The award recognizes organizations and individuals who assist HCC in fulfilling its mission.

Angel’s Closet, Congressman G.K. Butterfield, Halifax County Economic Development Commission and Regeneration Development Group Inc. were presented the award for their commitment and partnership in developing education, workforce and economic development programs in the Roanoke Valley.

Griffin and Portela.

Angel’s Closet

The Angel’s Closet ministry was founded seven-and-a-half years ago at an empty classroom at the old Medlin Elementary School during Gilbert Portela’s employment with the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District.

The ministry has grown to the point that Angel’s Closet recently purchased an 11,000 square feet building located at 47 Highway 158 in Roanoke Rapids.

Angel’s Closet also assisted more than 750 students with classroom academic field trips and paid for cap and gown rentals for nine graduating seniors.

Griffin and Butterfield.

Butterfield

He was elected to serve the First District of North Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election on July 20, 2004, where he continues to serve today.

In Congress, Butterfield is a champion of affordable medical care, education, investments in rural communities, veterans, renewable energies, and federal programs that support low-income and middle-class Americans.

Congressman Butterfield has been a great friend to HCC. In 2009, he announced a federal appropriation of $190,000 for the college’s Nursing/Allied Health Expansion Project that created a state-of-the-art, on-site Human Patient Simulator Lab for the training of nursing students in a virtual clinic setting.

In 2010, Congressman G.K. Butterfield announced a federal appropriation of $148,500 for the college’s Allied Health technology upgrades. The 2010 appropriation was used to equip two lecture halls with audio, visual, and distance education upgrades to provide allied health students and professionals in the community with a significantly increased number and quality of training and continuing educational opportunities.

Griffin and Cathy Scott of the development commisiion.

Development Commission

The Halifax County Economic Development Commission is a twelve-member advisory board with a mission to support the creation of new jobs and investment in Halifax County and its municipalities as well as the retention and expansion of Halifax County’s existing business and industry.

In the past four years, the Commission has worked to support more than 925 announced new jobs and $183 million in new capital investment. Additionally, the Commission has secured more than $22 million in state, federal, and other grant funds to support economic development in Halifax County.

Griffin and Phyllis Chavis of Regeneration.

Regeneration Development
Regeneration Development Group, Inc. has developed successful partnerships with agencies, businesses, churches and other not-for- profit organizations that span from Maryland to North Carolina. 

Regeneration has teamed up with employers and service providers across southern Halifax County and the larger region to better understand the needs of the employer-customers of the workforce system as well as how to partner more effectively with other organizations to meet the needs of the unemployed and underemployed customers.

When members of the community expressed interest in becoming nurse aides, Phyllis Chavis and the Regeneration Development Group collaborated with Halifax Community College and enrolled 10 students in their Certified Nurse Aide program in 2011 at the Scotland Neck site. Upon completion of the program, eight members of the class of 10 who sat for the NC State CNA Certification Boards successfully passed on the first attempt. 

Since establishing this partnership with Halifax Community College and the North Carolina Rural Center in 2011, 52 participants have graduated from the CNA program; 42 of them have been certified by the NC State CNA Certification Board; 38 of the 42 have been placed in new jobs and 10 of them have received promotions and/or increased their wages with their current employer.