APRIL 16, 2009 ISSUE
Appalachian Women’s Fund Awards Grants to Nine Agencies
The Appalachian Women’s Fund recently awarded $65,000 in grants to nine agencies in the High Country. Photo submitted
The Appalachian Women’s Fund (AWF) hosted its first Grantee Awards Celebration on Monday, April 6, at the Broyhill Inn and Conference Center. Attending were the nine agencies representing six counties who received grant money from the $65,000 raised by the AWF.
“This is a celebration of the fund coming full circle,” said AWF President Patti Turner. “Today we are learning how each agency is using the grant money to better the lives of women and children in our mountain communities.”
Agency directors and volunteers spoke about the creative ways they were using the funds. Lee Cornett of DANA (Domestic Abuse Not Acceptable), located in Alleghany County, told the group about the need for “gap funding” between the time a client receives government support and the time she begins working at a new job.
“The AWF grant will support women for an additional three months when no other assistance is taking place,” Cornett said. “The minute she starts working, she stops receiving government funding, yet there is this gap time of having to incur moving and household expenses and the paychecks to afford all of it.”
“Sometimes clients aren’t ready to talk about their trauma,” said OASIS Director Jennifer Herman. “We implemented an expressive arts therapy group that allows clients to open up on a different level. Our women and children use visual arts in the form of photography, pottery, drawings and written journals. The ways our clients begin healing are as varied as the many ways they are hurting.”
Beth Marsh with the ACCESS program at ASU is using the grant money to support students whose families live at or below the poverty level. “These students come to Boone with so many burdens already. The goal of ACCESS is to have students graduate debt-free,” Marsh said. “Because grants from ACCESS are restricted to eight semesters, students find that the cost of summer school and internships are not covered. “Thankfully, the AWF is funding five summer school scholarships to girls who are one step closer to breaking the cycle of poverty through education,” Marsh added.
Other recipients included the Hunger & Health Coalition, New River Behavioral Center, the Hospitality House, A.S.H.E. (A Safe Home for Everyone), W.A.M.Y. Community Action and the Community Care Clinic.
Turner said she is “humbled by the skills the directors bring to the table. These agencies are well versed in helping families in crisis. The goal of the AWF grants is to support the agencies programs in areas of education, healthcare, life skills and job training.” The grants were funded from money raised at the 2008 Woman of Vision Fundraiser and Luncheon. Tickets are now on sale for this year’s Woman of Vision event on Thursday, June 25.
For membership or ticket information, call the Appalachian Women’s Fund at 828-264-4002 or click to www.appalachianwomensfund.org.
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