New non-profit voices concerns about New Hanover Community Endowment

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A new non-profit is voicing concerns about the New Hanover Community Endowment and its funding distribution.

Heal Our People’s Endowment was created by former state senator and Wilmington Mayor Harper Peterson last week.

The non-profit posted a petition expressing concerns about leadership changes at the endowment and lack of transparency regarding the $1.25 billion it oversees.

Peterson said the petition requests Attorney General Josh Stein hold a public hearing as state attorneys general oversee charitable organizations.

“We’ve invited him to come down and see firsthand why we are so upset,” Peterson said. “There is a sentiment throughout the community, there’s frustration, there’s helplessness and I think the overriding sentiment is anger, the way that the board has acted, has performed.”

Bill Cameron is the board chair of the endowment.

He said Peterson’s non-profit and petition will keep the endowment from being able to help the community.

“The endowment, the people that are on that board are hard working, they’re committed and they’re working for the benefit of the community, for the citizens of this community,” Cameron said. “And actions like Harper are just a distraction from allowing us to do our jobs well.”

Cameron also said it’s understandable why some people are upset at the endowment, but it’s not because funds aren’t being given out to help deal with certain issues.

“If you have $300 million worth of requests and you can only give 30 or 40 or even 50, I think that there are going to be some people that are disappointed and that’s going to happen. And what I would tell the public is over time, we will be addressing many, many, many issues, year in, year out. It will be thoughtfully done.”

Cameron said the endowment will work on addressing housing issues in the Cape Fear region as part of its 2024 grant cycle.

Currently, the petition has more than 440 signatures.