ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Nonprofits across the Black Mountain and Swannanoa Valley area are getting a boost this year, with more than $125,000 in new funding aimed at everything from food access to housing repairs and youth programs.
The Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund announced it awarded 18 grants totaling $125,240 in its latest cycle. The fund, which partners with the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, has distributed nearly $1.8 million to local organizations since its creation.
Additional support for this round of grants came from several partner funds, including the Buckner Family Endowment Fund, Forbes Fund for Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley, Helen S. and Jerry M. Newbold Jr. Endowment Fund, and the Standaert Family Endowment Fund.
“Supporting local nonprofits is key to helping our community address the needs of our friends and neighbors,” said advisory board chair Jon D. Brooks. He said the grants reflect long-term charitable giving from residents and are focused on pressing needs such as food insecurity, support for children and students, and safe housing.
Brooks added that demand for assistance remains high across the region.
This year’s grants will support a wide range of efforts, including food distribution programs, mental health services, legal aid for survivors of domestic violence and home repairs for low-income residents. Several organizations will use funding to expand access to health care, strengthen youth mentorship programs and provide afterschool care.
Here’s the full list of grant recipients from the Black Mountain–Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund’s latest cycle:
- Appalachian Community Relief
- Appalachian Mountain Community Health Center
- Asheville GreenWorks (fiscal sponsor for Bee City USA–Asheville)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina
- Black Mountain Counseling Center
- Black Mountain Volunteer Firefighters Association
- Bounty & Soul
- Charles D. Owen Middle School
- Hand in Hand of the Swannanoa Valley
- Helpmate
- Meals on Wheels of Asheville and Buncombe County
- Mountain Housing Opportunities
- Pisgah Legal Services
- Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry
- Valley Hope Church
- Warren Wilson College
- Waypoint Adventure
- YMCA of Western North Carolina
The endowment fund was established in 1999 by local residents as a permanent charitable resource. Contributions are invested over time, with earnings used to fund grants that address evolving community needs.
The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina manages more than 1,300 funds and has facilitated over $456 million in charitable giving since it was founded in 1978.
Community members interested in contributing to the Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund can donate online or by mail, with gifts of any size accepted.
