The Lee County Community Foundation, a North Carolina Community Foundation affiliate, has awarded $92,410 in grants to 22 organizations supporting the local community.

The board of advisors granted:

• $500 to ArtistYear for ArtistYear North Carolina – Lee County
• $1,000 to Autism Society of North Carolina for Autism Resource Specialists in Lee County
• $15,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Carolina to sustain safe, high-impact youth development at the O.T. Sloan Club
• $5,000 to Brick Capital Community Development Corporation for general operating support
• $2,500 to Central Carolina Community College Foundation for Dreamkeeper Program
• $1,000 to Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas for Lee County Childhood Cancer Safety Net
• $5,000 to El Refugio/The Refuge Family Resource Center for general operating support
• $5,000 to Family Promise of Lee County, Inc. for general operating support for shelter
• $2,000 to Good and Glory Nonprofit for general operating support
• $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity – Sanford for Home is Key
• $500 to Holt Brothers Foundation for Kickoff to Courage, Lisa Lynn McBryde Memorial Endowment
• $1,000 to Legal Aid of North Carolina, Inc. for Lee County residents in need of civil legal support
• $500 to Lending Paws A Hand for Keeping Pets Fed, Families Together: Pet Food Assistance Program
• $1,000 to North Carolina Symphony for Ensembles in the Schools for Lee County Students
• $10,000 to Outreach Mission Inc. for Emergency Shelter
• $8,500 to Partnership for Children & Families for Reducing Barriers, Strengthening Families: Happy Bottoms Bank Expansion
• $1,910 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina for Lee County Vision Screening Program
• $1,000 to Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Triangle for Lee County Care Fund
• $10,000 to the Salvation Army of Lee County for Pathways of Hope
• $2,500 to Temple Theatre for general operating support
• $4,000 to United Way of Lee County for Buzz United
• $5,000 to Warren Williams Preschool for materials and transportation for preschoolers

“It’s an honor to support local nonprofits and organizations that are addressing community needs.” said Mark Akinosho, advisory board president of the Lee County Community Foundation. “By building permanent sources of support, we help strengthen the fabric of our Lee County community.”

Funds for 2026 grants came from the Lee County Community Foundation’s community grantmaking fund and the Betty Sauls Endowment, Lisa Lynn McBryde Endowment, Margaret L. and Calvin G. Caviness Endowment, Warren and Imogene Kinder Owens Endowment and William J. and Emily G. Womble Endowment.

Each year, the Lee County Community Foundation’s advisory board uses dollars from its endowment funds to make grants to eligible local organizations, including nonprofits, local governments, schools and churches.

Visit nccommunityfoundation.org/Lee to learn more about the Lee County Community Foundation and its work or to make a tax-deductible donation.

Lee County Community Foundation Advisory Board Members
Founded in 1997, the Lee County Community Foundation is led by a local volunteer advisory board that understands community needs. In addition to Akinosho board members include Sharon Spence (vice president), Linda Foushee (secretary), Mikeal Basinger, Laurel Johnson, Robert Joyce, Kelli Laudate, Sandra Lewis, and Margaret Murchison.

About the North Carolina Community Foundation
The North Carolina Community Foundation transforms the collective generosity of our donors into a permanent source of community support, with a focus on the state’s rural areas.

NCCF partners with donors and a network of affiliates to sustain over 1,300 endowments totaling over $600 million in assets. Nearly $360 million has been awarded as grants to charitable organizations and scholarships to students, creating stronger communities for generations to come.