S U M M E R 2019
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
There is a lot of speculation about the changing philanthropic landscape in Western North Carolina. It is hard not to contemplate and anticipate the impact that the Dogwood Health Trust will have on our region. CFWNC is delighted to welcome a new strategic funding partner. We share the same 18-county service area and mission to improve lives and communities across WNC. Our staff, board and nonprofit partners know from decades of work in WNC that quick fixes for our many entrenched problems do not exist. Permanent change is possible through longterm commitment, collaboration and advocacy. New opportunities, for collective and effective partnership with regional nonprofits and funders, hold great promise for our region. In this time of anticipation, it is important to recognize the good work that continues to take place daily to help our neighbors and communities. In this issue, you can read about the $900,000 investment that the Melvin R. Lane Fund recently committed to six WNC nonprofit human service organizations. Since 2000, the Lane Fund has been making grants to build the capacity of critical nonprofits supporting literally thousands of people.
The Asheville Merchants Fund also made grants recently and awarded $445,000 to nonprofits in Buncombe County supporting youth success and economic growth. These funds are providing opportunities for students, cars for low-income working families, job training and loans for entrepreneurs. The last few months have also seen $587,000 awarded to deserving students in 22 WNC counties, grant awards from seven of our affiliate funds and $323,912 in focus area grants. This year, CFWNC surpassed $20 million in distributions. These awards come from the Foundation but represent the generous commitment of hundreds of people and families. Over four decades, we have built permanent charitable resources that will continue to grow. This is all good news, but philanthropy can’t do it alone. We also need policies in place at the local, state and federal level that ensure children enter school ready to learn, provide safe and affordable housing, support access to quality healthcare and so much more.
CFWNC President Elizabeth Brazas with Abby Wambach. Photo by Michael Oppenheim.
taking care of one another and the assets that make WNC special. I look forward to a strong collaboration with our donors, established and grassroots nonprofits, and the Dogwood Health Trust. It is inspiring to imagine what we can accomplish working together, all pulling in the same direction. Onward!
We live in a region full of generous donors and robust nonprofit partners committed to
GRANT NEWS
Asheville Merchants Fund Awards $445,000 in Grants to Support Youth Success and Economic Growth The Asheville Merchants Fund awarded grants to nine Buncombe County nonprofit organizations in June totaling $445,000. The grants were awarded for innovative projects designed to strengthen community and stimulate economic growth. “This cycle brought the Asheville Merchants Fund Advisory Board strong applications from nonprofits working to strengthen Buncombe County through economic opportunity,” said Advisory Board Chair Tom Hallmark. “The quality of the applicants makes our work challenging, as we can’t fund them all. We congratulate the recipients and look forward to watching their programs evolve.” The recipients are: Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project — awarded $50,000 over two years to support the growth of farmers markets
as small business incubators to expand the direct sales of farmers and homegrown businesses in Buncombe County. Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity — awarded $50,000 over two years to launch ReStore #2 in Weaverville. Asheville City Schools Foundation — awarded $50,000 over two years to provide hands-on, equitable and accessible afterschool enrichment for Asheville Middle School students through the In Real Life program. Buncombe County Schools — awarded $50,000 over two years to continue its work targeting students who are at-risk of failing to complete high school through the Graduation Initiative. Center for Agricultural and Food Entrepreneurship — awarded $50,000 over two years to support
Masthead photo: Appalachian Trail, Avery County. Photo by Travis Bordley.
the continued growth of small businesses using the services of WNC Blue Ridge Food Ventures. KL Training Solutions/dba My Daddy Taught Me That — awarded $50,000 over two years to continue the growth of its youth Job Training program. Mountain BizWorks — awarded $50,000 over two years to provide microloans and customized business education to low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs in Asheville and Buncombe County with an emphasis on supporting entrepreneurs of color and the outdoor gear business sector. United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County — awarded $50,000 over two years to support Homework Diners at Asheville, Enka, Erwin and Owen middle schools. The weekly meals are a key element of its Community School strategy and
the Asheville-Buncombe Middle Grades Network. Working Wheels — awarded $45,000 over two years to build internal capacity and increase the number of dependable, affordable vehicles provided to working families in Buncombe County. Asheville Merchants Fund grants are awarded every two years; details can be found at www.cfwnc.org.
