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Dogwood Health Trust Partners with Counties, Community Groups Across Western NC to Increase Census Participation, Bring Federal Dollars into the Region

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The Trust is actively seeking additional partners for this effort.

Asheville, N.C. (July 28, 2020) – In an effort to ensure strong participation and ultimately, increased federal dollars brought back into the region, Dogwood Health Trust is actively partnering with almost all of the 18 Western North Carolina counties and a growing number of community nonprofit organizations to reach communities that have been historically undercounted while increasing participation in the 2020 Census. Since every individual counted has a direct impact on federal funding provided to the region over the next ten years, Dogwood is investing in this effort by providing financial incentives to participating organizations that are able to directly increase the WNC count. 

According to a George Washington University study, every person counted during the 2020 Census in North Carolina brings in more than $4,000 in federal program dollars each year – this would translate into approximately $3.6 billion for the region if everyone responded. This potential funding over the next decade provides services like public schools, early childhood education, food access, Medicare, Medicaid, small business supports, agriculture, and infrastructure projects. Census participation also impacts the number of seats in Congress;  planning and funding for community needs like roads, schools, emergency services, and youth programs; and, economic development and jobs.

“Western North Carolina has historically been undercounted in the Census and 2020 is no exception,” said Jackie Simms, chair of the programs and grants committee at Dogwood Health Trust. “Completing the Census is safe, easy and convenient. It takes less than 10 minutes and can be done via the computer, mobile phone, telephone or paper form. We want to partner with county governments and organizations in our region to build on the great work they’ve already been doing and bring it over the finish line to help them succeed in drawing more federal dollars to their communities!”

Dogwood Health Trust is providing participating WNC counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians with an incentive of $1,000 for every full percentage point increase in Census self-reporting from June 26 through October 31, with a 30-point cap. Mini-grants of up to $2,500 are also available to each county to assist with their Census marketing and outreach efforts. 

Dogwood Health Trust also seeks to work with nonprofit partner organizations that have the networks to activate and mobilize Census participation. These include partners who have broad reach and relationships with communities that are historically undercounted, especially those of color and/or communities in remote locations. Partner organizations have the ability to communicate directly with individual households and walk them through Census completion, and are willing to keep an accurate record of the number of people counted through their outreach efforts. For every individual counted, Dogwood will provide a $10/per person incentive. Ideal partners are organizations with multiple chapters or member organizations in the region, or those who can mobilize other nonprofit organizations. Partners must be able to manage multiple locations’ or organizations’ outreach under their umbrella, gathering and reporting count data weekly and distributing incentives monthly. 

Organizations that fit this description should contact [email protected]

Dogwood Health Trust is a North Carolina nonprofit corporation with the sole purpose of
dramatically improving the health and well-being of all people and communities of Western North Carolina. Dogwood Health Trust was created from the net proceeds of the sale of Mission Hospital and focuses on innovative ways to address the many factors that contribute to overall health and wellness. To learn more, please visit www.dht.org.

Media Contact: Erica Allison, Formation PR + Brand

[email protected] / 828-329-5089

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Erica Allison
828.358.4867
[email protected]

Formation PR
735 Locust St.
Hendersonville, NC 28792

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Health & Wellness | Goal 4

Increase Access to Behavioral Health and Substance Use Prevention and Treatment

Support programs and networks that reduce deaths, treat addiction, and prevent first use

Objective 4.1: Reduce opioid overdose mortality throughout the region

Objective 4.2: Reduce untreated behavioral health and substance use disorder in disproportionately affected communities

Objective 4.3: Prevent and reduce behavioral health issues and substance use (tobacco, alcohol, illicit and prescription drugs) in youth

Health & Wellness | Goal 3

Address Health Disparities

Help reduce disparities based on race, location, education and income factors

Objective 3.1: Improve health outcomes for women and infants in rural and low-income communities and communities of color

Objective 3.2: Reduce the prevalence of common chronic health diseases in disproportionately affected communities

Objective 3.3: Increase effectiveness of health care through delivery of culturally aligned services

Health & Wellness | Goal 2

Increase Access to Whole-Person Health Care

Invest in integrated heath care with seamless connections to supportive services

Objective 2.1: Increase the number of people with affordable health insurance coverage

Objective 2.2: Increase the available workforce for primary and allied health care services

Objective 2.3: Increase access to comprehensive and integrated care

Objective 2.4: Increase access to community-based services in low-income, elderly and rural communities

