The Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the well-being of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians by strengthening the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority and the clinics that comprise it, has a new endowment at the North Carolina Community Foundation that will provide ongoing support for hospital employees.

The endowment for CIHF was established in honor of EBCI Beloved Woman Dr. Carmaleta Monteith, who has played a pivotal role in the Hospital Foundation since its establishment in 2006. Monteith, driven by her commitment to the community, has set an ambitious goal of raising $1 million for the new endowment.

Specifically created to provide essential financial aid to hospital employees aspiring to excel in the medical profession, the Carmaleta Monteith Endowment for Cherokee Hospital Foundation will offer scholarships and funding opportunities for continuing education and professional development. With this fund dedicated to serving and supporting the educational endeavors of Tribal members and hospital employees who serve Tribal members, every contribution made will help to build a brighter future for the next seven generations of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

“We are immensely grateful to Carmaleta Monteith for her exceptional dedication to the Cherokee Indian Hospital and her leadership in driving our fundraising efforts with the foundation,” said Brittney Lofthouse, Executive Director of Development & Community Relations for Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority. “It is our hope that this endowment will create a lasting impact on the lives of Tribal members by supporting individuals working in health care within the Cherokee Indian Hospital system, empowering them to become future leaders and caregivers in the community.”

Monteith, 89, was a founding member of the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation Board and chairs the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority’s Governing Board, a role she has held since the board’s inception in 2002. When Monteith graduated from Western Carolina University in 1956 with a bachelor’s degree in science education she was among the 5.8% of graduates identified as women, and was one of the only 2,000 Native Americans enrolled in college. She later graduated from Emory University with a master’s in education and secured a Ph.D. Her academic publications have advanced research and understanding of indigenous health care around the country.

“Carmaleta has spent her 89 years on earth living a life of exemplary service. With dreams and ambition rooted in education and a desire to never stop learning, Carmaleta has adapted and transformed her influence a dozen times over in her lifetime, always adjusting to meet the greatest needs of those around her,” Lofthouse said. “She is a waymaker. A creator. A visionary. And she does it all with a fervent love and passion for the Cherokee People.”

Agency endowment funds are established by a nonprofit organization to provide a reliable source of income to support its mission or operations. A charitable organization, like the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation, that establishes an endowment with NCCF directly benefits from inclusion in a large investment portfolio, with access to experienced investment managers and other endowment services. There are over 350 agency endowments at NCCF, the only statewide community foundation serving North Carolina.

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 $400 million in assets, NCCF sustains over 1,200 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 $270 million since 1988. For more information, visit nccommunityfoundation.org.

About the Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation
The Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the health care needs of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) community. The mission of the foundation is to cultivate friendships and broaden financial resources to enhance health care projects, programs and services provided by the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority for the community.

Since its inception in 2006, the foundation has worked tirelessly to raise funds and provide resources to enhance medical services, improve infrastructure, and support the education and professional development of Tribal members pursuing careers in health care. It is the vision of the CIHF to build trust among partners to achieve a significant impact in assisting the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority in creating an exceptional, world-class health care system. For more information, visit cihfoundation.org.