Photo courtesy of United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County.
GRANT NEWS
To address farm loss and the demise of tobacco as a viable crop for mountain farms, ASAP launched a campaign to build demand for locally-grown food. The effort has created market alternatives for farmers and a means to sustain and grow working farms. Photo courtesy of ASAP.
Reach Out and Read Carolinas builds on the unique relationship between families and medical providers to develop critical early language and reading skills in children. Reach Out and Read Carolinas’ vision is to provide a medically-based literacy intervention for all children birth to 5 across North Carolina and South Carolina, beginning with families living in poverty. Photo courtesy of Reach Out and Read Carolinas.
Fiscal Year 2019 Distributions Top $20 Million CFWNC grant distributions during its last fiscal year reached an all-time high of more than $20 million, bringing total grantmaking to more than $254 million since its founding in 1978. Included in that figure are competitive grant programs, scholarships, distributions from designated and nonprofit endowment funds, and thousands of grants from donor advised funds. Most of the money that leaves the Foundation does so on the advice of donors. These generous fundholders support a wide variety of nonprofits. Some donors choose to co-invest with CFWNC to fund grants by adding their funds to ours. This year, they contributed 37% of the funds distributed through our focus areas. Our focus areas were identified to benefit the region and enable the Foundation to work strategically and deeply in specified areas. Grants are made through significant staff collaboration with regional nonprofits to identify funding opportunities. The Foundation’s Board approved the following 2019 grants in February and May; the next grants will be announced in late August. E A R LY C H I L D H O O D D E V E L O P M E N T - $80,000
Through grants for evidence-informed programs, community awareness and advocacy in Early Childhood Development, CFWNC seeks to help young children reach their full potential. Reach Out and Read Carolinas was awarded $30,000 for its WNC Initiative that gives young children a foundation for success by incorporating books into primary care and encouraging families to read aloud together. The intervention is evidence-based and makes early literacy and healthy brain development a standard part of primary care with a focus on children who grow up in low-income communities. The John and Janet Garrett Charitable Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, WNC Resolve Fund and Matthew Terrence Lee One Love Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant. Region A Partnership for Children was awarded $50,000 for Promoting Collaborative Leadership for School Success, a program that continues work previously funded by CFWNC that supported community-wide collaboration to provide more effective early literacy programming to meet the needs of children and ensure reading success through Comprehensive Early Literacy Planning for School Success in Haywood and Jackson counties. Funding will broaden the effort to include Swain County and will continue the collaboration and data sharing. CFWNC funds leverage a larger investment by The Duke Endowment. Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund and Matthew Terrence Lee One Love Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant. F O O D A N D FA R M I N G - $185,000
Grants increase opportunities for local farmers and food entrepreneurs that support the sustainability and profitability of WNC farms and address regional food insecurity and nutrition.
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Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project was awarded $120,000 over three years to increase direct farmer sales in Western North Carolina by connecting farmers markets to consumer demand for healthy eating. Food is a key way people strive to bring healthy practices into their daily lives and create lifestyles that support their overall well-being. The activities of this project will focus on developing this potential through a combination of activities and outreach. The Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant.
