The Women’s Fund of North Carolina, a fund of the North Carolina Community Foundation, has awarded $20,000 in grants to five organizations working to address housing security for women. 

The fund granted:  

• $2,000 to Aura Home Women Vets for general operating support. Aura Home serves nine western NC counties with the mission to create a safe, caring environment where women veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness can find the resources needed to regain or maintain their independence. 

• $5,000 to Coastal Women’s Shelter, Inc., for Housing First Advocacy, which provides assistance for survivors of abusive relationships to secure safe, affordable housing. CWS is the sole provider of comprehensive domestic and sexual violence services at no cost to survivors in Craven, Jones, and Pamlico counties. 

• $3,000 to Kearah’s Place for a transitional housing program. Kearah’s Place, based in Henderson, provides safe, transitional housing and supportive services to empower people to become financially independent and self-sufficient, regardless of their circumstances. 

• $5,000 to the Greater Mt. Airy Ministry of Hospitality for the Shepherd’s House Family Shelter. Serving women and families since experiencing homelessness since 2003, the Shepherd’s House provides shelter, food and resources to those in need with a vision of a community where homelessness and hunger do not exist. 

• $5,000 to Tried by Fire, Inc., for My Sister’s House: Safe Shelter for Post-Incarcerated Women. My Sister’s House provides temporary shelter for women in a monitored, supportive environment and serves Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico and Pitt counties. 

This year, the selection committee prioritized funding organizations led by women of color or who identify as a member of a historically marginalized population. Grants were available to charitable organizations and programs focused on housing security for women. The Women’s Fund defined housing security as every person having financial, legal and practical access to a home where they can live with dignity. 

“The Shepherd’s House is so very thankful to be a 2024 Women’s Fund grant recipient,” said Jana Elliott, executive director of the Greater Mt. Airy Ministry of Hospitality. “We are profoundly committed to providing the women and families we serve with life giving supportive services that break cycles of poverty, addiction and dependency. The generosity of the Women’s Fund allows us to continue this very important work.”   

Established in 1991, the Women’s Fund has awarded more than $300,000 in grants since its inception. 

“Narrowing down the list was a challenge this year as we again saw an increase in applications,” said Kathryn R. Holding, NCCF’s vice president of philanthropic services. “This fund was founded to establish a permanent endowment dedicated to improving the quality of lives of women and girls in North Carolina and safe, affordable housing is critical to women and families.”    

The grant selection committee is comprised of representatives from NCCF’s giving circles, including the Bertie-Hertford Women’s Fund, the Cary Women’s Giving Network, the Currituck-Dare Women’s Fund, and the Women’s Giving Network of Wake County. Learn more about the Women’s Fund of North Carolina or make a tax-deductible donation at nccommunityfoundation.org/WomensFund. 

Media contact:  
Hannah Hogewood 
Marketing & Communications Manager 
hhogewood@nccommunityfoundation.org, 919-256-6901