better system for children and families.
“This Exceptional Impact Award to The Duke Endowment recognizes their long-standing commitment to transform the lives of more children and their families in the Carolinas and beyond,” said Frank Daidone, president and CEO of the National Service Office for Nurse-Family Partnership and Child First. “They have been a true and steady partner to the National Service Office in our efforts to scale Nurse-Family Partnership and build brighter futures for generations to come.”
“In 2005, The Duke Endowment asked key partners to join hands to fund Nurse-Family Partnership in the Carolinas,” said Mabry. “Over the past decades, Nurse-Family Partnership has grown substantially in the two states, providing services for children and families who need it at a critical time in their lives. We are proud to accept this award on behalf of the team effort that is putting families first.”
Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed more than $4 billion in grants. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.
The Exceptional Impact Award celebrates individuals and organizations who have made a momentous impact on the National Service Office, its mission and vision for the future. Named for Robert F. Hill – Nurse-Family Partnership’s inaugural board chairman and one of the first recipients of the award – this award is given to those that have championed efforts to provide better opportunities for families, transform communities and disrupt the cycle of poverty.