Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Awards Grants for Local Health Impact
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s Board of Directors has awarded 21 grants to 18 organizations totaling $992,285. The Foundation's annual grant program supports initiatives that positively impact health in Vance, Warren, Granville, and Franklin counties.
Since beginning grantmaking in 2013, the Foundation has invested over $5.7 million in funding for programs to improve health in the four-county region.
“Through our grants to local partners, we are investing in programs that will help fulfill our mission to improve health,” said Tem Blackburn, interim executive director for the Foundation. “Our hope is that these grant awards will result in healthy outcomes for children and adults in the four counties we serve,” said Blackburn.
Grants awarded this year include programs that provide a broad range of approaches for improving health-- programs that heal and support victims of trauma; teach and promote healthy lifestyles; and programs that provide care, treatment, and support for those with addiction disorders. “In all of our grant programs, health and wellness are at the heart of what they do,” said Blackburn.
Recipients of the 2024-2025 TNHF grants include:
- AIM High – Keep Pressing – Park & Play, a structured fitness, nutrition, and recreational program to encourage children to play safely in outdoor parks. Play sessions are led by certified personal trainers and teen leaders to provide low-income youth positive summer engagement.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central North Carolina - Triple Play, a three-component health and wellness program for youth ages 6-18.
- Edmonds Tennis and Education Foundation - ETEF Healthy Serve Initiative, an award-winning program that promotes child well-being through the physical fitness and nutritional requirements afforded by the game of tennis.
- Gang Free, Inc. – Hope Pantries, will provide free food pantries for students at Pinkston Street Elementary School and LB Yancey Elementary School. Pantries will be modeled on the existing pantry at Vance County Middle School.
- Granville Vance Public Health - CFFD-Tooth Club, addresses and treats oral health issues among students enrolled in Vance and Granville County Schools and Henderson Collegiate.
- Henderson Family YMCA - health and wellness facilities and activities for people of all ages. Henderson is the smallest community in the State (and one of the smallest in the nation) with a full-service YMCA.
- Life Line Outreach, Inc. - Funding for Life Line Inc., upgrade existing facilities including replacement of the roof of the main building housing the Thrift Store, Food Bank, and administrative offices, install a fence around the perimeter of the property to ensure a safer environment for residents, and pave the parking area at the Thrift Store. Life Line is the oldest and largest shelter for abused women and children in the Triangle North service area.
- Masonic Home for Children at Oxford - a Community Care Center, will provide a resource hub for people in need by offering emergency monetary support and in-kind goods, access and connection to resources, educational/skill-building classes and support groups.
- North Carolina Cooperative Extension - Vance County Center - Let's Grow Together: Revitalizing our Vance County Regional Farmers Market, will create community gardens. Raised garden beds at the VCRFM will be rented yearly, with the provision of some shared tools and resources along with technical support from Extension staff and Master Gardener volunteers. In addition, programs will be offered to community gardeners to increase skills and knowledge in growing, cooking, preserving, and selling their foods.
- NC MedAssist – Health Equity for Granville, Franklin, Vance, and Warren County Residents, will continue to provide free prescription medications for low income and uninsured individuals via mail order. In addition, two over-the-counter medicine giveaway events will be implemented in 2025 in the TNHF region.
- Perfecting Praise Ministries – Rural Wellness Initiative: Bridging Minds & Bodies, address mental health disparities and nutritional deficiencies prevalent in rural communities, focusing on Warren County. Mental health services will be offered on a weekly basis through comprehensive mental health programming, education, and support services, including Safe Space therapy sessions, and community education initiatives to raise awareness and reduce stigma.
- Safe Space, Inc. – Art Heals Project, modeled on the evidenced-based project A Window Between Worlds (AWBW.org), which supports and trains direct service organizations like Safe Space to incorporate an arts curriculum into the work with trauma survivors. Art sessions serve to open dialogues about traumatic experiences and lead to more effective therapy.
- S.a.M. Child Advocacy Center - Child Forensic Interviews – provides a centralized, child-centered approach to investigation that reduces the risk of trauma to children who are victims of abuse or witnesses to violent crimes. With an interdisciplinary team of professionals located in one, child-friendly location, this program provides an important component of a comprehensive child abuse investigation. The program also offers opportunities for healing for the child and non-offending family members. Community education is also provided.
- Shepherd Youth Ranch – Trail to Success, provides skill building for youth suffering from grief, loss, abandonment, and abuse. Participants enter an intensive 24-week program, which consists of weekly group and monthly family sessions in a unique program that uses rescued horses to help with therapy.
- Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc. (TROSA) – Long-term Substance Abused Recovery for TNHF Residents, a two-year residential recovery program with treatment, education, vocational training, and health care for residents of the Triangle North region who suffer from alcohol and substance use addiction, free of charge.
- Turning Point Community Development Corporation – Creating Success Education Center-School Age Programs, increase access to resources, opportunities, and experiences for school-age youth through out-of-school time (OST) programs by offering affordable, quality child care that meets the educational, health, and social needs of children and youth in an after-school and summer learning program setting. In a second program, Launchpad Youth Workforce Development, provides youth workforce development for unserved youth in grades 9 - 12. The cohort begins in the summer with students completing a series of engaging training workshops. Students are placed in paid internships with local community organizations. Students participate in experiences throughout the academic year, including a college tour, two mental health seminars, and a two-day public speaking camp. Finally, Oasis Food Pantry & Distribution Center, works in partnership with the NC Food Bank and Golden Leaf Foundation to provide a “market” style pantry where individuals can select desired items from the shelves, refrigerator, freezer, or from merchandisers. Services also include distribution events including produce boxes. The center will host a monthly nutrition class or cooking demonstration that will be advertised to families who utilize the pantry.