Organic Growers School was awarded $25,000 to continue to help beginning farmers with programming that provides individualized support, advanced education and mentoring services that enhance success and sustainability. Funds will underwrite staff and program costs, such as farmer-teacher and farmer-mentor stipends. The WNC Resolve Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant. YMCA of Western North Carolina was awarded $40,000 to purchase a new box truck for its Healthy Living Mobile Market (HLMM) that serves Buncombe, McDowell, Madison, Haywood and Henderson counties. The Y currently operates thirty-two HLMM sites each month, which is full capacity based on the current number of vehicles and staff. Sites, however, continue to grow in both the amount of food distributed and the number of families served, making the need for a reliable vehicle critical. The Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, Matthew Terrence Lee One Love Fund, John and Janet Garrett Charitable Fund and Biltmore Estate Charitable Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant. N AT U R A L A N D C U LT U R A L R E S O U R C E S - $58,912
Grants and capacity building in Natural and Cultural Resources aim to protect and enhance the health of the region’s natural systems and support and develop the region’s arts-based economy. Conserving Carolina was awarded $25,000 to provide the last funds needed to acquire the Continental Divide property, 314 acres, that will be transferred to DuPont State Recreational Forest. The Conservancy has already acquired 402 acres, which it transferred to DuPont in February 2019. The project will protect water quality and biodiversity, provide additional recreational opportunities and enhance the quality of life in Western North Carolina communities. The Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant. Penland School of Craft was awarded $33,912 to purchase a Computer Numerical Control system (CNC) for its wood studio and to train studio staff. This project represents the launch of a five-year technology plan to bring Penland's studios up-to-date. The studios are well equipped, but from a technology perspective, Penland needs to upgrade its equipment to current standards. The Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund and an anonymous fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant.
A F F I L I AT E N E W S
Affiliate Grants Awarded CFWNC encouraged the growth of affiliate funds to build charitable capital to address local needs. CFWNC provides investment, accounting, grantmaking, training and administrative support. Local boards focus on setting priorities, raising funds and supporting nonprofit organizations. This is the first year that all nine affiliates will engage in independent grantmaking, giving them the flexibility to award grants that will do the most good in their communities. Seven affiliates (below) have completed their grants; two, Cashiers Community Fund and Highlands Community Fund, will make awards this fall. • Seventeen grants totaling $100,850 were awarded to nonprofits by the Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund. The Endowment is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. • Thirteen grants totaling $70,008 were awarded to Haywood County nonprofits from The Fund for Haywood County. • Twelve grants totaling $44,320 were awarded to McDowell County nonprofits by The McDowell Endowment. • Ten grants totaling $25,000 were awarded to Mitchell County nonprofits by The Fund for Mitchell County. • Eleven grants totaling $81,360 were awarded to Rutherford County nonprofits by the Rutherford County Endowment. • The Transylvania Endowment awarded eleven grants totaling $62,815 to nonprofits serving Transylvania County, bringing the total amount of grantmaking to more than $1 million. • Eleven grants totaling $92,330 were recently awarded to Yancey County nonprofits by The Yancey Fund.
Project Explore (Experience Promoting Learning Outdoors for Research and Education) is a free, citizenscience school outreach initiative developed by The North Carolina Arboretum. Over the past five years, the program has reached more than 120 teachers and 6,700 students through engaging environmental education and monitoring practices at students’ own schoolyards. A $3,700 grant from The Fund for Haywood County is supporting the expansion of the outdoor program to schools, students and teachers in Haywood County. Photo courtesy of The NC Arboretum.
The Transylvania Endowment awarded Muddy Sneakers $5,000 to make Camp Muddy Sneakers more accessible to Transylvania County children who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience summer camp. Grant funds will cover equipment costs such as satellite phones and first aid kits. The goal of the program is to serve a broad segment of Transylvania students, regardless of socio-economic status. Photo courtesy of Muddy Sneakers.
Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) has been providing limited legal services in Mitchell County for at least 15 years. In 2018, PLS provided free legal services to 53 people in Mitchell County including veterans, families on the verge of homelessness or bankruptcy, people in need of health care, and senior citizens who are the victims of fraud. With nearly 3,000 people living below the federal poverty level, community leaders asked PLS to expand services. A $5,000 grant from The Fund for Mitchell County helped PLS open an office in Spruce Pine. Photo courtesy of Pisgah Legal Services.
