Carl Harris knew what it was like to work hard and experience success. Born in 1881, he seized the many opportunities of a young nation that rewarded imagination and perseverance. Determined to make a mark in his hometown of Winston-Salem, Carl had a history of achievement, from his work in a law firm that would grow to become the city's largest, to his ascent through the ranks of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, where he rose from salesman to vice-president to board member. Carl's dear wife Annie, also a Winston-Salem native, worked actively as a member of the couple's church while Carl became a charter member of the Winston-Salem Rotary Club.

Grateful for their good fortune and believers in community service, they established a fund at The Winston-Salem Foundation that would help people in their beloved city even after they were gone. Trusting the Foundation to steer their substantial contribution responsibly, at almost $2 million, it was the largest sum ever given to the Foundation for an unrestricted fund.  Carl and Annie created a powerful and adaptable resource to improve the lives of people in our community. 

Tameka O'Neal is one such person benefiting from the unrestricted flow of support coming from the Carl and Annie Harris Fund.  Born and raised in Winston-Salem about 100 years after Carl Harris, Tameka possesses determination reminiscent of Carl; she has studied at Winston-Salem State University and Davidson College and she plans to enroll at Guilford College and Forsyth Tech as she pursues a career in healthcare - but she also faces dramatically different economic and social challenges.  Thanks to her participation in the Individual Development Account Program, which is partially funded by the Harris Fund, Tameka is learning many life-changing financial tactics, such as how to manage the income from her two jobs, save money for a home, and utilize tax strategies. Making the most of the advice and support of this unique program, Tameka is now working to buy a home.

As a single mother of two boys, Tameka hopes her quest for knowledge and self-sufficiency will inspire her sons to become as educated, focused and independent as she is. Like Carl Harris, a man she never knew but whose unrestricted generosity helped her long after he was gone, Tameka understands that success comes to those who keep moving forward with conviction.