Health & Wellness | Goal 1

Support and Build Healthy Communities

Support communities that promote healthy living and resiliency and help mitigate the impact of trauma, isolation and stress on individuals and families, especially those experiencing poverty

Objective 1.1: Decrease adverse experiences (ACEs and traumatic violence) and improve individual and family resiliency

Objective 1.2: Increase access to community environments that promote healthy living and social connectedness across the age continuum

Economic Opportunity | Goal 4

Foster Entrepreneurship

Support a well-funded, sustainable, competitive entrepreneur and small business ecosystem throughout the region

Objective 4.1: Increase the number of Person of Color (POC)-led small businesses throughout the region

Objective 4.2: Increase the number of rural small businesses throughout the region

Economic Opportunity | Goal 3

Build Economic Ecosystems

Help build a regional economic ecosystem that supports increased creation/retention of jobs and business ownership

Objective 3.1: Improve access to higher-paying jobs throughout the region, targeting the lowest income populations

Objective 3.2: Increase and retain quality jobs

Objective 3.3: Stimulate economic growth, catalyzing businesses and revenue

Economic Opportunity | Goal 2

Promote Work Readiness

Help build a skilled workforce with the knowledge and technical abilities to excel in a wide range of industry employment opportunities that provide a competitive, sustainable wage

Objective 2.1: Close the educational attainment gap in WNC, staying on pace with regional and county-specific projections (myFutureNC 2030).

Economic Opportunity | Goal 1

Develop a Comprehensive Data Resource

Source, analyze and share a comprehensive, county-by-county data set that paints a full picture of work readiness, economic development and entrepreneurial needs and opportunities specific to Western North Carolina

Education | Goal 3

Support Higher Education Career Readiness

Work in tandem with Economic Opportunity Strategic Priority to invest in career readiness at the community college and university levels

Objective 4.1: Close the educational attainment gap in WNC, staying on pace with regional and county-specific projections (myFutureNC 2030).

Education | Goal 2

Improve K-12 Education

Support K-12 learning experiences with the resources and sustainability to provide an excellent academic and social-emotional education, so that all students graduate ready for college or career

Objective 2.1: Address teacher workforce challenges

Objective 2.2: Equip families of students to support academic growth and social-emotional health

Objective 2.3: Increase capacity of partners to provide supports and services, particularly for children facing challenges related to poverty, systemic racism, being differently abled or English language learners

Education | Goal 1

Improve Early Childhood Education Ecosystem

Invest in an improved early childhood education ecosystem with the resources and sustainability to provide developmentally appropriate, affordable and accessible education and care to support ages birth to five, so that all children in WNC enter kindergarten ready to learn

Objective: Address early childhood educator workforce challenges

Education | Goal 4

Develop a Comprehensive Landscape Study

Source, analyze and share a comprehensive set of publicly available data that provides a regularly updated, county-by-county picture of access, workforce and student outcomes in early childhood education and K-12 education specific to Western North Carolina

Housing | Goal 5

Use Impact Investments to Create Affordable and Workforce Housing

Loans, guarantees, and other financial tools to leverage funding opportunities

Housing | Goal 4

Create and Preserve Housing Units for Persons Below 50% of the Median Income

Increase affordable housing for lowest-income individuals and families

Objective 4.1: Create rental units for households below 50% of the median income

Objective 4.2: Help families pay no more than 30% of their income on housing

Objective 4.3: Create and preserve communities in a way that is representative of the WNC natural landscape

Housing | Goal 3

Create and Preserve Senior Housing

Support age-appropriate resources in affordable and workforce units, rental and owned

Objective 3.1: Create needed rental and homeownership opportunities for seniors

Objective 3.2: Incorporate supportive services in rental housing developments

Objective 3.3: Increase use of universal design in development

Housing | Goal 2

Create and Preserve Supportive Housing Rental Units

Invest in housing with sustainable supports for physical and mental health and wellbeing

Objective 2.1: Create new supportive housing

Objective 2.2: Preserve existing supportive housing

Objective 2.3: Leverage state and federal funds

Single story home in the midst of being build with 3 volunteers helping.

Housing | Goal 1

Support Healthy and Safe Revitalization Opportunities

Support healthy and safe revitalizations that work against displacement and gentrification, preserve home ownership and create generational wealth.

Objective 1.1: Revitalize Neighborhoods

Objective 1.2: Repurpose existing structures to minimize environmental impact

Objective 1.3: Support home ownership