The North Carolina Community Foundation has awarded $3 million from its Disaster Relief Fund to nearly 100 charitable organizations supporting long-term recovery from Hurricane Helene in western NC.

Grants were recommended by the advisory boards of NCCF’s affiliate foundations serving 18 western North Carolina counties and the Qualla Boundary, with the goal of providing flexible funding to support organizations in addressing long-term recovery, resiliency and unmet needs.

Using federal data on the storm’s impact, 13 NCCF affiliates awarded $180,000 per county or community served and four affiliates awarded $75,000 in the counties they serve.

This is the first round of grants awarded through NCCF’s western affiliates. Grants range from $15,000 to $100,000 and serve a wide variety of community needs such as food insecurity, housing, human services and future emergency preparedness.

Alleghany County Community Foundation

• $25,000 grants to six organizations: Alleghany Sparta Trail Association, Cherry Lane Fire Department, Glade Creek Fire Department, Laurel Springs Fire Department, Piney Creek Fire Department and Sparta Fire Department
• $30,000 grant to the Alleghany Rescue Squad

Ashe County Community Foundation

• $25,000 grants to six organizations: Ashe County Advantage Project, Greater Lansing Area Development (GLAD), New River Conservancy, Lansing’s Bridge to Recovery, Ashe County Recovery and Restoration, and CARE Network
• $30,000 grant to the Ashe County Habitat for Humanity

Avery Community Foundation

• $30,000 grant to Avery County EMS
• $35,000 grants to two organizations: Avery County Fire Commission and Toe River Health Department
• $40,000 grants to two organizations: Feeding Avery Families and Volunteer Avery

Catawba Valley Community Foundation (Serves Alexander, Caldwell and Catawba counties)

• $25,000 grants to five organizations: Collettsville Fire and Rescue, Conover Community Partners, Hickory Fire Department, Legal Aid of NC and WNC Communities
• $30,000 grant to Strong Life
• $35,000 grant to the Christian Crisis Center
• $50,000 grants to five organizations: Alexander County Emergency Management, Alexander County Rescue Squad & EMS, Caldwell County Emergency Services, Catawba County Emergency Management and Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry
• $100,000 grant to United Way of Caldwell County

Cherokee County Community Foundation

• $75,000 grant to Cherokee County Emergency Services

Clay County Community Foundation

• $25,000 grants to six organizations: Cherokee Clay Food Alliance, Clay County Food Pantry, Hinton Rural Life Center, Matt’s Ministry, Tri-County Community College and WNC Communities
• $30,000 grant to Clay County Fire and Rescue

Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation (serving the Qualla Boundary)

• $25,000 grant to the Jackson County Schools Smokey Mountain Elementary Backpack Program
• $30,000 grant to WNC Lighthouse
• $50,000 grant to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
• $75,000 grant to Qualla Fire Department

Graham County Community Foundation

• $37,500 grants to two organizations: Five Point Center and Graham County Emergency Services

Haywood County Community Foundation

• $25,000 grants to six organizations: Clothes to Kids of Haywood County, Community Kitchen, Haywood Christian Ministries, Haywood Pathways Center, Longs Chapel Firewood Ministry and Mountain Area Pregnancy Services
• $30,000 to Mountain Projects

Jackson County Community Foundation

• $25,000 grants to six organizations: The Community Table, Fishes and Loaves, HERE of Jackson County, HIGHTS, Mountain Projects and UNIDXS
• $30,000 to Jackson County Emergency Management

Macon County Community Foundation

• $30,000 grants to six organizations: Community Care Clinic of Highlands and Cashiers, International Friendship Center, Macon County Care Net, Macon County Emergency Management, Vecinos and WNC Communities

Madison County Community Foundation

• $25,000 grants to two organizations: Beacon of Hope and the Walnut Volunteer Fire Department
• $40,000 grants to two organizations: Marshall Relief Alliance and Rebuild Hot Springs.
• $50,000 grant to the Community Housing Coalition of Madison County

Mount Airy/Surry County Community Foundation

• $15,000 grants to five organizations: Dobson Rescue Squad, Elkin Emergency Rescue Squad, Mountain Park Rescue Squad, Mount Airy Rescue Squad and Pilot Mountain Rescue and EMS

Swain County Community Foundation

• $25,000 grants to five organizations: Alarka Volunteer Fire Department, Camp Living Water, Friends of the Smokies, Restoration House and the Swain County Rescue Squad
• $27,500 grants to two organizations: Bryson City Fire Department and West Swain Fire Department

Watauga County Community Foundation

• $25,000 grants to two organizations: State Line Resource Center and Quiet Givers
• $26,000 grants to five organizations: Hunger & Health Coalition, Mountain True, Hospitality House, WAMY Community Action and Immigrant Connection of the High Country

Wilkes Community Foundation

• $30,000 grants to six organizations: Blue Ridge Opportunity Commission (BROC), H.O.P.E. Ministries of Brushy Mountain Baptist Church, Samaritan’s Kitchen, Wilkes Community Partnership for Children, Wilkes Recovery Revolution and Wilkes Youth Life Development (WYLD)

Yadkin County Community Foundation

• $75,000 grant to Magnify Ministries

If an organization is unable to receive a grant, the affiliate will choose another charitable or government organization to receive the award.

Including the grants made through its affiliates, NCCF has allocated a total of $6.75 million from the Disaster Relief Fund to date.

The first grant from the fund was made in February to MANNA FoodBank to support regional food security. NCCF and The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina collaborated to each provide $3.5 million for MANNA to upfit a new facility.

NCCF has also committed $250,000 from the fund to support the Disaster Relief and Resilience Scholarship for students facing financial burdens due to Helene.

Over $29 million has been contributed to the fund to support Helene recovery and will continue to be distributed to charitable organizations in the coming months and years.

“We are moved by the incredible generosity that has allowed us to support the vital work of each of these organizations in partnership with our affiliate foundations in western NC,” said NCCF President & CEO Jennifer Tolle Whiteside.

Additional information about grantmaking will be shared as it becomes available. For more information about NCCF’s response to Hurricane Helene, visit nccommunityfoundation.org/Helene.

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.