McDowell County Government/Keep McDowell Beautiful was awarded $2,500 from The McDowell Endowment to purchase a drip irrigation system, a gasoline powered tiller, handicap accessible raised garden beds and a storage shed for the Tabernacle Community Garden. The produce grown in the garden is available to anyone in McDowell County and is within walking distance for residents of Marion’s east side neighborhoods. Photo courtesy of McDowell County Government.
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SCHOLARSHIPS
Students across the Region Receive Scholarships CFWNC recently approved scholarships totaling $587,000 to 99 students in 57 schools in 22 counties in Western North Carolina. Sixty volunteers from the community worked to review applications and select recipients. Top recipients were: • Emily Frye from Asheville High School who was awarded the Marilyn Lester and William Lester Scholarship valued at $40,000 over four years. She plans to attend Appalachian State University. • Lucas Wiley from A.C. Reynolds High School who was awarded the Irving Jacob Reuter Award valued at $40,000 over four years. He plans to attend Duke University. • Mackenzie Douglas from Mitchell High School who was awarded the Charles C. and Suzanne R. McKinney Scholarship valued at $30,000 over four years. She plans to attend UNC Chapel Hill. • Israel Manley from Enka High School who was awarded the Nathaniel Ellis Cannady Jr. Scholarship valued at $30,000 over four years. He plans to attend NC State University. • Larry McCray from Andrews High School who was awarded the Reichman Scholarship valued at $30,000 over four years. He plans to attend Western Carolina University. • William Windsor from School of Inquiry and Life Sciences of Asheville who was awarded the Nathaniel Ellis Cannady Jr. Scholarship valued at $30,000 over four years. He plans to attend NC State University. • Cooper Cable from Robbinsville High School who was awarded the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. He plans to attend NC State University. • Makayla Lail from Polk County Early College High School who was awarded the Frances M. Miller Charitable Fund Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. She plans to attend UNC Chapel Hill. • Sierra Lindsay from East Henderson High School who was awarded the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. She plans to attend University of Georgia. • Jessie Richards from Swain County High School who was awarded the Clyde and Mildred Wright Endowment Fund Scholarship valued at $20,000 over four years. She plans to attend NC State University.
"My name is Sierra Lindsey and I am a recent graduate of East Henderson High School in Flat Rock, North Carolina. I plan to attend University of Georgia to study Psychology. After receiving my undergraduate degree, I hope to further my education by going to graduate school. I have chosen to go into the mental health field because
Scholarship endowments can have broad eligibility criteria or can be focused on a particular school or county, offered to students pursuing a degree in a stated field or available to those who will attend a designated college or university.
I have always loved working with and being around people, and I believe strongly that the stigma
“It is a privilege to work with students, counselors and volunteers from all over Western North Carolina,” said Scholarship Officer Lezette Parks. “I would not be able to do my job well without their help. Working together, we awarded a record high of $587,000 to very deserving students this year. These awards are an investment in the future.”
surrounding mental health is one that needs to be broken."
GIVING BACK
Funds Created between January 1 and June 30, 2019 Designated Funds support specific nonprofits named when the fund is established.
