The HCWGMW Endowment, a donor advised fund administered by the North Carolina Community Foundation, has awarded $180,000 in grants to six organizations focused on eliminating the cycle of poverty and homelessness among local youth. 

This year the endowment awarded the following grants through its application-based program: 

• $25,000 to the Albemarle Area United Way Community Care Collaborative for a housing stabilization project
• $25,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Elizabeth City for a homeless youth assistance program in Pasquotank County
• $35,000 to the ECP Backpacks program to feed food-insecure children in Pasquotank County
• $45,000 to the Perquimans County Education Foundation for Helping Everyone Live Productively (HELP) initiative, providing mentorship and support to area youth
• $25,000 to River City CDC for a homeless support program
• $25,000 to the Salvation Army of Elizabeth City for emergency cold weather shelters

The fundholders have chosen to focus on eliminating homelessness because housing is a critical need in the community. According to data from the North Carolina Housing Coalition, approximately 30% of families in Pasquotank and Perquimans counties are cost-burdened by housing. Cost-burdened families spend more than 30% of their income on housing and are at greater risk of foreclosure or eviction. 

While the fundholders would like to remain anonymous, they strongly encourage others to join them in developing solutions to homelessness in the region because everyone deserves access to safe and secure housing. 

Two of this year’s grantees are working to remove barriers for students experiencing homelessness in Pasquotank and Perquimans counties.  

At the Boys & Girls Club of Elizabeth City, grant funding helps their Licensed Clinical Social Worker support youth experiencing homelessness get basic needs met and connect children and families to services for transportation or counseling. Staff work closely with the school system to identify youth who may need additional support. 

“This fund has done so much good in Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County by being a reliable source of funding to support finding sustainable solutions to homelessness and poverty,” said Elizabeth Mitchell, executive dIrector of the Boys & Girls Club of the Albemarle.  

The Perquimans Education Foundation’s HELP Program funds a dedicated staff member to support youth identified by the school system as experiencing homelessness. 

“Not all students are on the same playing field when they walk into a classroom each day,” said Brenda Lassiter, executive director of the Perquimans County Schools Foundation. “The HELP Program seeks to change that by providing all the tools children need to be successful.” 

“I have seen students go from low GPA and low self-esteem to being excited about learning,” said Hinton.

The HCWGMW fund is part of the family of funds of NCCF’s affiliate, the Northern Albemarle Community Foundation.

About the fund 
Since 2016, the HCWGMW Endowment has provided nearly $1.2 million in grant funding to nonprofits in the four counties served by the Northern Albemarle Community Foundation – Camden, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans counties. For information about the fund, contact NCCF Director of Community Leadership Natalie Jenkins Peel.   

About the North Carolina Community Foundation
The North Carolina Community Foundation brings together generous people and connects them to causes and organizations they care about, with a focus on inspiring lasting and meaningful philanthropy in the state’s rural communities.

With $460 million in assets, NCCF sustains nearly 1,300 endowments and partners with donors and a network of affiliates in 60 counties to strengthen our state. By stewarding and growing donors’ gifts, NCCF makes a powerful impact through a robust grants and scholarships program, awarding over $300 million since 1988. For more information, visit nccommunityfoundation.org.