Alamance County, NC
There is so much good about Alamance County. Many people cherish living in their local community among neighbors and friends. Individuals from all parts of the county share countless stories of people helping each other in times of need. There is a rich, ever-evolving history to the towns and communities of Alamance. And though you may not see it at first glance, there is a yearning among many people to figure out how to move the community forward.
But the divides in Alamance are potent and in some cases go back generations. And they exist as Alamance experiences rapid growth and change. From 2010 to 2020, the county grew by 13.4%, putting it in the top 10% of fastest-growing counties in the country. That trend has only accelerated in the years since 2020. What are the implications of all this growth? What do people cherish about Alamance that they fear losing? And how does Alamance deal with its current challenges people face in their daily lives?
The community is confronting a fundamental choice: Be overrun by divides or find new ways to build bridges and forge its own future.
In 2021, Impact Alamance partnered with The Harwood Institute to create a new pathway forward for the community. The initial phase of work resulted in the report, Alamance Choosing Hope: A New Path Forward for the Community.
In the years since the report was released, people and groups in the community have stepped forward in new ways to unleash a chain reaction that is strengthening the area’s civic culture.
In early 2023, the action phase began in Alamance County with a Getting Started Lab. Five teams—Youth Wellness, Arts, Faith, Bridge, and Narrative—formed to spearhead change efforts aligned with what matters to people. The community held an Unleashing Impact Lab in fall 2023, followed by ongoing coaching and workspaces through 2025. The work has continued to grow and spread, so much so that a second Getting Started Lab took place in fall 2024 to incorporate new folks into the initiative.
Our mini documentary highlights the chain reaction happening in Alamance County, and how the community serves as an example of how we can come together to find common ground amid our real differences.
Stay up to date with the work unfolding in Alamance County—read the latest stories of change from the Narrative Team.
Alamance County Featured on PBS NewsHour’s “America at a Crossroads”
PBS NewsHour’s “America at a Crossroads” series—hosted by acclaimed journalist Judy Woodruff—aired a feature-length segment that showcased our ongoing work in Alamance County, NC, and presented our case for why the country needs a new civic path forward. Alamance County, along with the other iconic communities where we’re working deeply, demonstrates that Americans have the public will and ability to make real progress on society’s fault lines.