In Highlands and beyond, generosity flows like mountain streams—quiet, steady, and life-giving. For nearly 60 years, Mountain Findings has been a beacon of that generosity, transforming donated goods into nearly half a million dollars in community support this year alone. And true to its mission, that support knows no boundaries.
Thirty-eight percent of this year’s $408,000 in community grants went to nonprofits outside Highlands, reaching neighbors in Cashiers, Franklin, Otto, Glenville, and Scaly Mountain. From food pantries and rescue squads to arts organizations and animal shelters, the impact is wide and deeply felt.
Take The Village Green in Cashiers, where a defunct garden space is being reimagined thanks to Mountain Findings. “From engaging lectures to inspiring workshops, your support helps us build a sense of community and lasting connections,” shared a representative. “Your funding will allow us to turn a defunct garden space into something beautiful.”
In Scaly Mountain, the Sky Valley–Scaly Mountain Volunteer Fire and Rescue team is better equipped to serve thanks to grant funding. “You have made our services to the community better by allowing us to purchase items outside our limited budget,” they noted. “This includes modification to our exhaust removal system for the new heavy-rescue truck you helped us purchase… and a wheeled stokes basket to assist with carrying out people injured in our vast natural wooded areas and trails.”
Animal welfare groups like Pawsitive Shelter Volunteers of Macon County are also feeling the ripple effect. Their grant will “ensure that all animals leaving the shelter have been spayed or neutered; purchase specialized diets; and provide supplemental medical care.”
The arts are thriving too. The Highlands Cashiers Chamber Music Festival shared, “Your grant will help us continue to bring world-class musicians to our beautiful mountains and continue our outreach, free programs.” And Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina emphasized the long-term value of mentorship: “Your contribution will directly support our programs aimed at fostering personal growth and educational success among the young people we serve.”
At the heart of Mountain Findings is its volunteer-powered engine. With no paid staff and no consignment inventory, the organization relies entirely on donations and the dedication of its volunteers—who contributed an estimated 12,000 hours this year, valued at $260,000.
Glenda Bell, a longtime volunteer, reflected, “Mountain Findings seemed like a legend when I first heard about it—probably late 1990s. When I retired from teaching in 1999, it became a real beacon of doing for others and getting to know the community.” Melinda Wilson added, “Highlands has always been a generous giving community, and that has not changed over the years.”
Don MaGruder, affectionately known as “Mr. Fix It,” repairs donated items before they hit the sales floor. His companion Molly Mae (a Havanese dog breed) joined the volunteer ranks this year “to avoid being left alone at home while ‘mom’ plays bridge.” Todd and Carolyn Wolfe, volunteers and shoppers for nearly four decades, summed it up: “Most of the time, this does not feel like work—it feels more like a social gathering. When we’re volunteering, there’s not a day that goes by that we don’t meet new friends.”
Mountain Findings also awarded $51,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors, supported hurricane relief efforts with $35,000, and contributed $2,500 to Shop With A Cop. And for items that don’t sell? They’re offered to nonprofit partners at no cost—ensuring nothing goes to waste.
“We truly know no boundaries when it comes to building our communities stronger and more resilient,” affirm co-presidents Cal Isaacs and Amy Cooper. “The generosity we receive from donors, volunteers, and local businesses, comes not only from Highlands, but from Cashiers, Franklin, Scaly Mountain, Glenville, and beyond. And in turn, our grants and support flow outward to these same communities. Whether it’s a scholarship for a student in Otto, equipment for a rescue squad in Glenville, or funding for a food pantry in Franklin, Mountain Findings is powered by a shared spirit of giving that transcends zip codes. Our volunteers reflect that reach too—neighbors from across the Plateau come together to lift one another up.”
At its core, Mountain Findings is a volunteer-powered organization rooted in community connection. Beyond its mission of giving, it serves as a welcoming resource for visitors and locals alike, offering information about nearby thrift stores, resale shops, restaurants, retail destinations, and local happenings. Every success story is a shared one: when Mountain Findings thrives, so do the nonprofits it supports, the neighbors it uplifts, and the communities it strengthens across the Plateau.
The community grant process remains open to eligible nonprofits, and we invite you to learn more at www.MountainFindings.org. Donations may be dropped off anytime – 24/7, at 452 Spruce Street in Highlands. To schedule a pickup, call (828) 526-9929.
Sending photos of your items to MountainFindings1@gmail.com helps us coordinate more efficiently. A list of local service providers offering pickup and delivery for a fee is also available. Mountain Findings is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
This Year’s Grant Recipients
American Legion Post 370 Highlands
Appalachian Wildlife Refuge
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Western NC
Blue Ridge Dental Clinic
Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau
Carpe Diem Horse Farm
Community Care Clinic of Highlands
Counseling Center of Highlands
Friends of Highlands Wreaths Across America
Glenville Cashiers Rescue Squad
Highlands Cashiers Chamber Music Festival
Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust
Highlands Cashiers Players
Highlands Community Child Development Center
Highlands Emergency Council
Highlands Historical Society
Highlands Plateau Greenway
Highlands School Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Highlands School PTO
Macon County Humane Society
Magnolia Mission
Martin Lipscomb Performing Arts Center
Mainspring Conservation Trust
Otto Fire and Rescue, Inc.
PAWSITIVE Shelter Volunteers of Macon County
Peggy Crosby Community Center
REACH of Macon County
Sky Valley – Scaly Mountain Volunteer Fire Rescue
The Gordon Center for Children
The International Friendship Center of Highlands
The Literacy Council of Highlands
The Village Green of Cashiers
Highlands High School 2025 Senior Scholarships: $51,000 Awarded
Hurricane Emergency Relief Fund: $35,000
Shop With A Cop: $2,500
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