(August 7, 2025) The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) distributed five grants totaling $971,500 this week to nonprofits providing hurricane recovery services in Western North Carolina. With these awards, the total amount awarded from the Emergency and Disaster Response Fund (EDRF) since October 7 is $38,450,015.
Grants awarded are:
$500,000 to Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation to help restore and reopen miles of trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway in nine CFWNC counties.
$150,000 to Crossnore Communities for Children for the demolition and abatement of a facility building in Avery County that was compromised beyond repair by Hurricane Helene.
$21,500 to Environmental Quality Institute to purchase instruments that identify heavy metals and bacterial pollution in WNC floodplains.
$200,000 to Just For Him Ministries for materials, skilled labor, and construction costs to rebuild homes for families displaced by the hurricane who live in Rutherford, Polk, Yancey, Buncombe and Mitchell counties.
$100,000 to Wildacres Retreat to rebuild a driveway that provides access to the retreat center in McDowell County.
“The National Park Service received federal funding to support hurricane recovery on the Blue Ridge Parkway and is focused on restoring the roadway and addressing 57 known landslides,” said Senior Program Officer Tara Scholtz. “This $500,000 grant will complement that work by restoring and reopening miles of trails along the Parkway in nine CFWNC counties as the Parkway is repaired, from Avery and Burke to Haywood and Transylvania counties. Partnering organizations include Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail, Carolina Mountain Club, Conservation Corps North Carolina and Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards. As more hikers return to the Parkway and spend money for gear, food, lodging, and entertainment, it will help to rebuild the region's tourism economy.”
If you wish to support aid to those affected by the storm, you can donate online. 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. Bringing people together to address regional issues or crises is a key role of community foundations.