• Brame - Mattox Designated Charitable Fund • Burgin 2019 Charitable Fund • Connie De Land Fund for Racial Justice • Hembree Designated Fund 2019 • Hibbard Philanthropic Fund #3 • John and Dee Mason Designated Fund 2019 • Alex B. and Mary Porter Owen Endowment • Charles D. Owen Family Fund • Pisgah Legal Services Legacy Fund • Rob Pulleyn Designated Fund 2019 • Sciara Designated Fund 2019
Donor Advised Funds allow donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and recommend grants over time. • Davis and Britt Allen Charitable Fund • The Ecology Wildlife Foundation Fund • Samuel and William Elmore Fund for Mental Wellness • Jewish Community Fund for Western North Carolina • Swain County United Gift Fund
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Expectancy Funds are established to receive assets at a later time, typically through an estate plan, charitable gift annuity or charitable trust. • Brittany Dreams Fund • Ted Ghiz Jr. and Ronnie Mill Legacy Fund • Judy R. Handley Charitable Fund • Susan Jenkins Charitable Fund • Brian and Sandee Johnson Charitable Fund • Kahn-Kalp Family Fund • Alan and Wanda Ray Charitable Fund • Catherine Shane Charitable Fund • Dave and Ruthie Stagner Legacy Fund • Stan and Dave's Leftover Loot Fund • Andrea L. Stolz Fund • John Turmelle Charitable Fund
Field of Interest Funds support a broadly-defined area such as the arts, the environment or health. • CFWNC Emergency and Disaster Response Fund • Fund for Hospice Care
Memorial Funds are a meaningful way to honor a life. • Jameson Courtine Memorial Service Fund • Riley Howell Foundation Fund (see page 6)
Nonprofit Funds are created to invest and steward a nonprofit’s long-term or endowed assets.
• Beautiful Minds Wellness Fund • Gayle R. Berg PhD Fund • FolkTime Fund • North Carolina Arboretum Volunteer Fund • Sharing House Investment Fund • Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Impact Fund • Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Land and Conservation Easement Stewardship Fund • Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Roan Fund
Scholarship Funds support educational opportunities for students. • William Garrett Wood Scholarship
POWER OF THE PURSE®
Abby Wambach Addresses Crowd at Final Power of the Purse® Two-time Olympic gold medalist, author and activist Abby Wambach delivered a powerful address to nearly 950 people at the 15th and final Power of the Purse® held May 21 in Asheville. With 184 career goals, Wambach is the all-time leading scorer in the history of international soccer. An activist for equality and pay equity, Abby is the author of the New York Times bestseller Forward: A Memoir and WOLFPACK, an advice book inspired by her viral 2018 speech at Barnard College. Wambach exhorted the crowd to think deeply about their beliefs and to question whether they still believe them to be true or are simply what they were taught. She asked the audience to educate themselves in order to build understanding and awareness. “We need to come together, bridge gaps and open ourselves up to change,” she said. In reference to the experience of failure, she told attendees "you are allowed to be disappointed if you are benched, but you are not allowed to miss an opportunity to lead from the bench. Work to make the people around you better, champion other women and make failure your fuel. When women bet on themselves and do it collectively, they win.” The event raised $62,560 for the Women’s Fund. A highlight of the afternoon was the announcement of six grants totaling $341,800 from the Women for Women giving circle. The 2019 grants are: $44,800 to Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry to expand services to women who are actively engaged in Buncombe County’s Drug Treatment Court. $32,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County to provide staff and supplies for year-round, out-of-school care and programming for children and youth living in domestic violence situations. $100,000 to the Council on Aging of Buncombe County to fill a significant gap in services for the elderly by providing coordinated access to the range of services available to seniors. $100,000 to Homeward Bound to transition chronically-homeless women with a history of intimate partner violence or sexual violence into safe, permanent housing. $45,000 to Working Wheels to increase its capacity to repair donated vehicles to provide 18 dependable cars per year for Helpmate’s clients who are survivors of intimate partner violence. $20,000 to Youth OUTright to fund operating costs, youth leadership stipends and training materials to deliver targeted, age-appropriate consent education to schools and youth-serving organizations. With this year’s grants, the Women for Women giving circle has awarded $3.8 million to nonprofits supporting WNC women and girls since 2006.
Following the luncheon, CFWNC delivered centerpieces, which included vegetables and flowers, to the Boys & Girls Club of Asheville and Buncombe County, the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County, The Cindy Platt Boys & Girls Club of Transylvania County and The Cherokee Youth Center Boys and Girls Club. Sponsorship of the centerpieces and the club outreach was generously provided by Tom and Sue Fazio.