- Vance Charter School – Vance Charter School’s Remote Area Medical Clinic, stages a two-day remote area medical clinic providing no cost medical, dental, and vision care services scheduled for the Spring of 2025.
- Vance County Schools – VCMS Healthful Living, an after-school program at Vance County Middle School providing a daily fitness program, nutrition and wellness support, introduction to a variety of sports, and mindfulness of self-care for participants. In a second program, VCS Community Care Center, a nonjudgmental space where individuals may come to secure necessary life sustaining resources. The Vance County Community Care Center will contain items that families need while either living in a motel or moving into a new dwelling. The center will also provide a resource for families who have experienced man-made or some type of natural disaster such as hurricane, flooding or house fires. The Community Care Center will be located at Vance County Middle School.
All of the grant programs fall into one or more of the Foundation's five focus areas, which include Child Well-Being, Chronic Disease, Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder, Nutrition and Physical Fitness, and Reproductive Health.
2024 Strategic Small Grants Program
The Board of Directors of Triangle North Healthcare Foundation awarded five nonprofit organizations with strategic small grants for six projects. The purpose of the 2024 Strategic Small Grants Program (SSGP) is to provide financial assistance to nonprofit, educational, and governmental organizations in Franklin, Granville, Vance, and Warren counties responding to immediate needs in one of the Foundation's strategic priority areas: Child Well-being, Senior Well-being, Housing and Homelessness, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, and Food Security. The 2024 Strategic Small Grants Program is a one-time, non-renewable grant that will not exceed $10,000 in funding.
- SSGP funding from Triangle North was used to provide consulting services to Community Partners of Hope to assist the non—profit with planning for transition of the CPOH men’s shelter to a year-round operation. Their new and larger facility in the former City Road Methodist Church presents an opportunity for expanded hours and services, but this depends on CPOH developing and funding paid staff, and on improving financial systems, website, and funding sources.
- First in Families of NC obtained an SSGP grant used to support developmentally disabled children, adults and their families in meeting basic needs through connecting with community resources and by providing some direct funding for food, utilities, rent, or car repairs. When a request is submitted for funding, First in Families of NC pays vendors for goods and services. In 2023, FIFNC served 55 families in Vance, Granville, and Franklin counties..
- Triangle North provided funding to enable NC Cooperative Extension - Vance County Center – to increase sales and build the customer base at the Vance County Farmers Market by offering incentives for shopping such as Double Bucksfor EBT and Senior Vouchers. The program supports access to more nutritious food options for low-income households.
- NC Cooperative Extension - Vance County Center received an SSGP grant to cover the cost of initial training of staff to effectively implement a Supporting Father Involvement initiative (SFI). SFI is an evidenced based program designed to be effective in improving father involvement, reducing family conflict, and enhancing children's well-being. It has been implemented in various settings, including community agencies, healthcare clinics, and child welfare systems. SFI is designed for fathers from diverse backgrounds, including those facing challenges such as low income, low education, single parenthood, or involvement with the child welfare system. The program is designed for small group support, estimated to serve 30-50 fathers or 15-30 families in the first year.
- NC Cooperative Extension - Warren County Center received an SSGP grant to fund a Double Up Food Bucks promotion at the Warren County Farmer’s Market. The promotion supported access for low-income households to more nutritious food options by providing them with matching funds to buy additional foods, fruits, and vegetables. This project supports Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Seniors and Women Infant and Children Farmers Market Nutritional Programs recipients and the local farmers.
- SSGP funding enabled Turning Point Community Development Corporation to meet over-enrollment demand for its Summer Learning Program by opening a second location in downtown Henderson. The program combats summer learning loss and gives students access to healthy food and engaging learning experiences during the summer months.
NC MedAssist Mobile Free Pharmacy Coming to TNHF Region in 2025
NC MedAssist will provide two over-the-counter medicine giveaways in the TNHF region in 2025. On March 7, 2025 the mobile free pharmacy will be at the VGCC Civic Center and on May 30, 2025 it will be at the Warren County Armory. Participants can take home free over-the-counter medicine items such as allergy, cough and cold, pain relief, vitamins, children's medicine, and more! Orders can be placed online in advance and picked up the day of the event. Walk-ins are also welcome.
This program is being brought to the region in partnership with NC MedAssist, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, Vance Granville Community College, and the Warren County Health Department. Look for more information on local media sources prior to the events.
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TNHF Awards Two $10,000 Scholarships
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation's Board of Directors has awarded two $10,000to individuals currently working in health care and currently enrolled in health degree programs for associate degrees or higher.
The scholarships program launched in January and awards were made in February. The recipients met the following requirements:
- Currently employed part time or full time in a health-related position
- Currently enrolled in a health-related degree program at an accredited college or university, pursuing an associate degree or higher
- A minimum unweighted GPA of 2.5.
- Preference will be given to applicants living and working in Franklin, Granville, Vance, or Warren counties.
Scholarships were awarded to:
Holly Hilliard, who lives in Henderson and works at Maria Parham Health-Franklin, as a Psych Tech 1. She is pursuing a Doctor of Occupational Therapy at Baylor University.
Justin Preddy, who lives in Granville County and is a Compliance Captain with Franklin County EMS, is pursuing a Master of Health Science degree at Western Carolina University.
Funding for Triangle North Healthcare Foundation's scholarship programs are made possible through a gift from the estates of Dr. Andrew and Felcie Newcomb.
Since the Foundation began awarding scholarships in 2013, $130.00 has been awarded to students in the four-county region.