(May 2026) – The Ramble Charitable Fund at The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) recently awarded fourteen grants totaling $143,155. The Fund was established to improve the quality of life in Shiloh and South Buncombe communities by supporting education, economic development, health care and other projects that promote community development. With these grants, total grantmaking since 2008 is $1,208,981.
Recent grants are:
$12,500 to Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity to provide home repair for Shiloh homeowners with low incomes.
$5,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina to support growth in three core mentoring programs in southern Buncombe County: High School Bigs, one-to-one adult mentoring for at-risk youth, and weekly facilitated afterschool groups.
$12,000 to Buncombe County Schools Foundation for an incentive-based program that promotes reading for pleasure, positive behaviors, and lifelong learning for students at Oakley Elementary.
$10,000 to Carolina Day School for a program that helps under‑resourced children from southern Buncombe County overcome achievement gaps and learning loss while providing long‑term academic and community support.
$12,500 to Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School PTO to send six reading educators to a national conference that shares instructional practices and to purchase support materials for 24 high-achieving readers to attend a reading competition.
$9,500 to Children First/Communities In Schools of Buncombe County to deliver targeted, short-term, school-based support at Estes Elementary that addresses high-risk student needs; connects families to community resources; and promotes students’ academic success, well-being, and long-term empowerment.
$4,155 to Friends of the WNC Nature Center to provide STEM and environmental education programs to students from Estes Elementary and Valley Springs Middle School.
$12,500 to Helping at Risk Kids to support vulnerable children and youth living in southern Buncombe County and the Shiloh community by providing emergency housing and utilities, transportation assistance, educational resources, enrichment opportunities, and essential household items.
$5,000 to Literacy Together to provide free one‑on‑one tutoring for youth and adults, develop neighborhood‑based group classes through community partnerships, and support English‑learning students who live in southern Buncombe County.
$12,500 to Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) to provide high-quality mental health care for southern Buncombe County students facing significant emotional challenges.
$10,000 to OpenDoors of Asheville to provide long-term, individualized tutoring for under-resourced K-12 students by pairing them with tutors who help students build skills, close learning gaps, and strengthen confidence.
$12,500 to TC Roberson High School to transform its outdated library into a modern, flexible, future-focused learning facility that enhances literacy, collaboration, and AI-ready skills for students.
$12,500 to Valley Springs Middle School PTA to improve student safety and physical education by replacing worn wall padding and purchasing updated gym equipment.
$12,500 to William W. Estes Elementary School to install a ceiling‑mounted projector and retractable screen integrated with the existing sound system.