From top: Abby Wambach at the podium; Jacqueline Grant, sponsor and attorney at Roberts & Stevens, with Abby Wambach; sponsors and representatives of Asheville City Soccer Club with Abby Wambach, photos by Michael Oppenheim. Scholarship Officer Lezette Parks and Donor Relations Associate Angela Farnquist delivered to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Asheville and Buncombe County. Left: Senior Program Officer Tara Scholtz delivered plants to The Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County.
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GIVING BACK
“I didn’t intend to give Riley to the world, but now that he belongs to everyone, we hope his willingness to put others first can be an inspiration. His altruistic nature was fundamental to his character. If thinking of Riley sparks any one of us to reach out and care more about others, to help rather than be indifferent or cause harm, then his legacy can be remarkably meaningful." Natalie Henry-Howell Photo courtesy of Riley Howell Foundation Fund.
Riley Howell Foundation Fund Honors Student Hero Haywood County native and UNC Charlotte student Riley Howell was tragically killed the afternoon of April 30 when he tackled a suspect who had opened fire inside a classroom on the UNCC campus. Another student, Reed Parlier, was also shot and killed while four other students were wounded. Police officials said Howell's decision to tackle the shooter saved countless lives. In the weeks that followed, the Waynesville Police Department presented Howell's family with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals. Howell was an ROTC cadet who considered joining the military or becoming a firefighter. In addition, the U.S. Army posthumously awarded Howell the ROTC Medal of Heroism and Charlotte police officials awarded Howell's family the Citizen Medal of Valor. To remember and honor him, Howell's family established the Riley Howell Foundation Fund at CFWNC to support nonprofits serving people affected by gun violence. The fund's initial advisory board includes Natalie Henry-Howell, Riley’s mother; Scott Pritchard, his uncle; Kevin Westmoreland, the father of Riley’s longtime girlfriend Lauren; and friend of the family Rachel Feichter. In June, the Fund awarded grants to UNC Charlotte and to STEM School Highlands Ranch in Colorado to fund traumatic grief counseling services for students and faculty affected by recent shootings on those campuses. Tax-deductible donations can be made online at the foundation fund’s website, rileyhowellfoundation.org, or www.cfwnc.org. Checks can be mailed to: CFWNC, 4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Suite 300, Asheville, NC 28803. Include ‘Riley Howell Foundation Fund’ in the memo. Learn more: www.rileyhowellfoundation.org. PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS
Advisors Gather for 28th Annual Seminar On May 2, Michele A. W. McKinnon, of McGuireWoods LLP, was the featured speaker at CFWNC’s annual continuing education seminar for advisors. “Charitable Giving After Tax Reform: The Rules and Opportunities in the Current Tax and Economic Environment” examined the current philanthropic environment, including the impact of the 2017 Tax Act on charitable giving, and delivered a review of planned giving vehicles and creative planning options. Ninety-five attorneys, accountants, financial planners, insurance and fundraising professionals attended. McKinnon is a Partner in the Richmond, Virginia, office of McGuireWoods LLP and leads its Nonprofit and Tax-Exempt Organizations group. Michael Bruder and Betsy Cunagin of Parsec Financial. Photo by Michael Oppenheim.
CFWNC works closely with advisors to make charitable giving effective and convenient. The seminar is one way that CFWNC supports these critical partners.
Don’t Miss it!
Are you a young advisor working in WNC that wants to network with your peers? Join CFWNC’s Professional Advisory Committee and advisors from across the region for the Young Professional Advisor Reception on Thursday, September 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. Visit with friends, meet new colleagues and enjoy local snacks and beverages on CFWNC’s garden terrace. Find more information at www.cfwnc.org
Professional Advisors Give Back CFWNC’s Professional Advisory Committee opened a donor advised fund to support regional nonprofits. In June, the Committee voted to award the following grants: $5,000 to Arts For Life, a nonprofit that supports pediatric patients and families facing serious illnesses and disabilities. Arts for Life provides educational arts programs in medical settings that encourage positive healthcare experiences for children. More than 6,000 young patients, siblings and family members at four hospitals are served annually.
