NEW HANOVER COUNTY — More money is being funneled into the southeastern North Carolina region from the New Hanover Community Endowment.
On Thursday it announced $6.5 million in grants would come through to help with a multitude of needs, from arts to education. Money is allocated from the $1.3 billion endowment, created by the sale of New Hanover County Regional Medical Center to Novant.
Nine organizations are benefitting in this latest round of funding, including The Forward Fund — created by Cape Fear Collective. It will receive $3 million to assist students seeking short-term training for skilled trades, technology and healthcare.
The majority of the money, $2.5 million, will pay for enrollment, tuition, program fees and life expenses, while the rest helps operating support.
“This program will reduce financial barriers and give all students the opportunity to pursue fulfilling, high-wage careers,” Lakesha McDay, executive vice president of programs and operations at NHCE, said in a press release.
Another large portion of Thursday’s announcement of grant money benefits disaster relief, including a multi-year grant given to the American Red Cross for $2.4 million. It receives more than $900,000 the first two years and close to $600,000 the last year, in order to fund a Community Adaptation Program.
CAP teams coordinate with local partners to help deliver food, healthcare and affordable housing in communities faced with high-risk disaster risk and attempts to strengthen resilience before disaster hits.
Also helping build resiliency and safety during natural disaster emergencies, WHQR — the NPR affiliate radio station — received close to $35,000. The money will be used to deliver emergency radios to vulnerable communities.
And for families who may have lost important keepsakes, particularly family portraits due to disasters, Retake is receiving funding to help recreate the memories. It provides free portraits to help replace those lost and allow families a chance to heal from trauma and natural disasters. Retake received $4,000 to help fund staffing and operations.
Other grantees include the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County, receiving $200,000 to fund 15 to 20 grassroots nonprofit arts organizations. The arts community is an economic engine in Wilmington and New Hanover County, providing $75 million in impact.
This receipt comes after the arts council executive director Rhonda Bellamy spoke last year about how the endowment should expand into helping this sector. The endowment’s core focus is on health, education, safety, and economic opportunity.
“I would like the arts to not be singled out as a sector that is undeserving, or we’re not doing the work or we have to build a school or a hospital, in order to qualify for the money,” Bellamy said then.
The endowment noted in its release the arts “creates employment opportunities, generates revenue, and is a vital part of cultivating an inclusive community and economy.”
Roughly $400,000 will be given to help protect children and teens. The Carousel Center received $200,000 to cover operating support for its two facilities in the New Hanover County, as the nonprofit continues to work with children affected by sexual abuse.
Planned Parenthood South Atlantic will receive $200,000 over two years. It will fund home visits and medical care to pregnant and parenting teens. The goal also is to provide evidence-based sex education in an effort to encourage students to finish high school before having more children.
In other healthcare funding, $60,000 was provided to St. Mary’s Health Center to provide part-time assistance and supplies to keep emergency oral surgery operations running.
$131,000 also will help with educational programs, enhance accessibility to public spaces, and promote civic engagement at Pine Forest Education and Learning Center.
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