(October 7, 2024) The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) approved 21 grants totaling $451,246 from the Emergency and Disaster Response Fund (EDRF) supporting frontline organizations providing relief and recovery services in Western North Carolina.
The grants support frontline nonprofits meeting immediate needs or those whose ability to provide services was directly affected by the floods. Organizations use a simple, expedited process to access funds with grants awarded on a rolling basis.
“On September 29, three days after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, CFWNC activated EDRF,” said President Elizabeth Brazas. “In just over a week, generous people, foundations and corporations from across the region and the country have donated $13.4 million to quickly provide flexible assets to frontline organizations. We are overwhelmed by the need and by this huge swell of support. We are especially grateful to our fellow funders who reached out immediately to offer support and partnership.”
CFWNC is coordinating with local funding partners that share the same 18-county service area. Dogwood Health Trust made a lead gift of $10 million to this effort. Other gifts include $1 million from The Leon Levine Foundation and $500,000 from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC Foundation. CFWNC fundholders have collectively donated $314,000. The list of funders and donors changes daily; a list will be posted on our website shortly.
The grants are:
$25,000 to Asheville Poverty Initiative to provide food and other essential services in Buncombe County
$25,000 to Babies Need Bottoms to provide diapers and other essential baby supplies in the WNC Region
$7,500 to Baptist Children's Homes of NC to provide food and basic essentials to displaced students in the WNC Region
$25,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina to provide essential supplies and FEMA application assistance to the organization's Littles and their families in the WNC Region
$12,500 to Bread of Life to provide meals in Transylvania County
$2,600 to the Center for Domestic Peace to support hotline staff in Jackson, Haywood and Buncombe counties
$25,000 to Centro Comunitario Hispano-Americano to provide food and other essential services to Latino families in Transylvania and Henderson counties
$25,000 to Centro Unido Latino-Americano to distribute essential items in McDowell, Rutherford, Burke, Buncombe, Mitchell, Yancey and Avery counties
$25,000 to Co-operate WNC to distribute food and emergency supplies in Rutherford, McDowell, Buncombe and Henderson counties
$9,000 to Grahamtown Team toward roof repair and tree removal for community members.
$25,000 to Hands On! - A Child's Gallery to provide on-site essential services, goods, and internet in Henderson, Polk and Buncombe counties
$25,000 to Haywood Christian Ministry to provide food and other essential resources in Haywood County
$25,000 to Hospice and Palliative Care of the Blue Ridge to provide generators and essential medical equipment to hospice patients in Mitchell, Avery, Yancey, McDowell and Madison counties
$25,000 to International Friendship Center to provide food and meet essential needs for people impacted by the hurricane in Macon and Jackson counties
$25,000 to Jewish Family Services of WNC to meet essential basic needs in Buncombe and Henderson counties
$25,000 to Out Of The Ashes to provide shelter and other resources to homeless people in Rutherford and Polk counties
$24,646 to PIVOTPoint WNC to provide mental health services at various community hubs in Haywood, Transylvania and Buncombe counties
$25,000 to Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards to use its trail crews to help with debris clean-up in Buncombe, McDowell and Rutherford counties
$20,000 to The Lord's Harvest for the Hungry to support delivery of fresh meals in Madison County
$25,000 to United Way of Haywood County toward housing repair and other housing needs in Haywood County
$25,000 to Wortham Center for the Performing Arts for an on-site City of Asheville Fire Department distribution center providing essential goods to residents in Buncombe County
If you wish to support aid to those affected by the storm, you can donate to the Emergency and Disaster Response Fund. Administrative fees are waived so that every dollar goes directly to assistance.
CFWNC makes grants in 18 Western North Carolina counties including the Qualla Boundary. Apply now.
Bringing people together to address regional issues or crises is a key role of community foundations.