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$5,000 to Read to Succeed that was created through the collaboration of community activists and the Asheville Housing Authority to support Buncombe County children in six schools. Estimates are that only 25% to 40% of children were reading at grade level by the third grade, putting them at risk of low achievement or dropping out. The schools provide tutoring space and project support and match volunteers and students. Since inception in 2009, Read to Succeed has served nearly 500 students and, in 2019, increased the number of students tutored during the academic year to 203.
GRANT NEWS
$10,000 Janirve SUN Grant Supports Kitchen Repair The Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center works to strengthen bonds among the residents of Haywood County and its communities. The Center is located in the former Pigeon Street School, which served African-American elementary school students before desegregation. Programs include historical preservation initiatives, oral history projects and celebrations of African-American history and diverse cultures. In addition, it serves students, veterans and seniors through a variety of after-school, community and summer programs. In January, a grease fire caused extensive damage to the kitchen and other parts of the building. Weeks of work with contractors and insurance representatives resulted in a final restoration plan. Before construction could begin, vandals seriously damaged the kitchen on February 25. The area most affected was the exhaust hood over the electric ranges, which required an upgrade to a commercial hood and gas appliances.
Photo courtesy of Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center.
A $10,000 Janirve SUN grant allowed the repairs and electrical work to finish in time for hot meals to be served to students and staff of the Center’s Summer Enrichment Program, which works to meet gaps in educational opportunities. More than 95% of the students served qualified for free or reduced lunch. Over the summer, the kitchen will turn out 8,100 meals and snacks for approximately 60 students. One month later, the After School Program resumes and provides a hot meal four days a week for 25 students. According to Executive Director Lin Forney, the kitchen is the heart of the community center. The Center looks forward to resuming dinners for approximately 140 seniors in the near future. CFWNC offers Janirve SUN grants of up to $10,000 to assist human service nonprofit organizations experiencing an unforeseen crisis that diminishes their ability to provide critical services. In 2019, $96,738 was awarded to fourteen WNC nonprofits.
Melvin R. Lane Fund Awards $900,000 to Human Service Nonprofits Six nonprofits serving Western North Carolina were awarded $900,000 over three years from the Melvin R. Lane Fund grant program to help human service organizations improve operations and become more collaborative and sustainable. The following 2019-2022 grant recipients will receive $150,000 each over three years: Children First/Communities In Schools of Buncombe County to hire development staff and improve revenue diversity and operations to ensure that K-6th grade students have the resources they need to succeed in school and to empower advocates for children and families. Community Housing Coalition of Madison County to hire housing rehabilitation specialists and development staff to address a staffing shortage so that urgent repairs can be made to 45 low-income homes in Madison County currently on its waiting list.
Phyllis Utley with her Toyata Solara. Photo courtesy of Working Wheels.
Thrive to diversify revenue sources, increase administrative support, and strengthen the board to expand support and opportunities for adults with mental health and housing needs in Henderson, Polk, Transylvania and Rutherford counties.
“Community Housing Coalition of Madison County will leverage this funding to meet the housing needs of our neighbors. It will allow CHC to make a significant impact in facilitating and promoting affordable, safe and healthy housing for low-income families, especially those who are elderly, disabled, veterans or single parent households. CHC is typically only able to meet half of the housing repair requests each year and will use the money to hire a second rehabilitation specialist, hire a development director to expand funding sources and increase capacity to better serve Madison County families.”
St. Gerard House to hire development staff to grow and diversify revenue and to purchase fundraising software to strengthen programs for people with autism and their families in Henderson, Buncombe, Haywood, Jackson, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties. Vecinos Farmworker Health Program to support a dedicated Executive Director position, improve community relations and diversify revenue streams to better serve farmworkers and their families with health care, education, community partnerships and advocacy in Jackson, Haywood, Transylvania, Macon, Graham, Cherokee, Clay and Swain counties. Working Wheels to develop a branding strategy and marketing plan and to implement a data management system to support the repairs of donated cars for working families in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Polk, Transylvania, Rutherford and Yancey counties. The three-year grants are made possible through the Melvin R. Lane Fund, created by Melvin and Georgianna Lane, longtime residents of Henderson County. Lyn Fozzard, daughter of Melvin Lane, oversees the fund with her sons Peter and Richard, daughter-in-law Libby and members of the Lane Advisory Board.
