Who Are We?
We are a team of people dedicated to creating change in the Raleigh community. The mission of Project Hope Community (PHC) is as follows:
- Enrich children’s lives by developing their reading, math, science, character building, and social skills through the Enrichment Program.
- Collaborate with health care agencies in the community to promote health and wellness education and outreach in the community.
- Develop computer literacy skills among the underserved youth population.
- Assist families with children in the under-served population who need resources by providing school supplies, food, and clothes.
- Collaborate with institutions of higher learning to prepare young adults with a trade or skill to become a productive citizen.
- Build an outreach center where children can exercise and engage in sports activities to avoid gang activity by having a safe place to play.
Upcoming Events
Board Members
Patricia N. Maness, MSN
Founder
Patricia earned a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from North Carolina Central University. She also holds an Associates Degree in Christian Ministerial Studies from the Raleigh Institute of Biblical Studies.
Mrs. Maness desires to change a generation by providing supplemental educational tutoring and training for kids in the Raleigh community.
Marlena E. Davis, MBA
Board Member
Marlena has over 25 years of accounting experience in both the public and private sectors. She has worked in multiple industries including banking, technology, higher education, legal, and entrepreneurship.
Mrs. Davis has a B.S. in Accounting and an MBA in Accounting from Southeastern University in Washington, D.C.
Stefanie L. Etienne, MD
Board Member
Dr. Stefanie Etienne serves on the board for Project Hope Community as Treasurer. She works on the planning committee for their Summer Enrichment Program and also volunteers as a tutor. Dr. Stefanie Etienne is a Family Physician who has been practicing in the Raleigh area for over 14 yrs. She is a native of Houston, Texas and received her B.S. in Child Development and Family Relationships from The University of Texas at Austin. She received her medical degree from The University of Texas Medical Branch and completed her residency in Family Medicine at Cabarrus Family Medicine Residency Program in Concord, NC. Dr. Etienne has a passion for caring for underserved communities and has demonstrated this by practicing in these communities her entire career. For over 11 years she has served as the Lead Physician at the WCHS Northern Regional Center in Wake Forest where she provides pediatric, prenatal and women’s health care, STD and acute care services. In 2014, Dr. Etienne helped develop Liquid Gold, the first breastfeeding support group at Wake County Human Services.
Dr. Etienne is married and is the proud mother of two daughters and a son who attend Wake County Public Schools. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Dr. Etienne also volunteers as a parent coordinator for the Triangle Philharmonic Association. In her spare time, she likes to travel, read and volunteer in her community.
Congratulations on earning the DentaQuest Health Equity Hero Award 2022! Click here to read more.
Genia R. Blackwell, MEd.
Board Advisor
Genia is an educator with over 30 years of experience in the Wake County School System. She worked various positions including K-5 Classroom Teacher, Academically Gifted Teacher, and Accelerated Learning Coordinator.
Mrs. Blackwell is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and is a proud member of Message of Hope Ministries.
Rahab Kamau, BS
Board Member - Director of Operations
Rahab has a passion for serving students from underserved communities and strives to do her part to fight against the barriers that hinder their success. She was previously the Project Director for a 21st Century Community Learning Center where she and her team had the opportunity to serve hundreds of students in Durham County. She has also served on the Board of Directors for the Triangle Debate League.
Rahab has a Bachelor of Science from Campbell University and currently works for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.