Stories about the amazing work our partners are doing in our communities
Warrior Moms leverages creative and entrepreneurial outlets as tools for social-emotional wellness among BIPOC and single mothers experiencing poverty. In collaboration with historically under-fueled local entrepreneurs, Warrior Moms has developed a creative e-commerce platform to host tools including podcasts, books, virtual courses and films created by and for low-income, single mothers in WNC.
WCMS has four guiding principles: advocacy, access, equity and wellness. Their mission is to advocate for the health of Western North Carolinians, assist with access to affordable healthcare for all, eliminate health inequities and improve the well-being and health of the region.
Western Carolina Pacesetters partnered with Dogwood to expand its reach to court-involved youth and youth identified as at-risk for potential substance misuse, inspiring them to become more resilient, aware and responsible members of the community.
Some big wins for WMCF have come in the form of policy changes, including a citywide adoption of a minimal housing standard, and a new county public transportation system. Snow says the “secret sauce” to the WMCH approach is relationships formed among a circle of women of different backgrounds, races, ethnicity.
Western North Carolina AIDS Project or WNCAP exists to provide equitable access to care and reduce harm from HIV, Hepatitis C and drug use. The organization has expanded to include prevention education and case management programs as well as harm reduction, pharmacy and housing services.
Western North Carolina Communities became Dogwood’s first key partner for Census outreach. “I had been pushing the Census with our communities already, and some of them were working hard, but all on a volunteer basis,” says Wells.
WNC FoodWorks is a 5,000 square foot training and educational facility for aspiring food entrepreneurs, located at the WNC Farmers Market in Asheville. WNC FoodWorks serves as an entry-level facility for new and aspiring entrepreneurs such as food truck operators, farm-based businesses, value-added products and others requiring support to launch new food business enterprises.
WNC Health Network values building capacity, supporting connections and using human-centered approaches. The organization is committed to developing processes that meaningfully engage their customers’ communities and partners – particularly those most impacted by the health issue at hand.
“Food isn’t just about eating – it’s about agriculture, economy, and culture,” says Dru Zucchino, Executive Director for TRACTOR Food & Farms. Dru’s personal commitment to farming and food equity made TRACTOR a natural fit for him. However, when Dru accepted his role as Executive Director, the organization was facing funding and organizational stressors. That’s when WNC Nonprofit Pathways stepped in to provide support.
Finding high-quality, affordable and accessible early childhood education and care for infants, toddlers and children under five can be challenging. Dogwood is partnering with WNCSource, a leading provider of early childhood education programs, to renovate a 70-year-old facility in Henderson County.
Western Piedmont Community College and Dogwood invested in College Success Coaches to aid students in their college education journey. The college created positions for two Success Coaches responsible for contacting and regularly interacting with students, especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic and virtual learning.
The Western Regional Education Service Alliance proudly serves the school districts of 18 counties in Western North Carolina. They are a collaborative that exists to increase school systems’ effectiveness. They share instructional strategies and best practices and also pool resources to provide high-level professional development for educators in Western North Carolina.
For more than seven years, Youth Transformed for Life (YTL) Training Programs have supported participants struggling academically, socially and emotionally. Dogwood supported YTL as it provided at-home learning support for Asheville City and Buncombe County students, summer programming with academic tutoring, and more.
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Western Carolina Pacesetters provides Southern Appalachia’s youth with the opportunity to challenge themselves through unique experiential and outdoor activities that focus on interpersonal skill development, adventure and teamwork. Western Carolina Pacesetters partnered with Dogwood to expand its reach to court-involved youth and youth identified as at-risk for potential substance misuse, inspiring them to become more resilient, aware and responsible members of the community.
WNC is a busy ecosystem of farms, food producers, restaurants and other food-related businesses. With help from WNC FoodWorks, more budding businesses can become part of the regional food economy. Operated by WNC Blue Ridge Food Ventures, WNC FoodWorks is a 5,000 square foot training and educational facility for aspiring food entrepreneurs, located at the WNC Farmers Market in Asheville. WNC FoodWorks serves as an entry-level facility for new and aspiring entrepreneurs such as food truck operators, farm-based businesses, value-added products and others requiring support to launch new food business enterprises. The venture anticipates 36 new enterprises and 50 new jobs within the first three years after opening. They also expect that more than 200 individuals will receive technical guidance on proper food manufacturing and marketing.
In Henderson County, 3,318 children are eligible for subsidized child care. Finding high-quality, affordable and accessible early childhood education and care for infants, toddlers and children under five can be challenging. For this reason, Dogwood is partnering with WNCSource, a leading provider of early childhood education programs in Henderson County, to renovate a 70-year-old facility in Henderson County. The retrofitted building will provide Early Head Start, Head Start and NC Pre-K early childhood education programs to 94 children and future generations of Henderson County families.
Getting into college is an education milestone, but for many students, staying in college and navigating the educational, social/emotional and financial demands is a much bigger challenge. That’s why Western Piedmont Community College and Dogwood invested in College Success Coaches to aid students in their college education journey. The college created positions for two Success Coaches responsible for contacting and regularly interacting with students, especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic and virtual learning. Coaches help students understand “how to be a student” in addition to how to engage in their virtual classes. Research shows that students assigned a coach are 4% more likely to stay enrolled for two academic years and that success coaching results in a 9% increase in credential completion.
For more than seven years, Youth Transformed for Life (YTL) Training Programs have supported participants struggling academically, socially and emotionally. As the COVID-19 pandemic continued, YTL strengthened its efforts to provide a safe place for participants to learn, grow and engage in academic and social activities with support in a safe environment. Dogwood supported YTL as it provided at-home learning support for Asheville City and Buncombe County students, summer programming with academic tutoring, outdoor activities, art programs and STEM enrichment.