Chris Watson, Executive Director
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Our Affiliates
CFWNC
Phone: 828-254-4960 Fax: 828-251-2258 www.cfwnc.org
Management Team
New Website Launched CFWNC’s new website went live on June 17. A top goal with this site was to make it easy for potential donors, grantees and scholarship students to navigate to necessary information. In addition, we wanted to highlight the ways we help donors achieve their philanthropic goals, the effective nonprofits that we support and our initiatives including focus areas, nine regional affiliates and the Women for Women giving circle. WNC is a region of incredible beauty, and we incorporated images from across the 18 counties. Angelo Gianni of Fusion Digital Media created the welcome video on the home page. The site also features beautiful still photography from Travis Bordley, Nick Breedlove, Wes Harkins and Michael Oppenheim. Feedback about the site and ease of navigation is welcome and appreciated. If you have comments, feel free to email info@cfwnc.org.
Sheryl Aikman, Vice President, Development Philip Belcher, Vice President, Programs Elizabeth Brazas, President Lindsay Hearn, Communications Director Graham Keever, Chief Financial Officer Julie Klipp Nicholson, Chief Operating Officer
Officers
Black Mountain–Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund Cashiers Community Fund The Fund for Haywood County Highlands Community Fund The McDowell Endowment The Fund for Mitchell County Rutherford County Endowment Transylvania Endowment The Yancey Fund
Board of Directors
Stephanie Norris Kiser, Chair Michael Fields, Secretary
Board Members Maurean B. Adams Caroline M. Avery Natalie Bailey Frank Castelblanco Guadalupe Chavarria II William Clarke
Sarah Sparboe Thornburg, Vice-Chair Charles Frederick, Treasurer Connie Haire A.C. Honeycutt, Jr. Susan Jenkins Jean McLaughlin Joanne Badr Morgan
Lowell R. Pearlman Scott Shealy J. Chris Smith Stephen Watson Juanita Wilson
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BOARD NEWS
Board Member Update CFWNC is pleased to announce the following new board members elected to serve a three-year term. Frank Castelblanco, DNP, RN, is Chair of the Continuing Professional Development UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC. He received his Doctorate in Nursing from Gardner-Webb University and his Bachelors in English from Rutgers University. He is the former Director of Cardiac Emergencies for Mission Health, and prior to that role, was a Cardiovascular Nurse. Frank is a lecturer, educator and Cultural Diversity specialist. He serves as a Board Member of Buncombe County Health and Human Services, Asheville-Buncombe Institute of Parity Achievement, Center for Diversity Education at the University of North Carolina in Asheville, Asheville Latin Americans for the Advancement of Society, Pisgah Legal Services, and WNC Diversity Engagement Coalition. Juanita Wilson is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). Wilson graduated from Western Carolina University (WCU) with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology. She completed her Master of Science in Leadership and Management at Montreat College. She began her career working with the Region A Partnership for Children, an experience that sparked Wilson’s interest in collaborative partnership work. She held positions with the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, EBCI and WCU, and participated in national and statewide leadership development programs. Wilson returned to work for EBCI and is creating a new 14-program division in the Cherokee communities of Snowbird and Cherokee County to develop talent, development strategies and training for the workforce.
Board member Ed Towson is retiring from board service after serving nine years, including seven years as treasurer. Ed’s leadership coincided with a tremendous period of growth for CFWNC. His ability to balance the financial health of the Foundation with the mission was extremely valuable during this time. As a local tax professional, he also has a keen understanding of the importance of philanthropy to his clients and the role that The Community Foundation plays in fulfilling their objectives. Photo by Lynne Harty.