The Black Mountain – Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund is pleased to announce $30,000 in People in Need grants to local nonprofit organizations providing critical services for economically disadvantaged people. The grants were made in partnership with The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) and include:

• $20,000 to Black Mountain Home for Children, Youth and Families to support expansion of their independent living program

• $10,000 to Black Mountain Pastoral Care & Counseling Center for affordable counseling for lower income residents of Swannanoa and Black Mountain

These grants were awarded as part of The Community Foundation’s People in Need focus area grant cycle, and were funded in part by the Janirve Legacy Fund, CFWNC Fundholders and the Black Mountain – Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund.

With goals to promote philanthropy and to strengthen charitable organizations in the Swannanoa Valley, the Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund is an affiliate of CFWNC and was established in 1999 by a group of local residents as a permanently endowed fund that is a resource for the entire Swannanoa Valley. The Fund grows through tax-deductible contributions. To make a gift, donate on-line at www.cfwnc.org or by mail to the Black Mountain – Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund, 103 Richardson Boulevard, Black Mountain, NC 28711. Contributions of any size are welcome and will enable the Fund to support more programs with local dollars.

“We are pleased to join with CFWNC and other partners to fund these grants that will make such a difference for the nonprofit organizations and the people they serve in our community,” said Black Mountain – Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund Advisory Board Chair Roger Hibbard.

The local, volunteer Advisory Board works to raise awareness of the Black Mountain – Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund and to build assets for the future. These board members are: Sandra Abromitis, Mike Begley (Treasurer), Gladys Brooks, John Buckner, Julia Capps, John Corkran (Vice Chair), Chip Craig, Lynn Deese, Barbara Griffin (Secretary), Carol Groben, Jerone Herring, Roger Hibbard (Chair), Greg Kershner, Gretchen Naff, Archie Pertiller, Connie Root, Joseph Standaert and Lori Turley.

In spring 2014, The Black Mountain – Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund will make grants relating to health and wellness, education, cultural and natural resources and people in need.

The next deadline to apply is March 3, 2014. Application information will be posted by early December on The Community Foundation website.

The Community Foundation is a nonprofit serving eighteen counties in Western North Carolina. The Foundation is a permanent regional resource that facilitates more than $11 million in charitable giving annually. CFWNC inspires philanthropy and mobilizes resources to enrich lives and communities in Western North Carolina. CFWNC supports the growth of its affiliate funds to extend the benefits of philanthropy across the region. To learn more about The Community Foundation, call 828-254-4960 or visit www.cfwnc.org.

For additional information about the Black Mountain – Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund, contact Chair Roger Hibbard at 828-296-0536.