Columbus County Community Foundation

The Columbus County Community Foundation awarded nearly $110,000 to the following local nonprofits from its community grantmaking fund and other board-advised funds:

• $7,500 to Annie Catherine Pridgen Community Development Foundation for Mount Olive Head Start and kitchen recovery and health forward initiative
• $1,250 to Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina, Inc. for equine psychotherapy program expansion
• $995 to Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas for Columbus County childhood cancer safety net
• $2,500 to Columbus Baptist Association for toy store
• $1,500 to Columbus County Arts Council for “raising the roof”
• $7,000 to Community CPR to continue their mission of collaborating to connect those in need with critical resources
• $15,000 to Families First, Inc. for general operating support
• $2,500 to Friends of the Rube McCray Memorial Library to support nature-based learning program for children
• $11,000 to Lake Waccamaw Food Ministry for general operating support
• $1,000 to Lake Waccamaw State Park Friends for Lake Waccamaw State Park Visitor’s Center – auditorium equipment modernization
• $1,875 to Living Hope Pregnancy Support Services to purchase car seats and Pack ‘n’ Plays for children
• $5,000 to Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum for artist in education residency
• $15,000 to Men & Women United for Youth & Families to support Youth Ambassadors for a Better Community: 2024 community engagement
• $4,100 to the Museum of Southeast American Indian for Life by the River project
• $3,000 to New Beginnings a New Way of Life for Re-Entry Project
• $15,000 to Ransom Activity Center, Inc. for air conditioner replacements
• $2,500 to Welcome Home Angel to support Rooms for Relief: functional home modifications for caregivers and their children with special healthcare needs
• $12,000 to West Columbus Youth Sports Club, Inc. for Chadbourn Complex restoration project
• $1,000 to Whiteville Rotary Club for Keeps Hearts Beating

2023 grants awarded

The Columbus County Community Foundation awarded $87,210 to the following local nonprofits from its community grantmaking fund and other board-advised funds:

• $5,000 to Boy & Girls Homes of NC, Inc. for its identity leadership program
• $2,986 to Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas for County Childhood Cancer Safety Net
• $2,500 to Columbus Baptist Association for toy store
• $2,000 to Columbus County Arts Council for Heritage Project “Lessons from a Small Town”
• $5,000 to Columbus County Literacy Council for Each One Teach One – Adult Literacy
• $1,724 to Columbus County Sheriff’s Office for expansion of an animal services shelter for large animals
• $3,250 to Diaper Bank of NC for Distributing Dignity: Meeting Diaper Need in Columbus County
• $15,000 to Families First for general operating support
• $1,000 to Friends of the Rube McCray Memorial Library for meeting room technology update
• $14,000 to Grace Episcopal Church with Lutherans of Christ the King for Grace Church Little Food Pantry & Garden
• $12,000 to Lake Waccamaw Food Ministry for general operating support
• $5,000 to Living Hope Pregnancy Support Services for car seats and pack ‘n’ plays for children
• $10,000 to Men & Women United for Youth & Families for Youth Ambassadors for a Better Community
• $1,000 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina for Star Pupils Columbus County
• $3,250 to Reuben Brown House Preservation Society, Inc. for youth poet laureate visit
• $500 to Salvation Army of Cape Fear for Columbus County food distribution/pantry 

2022 grants awarded

Through its community grants program, the Columbus County Community Foundation awarded more than $73,620 to local nonprofit organizations, including:

• $500 to A Safe Place (The Centre of Redemption) for education and prevention programs
• $4,918.66 to Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina for Success Coach: Change for a Lifetime
• $6,744 to Building Bridges After School Program for targeting students’ learning gaps
• $1,500 to Columbus Baptist Association for the Columbus Baptist Association Toy Store
• $1,000 to Columbus County Arts Council for Bright Star Theatre Project II
• $1,000 to Columbus County Beekeepers Association for Bee City USA Pollinator Gardens and educational outreach
• $11,000 to Columbus County Literacy Council for the Each One Teach One adult literacy program
• $15,000 to Community CPR for a Resilient Recovery program
• $4,918.67 to Diaper Bank of North Carolina for Distributing Dignity: Meeting Diaper Need in Columbus County
• $4,918.67 to Families First for vehicle purchase
• $1,620 to Friends of the Rube McCray Memorial Library for the local author collection and showcase project
• $10,000 to Grace Episcopal Church, including the Lutherans of Christ the King, for the Grace Church Little Food Pantry
• $1,000 to Lake Waccamaw Depot Museum for The Reading Caboose
• $5,000 to Lake Waccamaw Food Ministry for general operating support
• $2,000 to Living Hope Pregnancy Support Services for car seats for children
• $2,500 to Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry Inc. for the Restore Home and Hope – Rebuild and Strengthen Neighborhoods program

