(April 2025) – The Fund for Haywood County with the Jane Cole Endowment Fund, J. Aaron and Adora H. Prevost Endowment Fund and the Mib and Phil Medford Endowment Fund awarded thirteen grants totaling $75,270 in a recent grant cycle. Since 1994, The Fund for Haywood County, in partnership with The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC), has awarded grants totaling $1,483,636.
“Supporting local nonprofits is more important than ever following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” said Advisory Board Chair Chris Kuhlman. “The entire region was affected, and nonprofits joined other first responders on the front lines. As recovery progresses, these critical organizations continue to meet their missions and increased demand. Contributions from our friends and neighbors, over the years and invested for long-term support, helped make this year’s grants possible. I encourage others to give to the endowment if they can.”
The 2025 grants are:
$6,500 to Aspire, Youth and Family to support an additional class of its Kids at Work program.
$3,750 to Children's Cancer Partners of the Carolinas to provide transportation, lodging, meals, and other financial support to families of children who are receiving cancer treatment.
$3,000 to Clothes To Kids of Haywood County to defray operational costs at its clothing shop for children in Clyde.
$5,500 to The Community Kitchen to purchase food and supplies for its Food Distribution Program.
$3,500 to First United Methodist Church of Waynesville to address food insecurity by distributing nutritious food purchased from local producers and purchasing farming supplies for an afterschool community garden program.
$5,500 to Hawthorn Heights WNC to support treatment and respite shelter care for youth.
$6,500 to Haywood Community Learning Center to provide alternative high school students with career exploration opportunities through specially-designed elective courses and field trips.
$14,920 to Haywood County Arts Council (from the Mib and Phil Medford Endowment Fund) for a permanent sculpture in the roundabout at North Main and Vance Streets in downtown Waynesville.
$6,500 to Haywood County Schools to establish a childcare facility primarily focused on serving employees of Haywood County Schools.
$6,500 to Haywood Pathways Center to continue operation of its critical relief and rehabilitative program that offers services ranging from cold weather and emergency shelter, meals, and short-term or transitional housing.
$6,500 to KARE (Kids Advocacy Resource Effort) to provide supplies for medical evaluations, comfort items, and case review support, improving outcomes for children and families affected by abuse.
$3,100 to The Salvation Army Waynesville & The Mountain Mission District to increase funds available for utility assistance, to better serve Spanish-speaking clients through Spanish language tutoring, and toward payroll costs of the case manager's increased workload.
$3,500 to The Thirtieth Judicial District Domestic Violence - Sexual Assault Alliance to support staff professional development through attendance at the 2025 Joint Symposium on Child Abuse and Neglect for the Carolinas.
In 1994, local residents established The Fund for Haywood County 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 in Haywood County. To make a tax-deductible contribution, donate online or by mail c/o CFWNC, 4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Suite 300, Asheville NC 28803. Make checks payable to CFWNC, noting “The Fund for Haywood County” in the memo line. Contributions of any size are welcome.
The local, volunteer Advisory Board includes: Angela Bleckley, Adam Bridges (Vice Chair), Bill Cole, Kim Ferguson, Jeff Haynes, Susan Hooper, Joan Kennedy, Chris Kuhlman (Chair), Jeff Lee, Terri Manning, Kristina Proctor, Jonathan Song, Amy C. Spivey (Secretary), and Eric Yarrington.
For more information about The Fund for Haywood County, please contact Advisory Board Chair Chris Kuhlman at chris@theprinthaus.com.