Enrich ELL faces financial struggles

Enrich ELL could be out of money by the end of the year. 

"If we run out of money, which we're projected to by the end of next semester is what our recent update was, we would apply for student government funding," Carly Pyle, a member of the finance committee, said.

Enrich ELL is a UNC student-run organization that teaches free English classes to immigrants and refugees in the Chapel Hill and Carrboro area. 

"We have over 200 active members, and we tutor English to adults learning English for Chapel Hill-Carrboro community," co-chairperson Sarah Gee said. "We also offer child care." 

The families who attend the classes come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Gee said about half of participants are Hispanic and half are from various Asian countries.

In the past, Enrich ELL has only used Carrboro Elementary School as a space to teach classes, but the club is branching out and moving to the Hargraves Community Center.

"Next week, we're moving to a new home for our Wednesday classes, which is something I have orchestrated this semester because of the rent being exceedingly high," Gee said. 

The Hargraves Center is allowing Enrich ELL to teach their Wednesday classes in the space for free.

A Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district policy has steadily raised the cost for use of these facilities after 6 p.m.

"It started out being 60 dollars, 70 dollars, 80 dollars, 100 dollars, and this semester it's 130, and we tutor twice a week, every week, all year," Gee said.

Gee said attempts to move the club to a different location before have been unsuccessful because of Carrboro Elementary School's bilingual programs.

"Carrboro's a bilingual school and we have programs set up with the parents here who are learning English, so that's why our connection here is so strong," Gee said. "Enrich has worked here since 1998, so coming up on 20 years, so I'm sad to move us."

She said Enrich ELL recently held their annual Zumbathon — which raised about $2,600 in 2015 — but the rises in rent have led to some changes for the club.

Pyle said Enrich ELL has received grants this year.

"We got two grants, we got a grant from (Gee's) church and we got the Strowd Roses grant, so that's helping us," she said. 

Enrich ELL is still looking into other forms of funding.

"We've been working really, really hard to keep Enrich running, but it just is absolutely not sustainable for a nonprofit run by students to generate thousands of dollars each semester," Gee said.

Leslie Arroyo, a program coordinator, said the free space at the Hargraves Community Center has been a relief for the board.

"This means a lot to some of the people that come here because it's a nonprofit and they never have to pay for classes," she said. 

Enrich ELL is maintaining an optimistic attitude about the new location.

"We're excited to move to this new community and get to know this other community as well," Arroyo said. "I think it'll be good for us in the end."

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