2021 grants awarded

Through its community grants program, the Columbus County Community Foundation awarded more than $7,800 to local nonprofit organizations, including:

• Columbus Baptist Association for Toy Store 2021
• Columbus County Arts Council for Bright Star Theatre Project
• Columbus County Community Farmers Market for High-Speed Connection to Better Nutrition
• Columbus County Literacy Council for Each One Teach One – Adult Literacy
• Families First for Families First Children’s Program
• Lake Waccamaw Food Ministry supporting its Food Ministry
• Living Hope Pregnancy Support for its Prenatal Vitamins Project

2020 grants awarded

Through its community grants program, the Columbus County Community Foundation awarded more than $7,600 to local nonprofit organizations, including:

• the Columbus Baptist Association for the toy store
• the Columbus County Arts Council for COVID-19 general operating support
• the Columbus County DREAM Center, Inc. for NETworX for Hope Columbus County
• the Friends of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville for Saturday Science
• Living Hope Pregnancy Support Services for prenatal vitamins for expectant mothers
• Lower Cape Fear LifeCare for capacity building and program enhancements for Lower Cape Fear LifeCare’s Begin the Conversation, an advance care planning education program
• Prevent Blindness North Carolina for Star Pupils Columbus County
• Special Olympics North Carolina for Special Olympics North Carolina – Columbus County 

2019 grants awarded

Through its community grants program, the Columbus County Community Foundation awarded more than $7,000 to local nonprofit organizations, including:

• $1,000 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina for Star Pupils Columbus County
• $582 to Living Hope Pregnancy Support Services for Earn While You Learn Incentive Program
• $1,000 to Wilmington Family YMCA for Girls on the Run program expansion
• $1,000 to Lake Waccamaw Food Ministry for general operating support
• $1,000 to Columbus Baptist Association for Toy Store 2019
• $582 to Columbus County Sheriff’s Office for 2019 Project Lifesaver
• $582 to Matthew 25 at Tabor City, Inc. for support for families staying at the facility
• $1,000 to Columbus County Literacy Council for each One Teach One
• $582 to Columbus County DREAM Center, Inc. for Six Weeks of STEAM!

Disaster Relief and Recovery Grants

Through its community grants program, the Columbus County Community Foundation awarded more than $118,000 to local nonprofit organizations, including:

• Community CPR
• Families First, Domestic Violence Shelter
• the Columbus Baptist Association
• the Lake Waccamaw Food Ministry
• the Columbus County Arts Council
• the Columbus Chamber of Commerce (for their Small Business Grant Program)
• Men and Women United for Youth and Families
• the Columbus County Farmers Market
• the Whiteville Improvement Association and
• the Columbus County Disaster Response Team

2018 grants awarded

The Columbus County Community Foundation awarded more than $7,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations, including:

• $500 to Lump to Laughter
• $1,000 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina
• $1,254 to Living Hope Pregnancy Support Services
• $500 to The HELP Mission Inc.
• $1,298 to the American Heart Association
• $1,254 to the Columbus County Literacy Council
• $1,254 to the Friends of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville

2017 grants awarded

The Columbus County Community Foundation awarded more than $6,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were 

• $800 to Columbus Baptist Association
• $800 to Columbus County Literacy Council
• $800 to Columbus County Sheriff’s Office
• $800 to Families First, Inc.
• $1,000 to Kelly Youth Focus Center
• $800 to Lake Waccamaw Food Ministry
• $800 to Living Hope Pregnancy Support Services
• $500 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina
• $510 to Tabor City Elementary School

2016 grants awarded

The Columbus County Community Foundation awarded more than $6,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were:

• Columbus County Literacy Council
• Columbus County DREAM Center, Inc.
• Columbus Baptist Association
• Families First, Inc.
• Prevent Blindness North Carolina|
• Columbus County Partnership for Children
• Columbus County Sheriff’s Office

The Columbus County Community Foundation awarded more than $10,900 through its NCCF Disaster Relief Fund allocation to:

• Columbus Baptist Assosication

2015 grants awarded

• Building Bridges After School Program
• Columbus Baptist Association
• Columbus County Community Farmers Market
• Columbus County Literacy Council
• Families, First, Inc.
• Lake Waccamaw Food Ministry
• Living Hope Pregnancy Support Services
• Prevent Blindness North Carolina

2014 grants awarded

• American Red Cross – Cape Fear Chapter
• Columbus County Arts Council
• Columbus County DREAM Center
• Columbus County Literacy Council
• Families First, Inc.
• Prevent Blindness North Carolina
• Wildlife Action of North Carolina

2013 grants awarded

• American Red Cross – Cape Fear Chaoter
• Columbus County Arts Council
• Columbus County Literacy Council
• East Columbus High School
• Families First, Inc.
• Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines
• Prevent Blindness North Carolina
• Whiteville City Schools