(September 2022) The Highlands Community Fund awarded twelve grants totaling $83,530 to local nonprofits in its recent grant cycle. The Fund, in partnership with CFWNC, has awarded 180 grants totaling $1,125,756. The Mildred Miller Fort Charitable Fund also supports grantmaking in Highlands.
“Highlands nonprofits undertake important, front-line work in our community and have addressed numerous challenges over the last two years,” said Advisory Board Chair George Manning. “These organizations see a need and work to address it. We are grateful to our donors who have built a permanent charitable resource to support local programs with local dollars.”
The 2022 grants are:
$6,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina to support its Match Growth Initiative to grow the program to 35 or more matches between Bigs and Littles.
$7,500 to Blue Ridge Mountains Health Project to increase access to free, preventive dental services and school-based dental education to residents of the Highlands-Cashiers plateau.
$5,945 to Child Medical Collaborative toward funding highly trained medical providers to perform medical evaluations for children who are victims of child abuse in Macon County.
$10,000 to Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers to support the cost of purchasing prescription medications.
$10,000 to Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands to expand its current services and offer counseling services in Spanish.
$4,060 to Gordon Center for Children to support its Movement Enrichment Program and provide classroom and outdoor enhancements.
$2,000 to Highlands Biological Foundation for its “Nature on the Go!” outreach programs.
$8,000 to Highlands Community Child Development Center to replace a gas range in its kitchen.
$10,000 to International Friendship Center to support the Highlands Food Pantry.
$10,000 to The Literacy & Learning Center to offset costs of its free educational community programs.
$7,000 to Pisgah Legal Services for the Plateau Poverty Law Initiative that provides free civil legal assistance and advocacy to low-income Macon County residents.
$3,025 to REACH of Macon County to support outreach efforts to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
In 1996, local residents established the Highlands Community Fund as a permanent charitable endowment to meet local needs. Gifts added to the Fund’s principal are preserved and invested, while grants from the Fund support nonprofits serving the Highlands region. To make a tax-deductible contribution, donate online or by mail to Highlands Community Fund, P.O. Box 1150, Highlands, NC 28741-1150. Checks should be made payable to CFWNC, noting Highlands Community Fund in the memo line. Contributions of any size are welcome.
The local volunteer Advisory Board works to raise awareness of the Highlands Community Fund and to build assets for the future. These board members are: Lisa Armstrong, Anne Bailey, Gerry Doubleday, Florence Holmes, Colleen Kerrigan, Ann Klamon, Jim Landon, Libby Lanier, George Manning (Chair), Jeff Nixon, Amanda Reames, Diane Riddle, Jim Stokes, Cindy Trevathan and Jeff Weller.
CFWNC supports the growth of its affiliate funds to extend the benefits of philanthropy across the region.