(April 2016) Marie B. Hilliard wanted to remember Yancey County in her estate plans. Mrs. Hilliard, a native of Yancey County dedicated to assisting people in need and Hospice patients in her community, was the daughter of the late Clyde M. Bailey and Eva Anders Cash and the wife of the late Ray Hilliard. The fund is named in memory of her father and husband. Mrs. Hilliard passed away on October 16, 2015.
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| Marie B. Hilliard |
Mrs. Hilliard's gift established the Bailey-Hilliard Fund, a CFWNC endowed fund. From her gift, The Yancey Fund will make grants to provide for people in need in Yancey County. Working together since 1998, CFWNC and The Yancey Fund have made 85 grants to 41 organizations in Yancey County totaling $817,703.
Bill Cullom, Chair of The Yancey Fund Advisory Board, said, "This very significant gift, so generously made by Mrs. Hilliard through her estate, will be here forever. With this fund, The Yancey Fund will continue our long-time commitment to People In Need and be able to direct grants to other important projects benefitting everyone here in Yancey County." Cullom added, "In addition to our focus on People In Need, The Yancey Fund also targets Food & Farming, Natural and Cultural Resources and Early Childhood Development funding opportunities in our community."
CFWNC supports the growth of its affiliate funds to extend the benefits of philanthropy across the region. The Yancey Fund was established in 1998 by a group of local residents as a permanently endowed resource. The endowment grows through tax-deductible contributions. As the endowment's assets grow, The Yancey Fund Advisory Board is able to make more and larger grants.
The local volunteer Advisory Board works to raise awareness of The Yancey Fund and to build charitable assets to invest in a better future for Yancey County. Board members are: Bill Cullom (Chair), Ron Powell (Vice Chair), Howell Hammond (Treasurer), Carol Woodward (Secretary), Patricia Bennett, Mel Chin, Bubba Crutchfield, Elliott Grosh, Richard Kennedy, David McIntosh, Jim McQueen, Tom Oreck, Wanda Proffitt, Carol Wilson, Fred Young and Sam Young.
Marie B. Hilliard's gift to the people of Yancey County is truly a "forever" gift for everyone in Yancey County. By establishing an endowed fund, her gift remains intact forever. To learn how you can include The Yancey Fund in your estate planning, contact Sheryl Aikman at The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina at 828-254-4960.