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Nantahala Health Foundation
Written By: Mary Jane McCall | Issue: 2020/04 - April
A new nonprofit created to support regional efforts to eliminate barriers to health has set up its headquarters in Franklin, appointed an experienced executive director and advancement officer, and moved ahead with an initial grant cycle.
Nantahala Health Foundation, which celebrated its first anniversary in February, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit serving as a catalyst for innovation and collaboration addressing the social determinants of health in Western North Carolina.
Working with local agencies in Jackson, Macon, Clay, Graham, and Cherokee counties and the Qualla Boundary, Nantahala Health Foundation is addressing five areas that impact community health: education, economic stability, healthcare, neighborhoods and built environments, and social and community concepts. They invest in communities by supporting local initiatives aimed at addressing the root causes of health inequities.
“It was a privilege to award almost $1.5 million this past December to Western North Carolina organizations with innovative projects designed to improve health outcomes for the people in our communities,” said Lori Bailey, the foundation’s executive director.
Access to healthcare and education were their most funded initiatives, with nearly 80 percent of funds going to 18 agencies and non-profits. These include First Baptist Church of Franklin/Macon’s Medication Assistance Program; KIDS Place, which serves child and youth victims of abuse and neglect; and Southwestern Child Development’s work to support childhood education for ages 0-3.
Other initiatives supported included those involved in transportation, such as REACH of Macon County’s need to purchase a disability-equipped passenger van; agencies addressing poverty, such as Jackson County Department on Aging’s need to purchase hot pads to improve the quality of food delivery to those served by Meals on Wheels; and those providing help with housing, such supplies for home repair and mold remediation requested by Mountain Projects.
By partnering with organizations offering innovative solutions to health disparities and boots-on-the-ground workers ready to implement much-needed programming designed to enhance the quality of life for so many in Western North Carolina, Nantahala Health Foundation is committed making a difference in the lives of our citizens.
For more information and to find out how to support these and future efforts, visit nantahalahealthfoundation.org or call (828) 634-1527.
by Mary Jane McCall
