Monday, March 15, 2010 - Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation announces grant awards totaling $2,020,253 to 46 organizations located in Buncombe, Catawba, Cleveland, Concord, Durham, Gaston, Greenville, Guilford, Henderson, Mecklenburg, Orange, Rowan, Transylvania, Union, Wake, Wautaga, and Wilkes Counties in North Carolina and Charleston and Spartanburg Counties in South Carolina.

The grant funds will be used for a wide variety of purposes by the organizations. Supported programs include affordable housing, children’s services, crisis assistance, education, food distribution, health care, immigration assistance, job training, legal services, and social services,

The following 46 organizations will benefit from the Foundation’s most recent grantmaking activities.

• Ada Jenkins Center, Davidson, NC provides health, social and educational programs and services to low-income populations. They will receive $40,000 for the salary of the Operations Manager and maintenance of the mobile dental clinic.

• Asheville City Schools, Asheville, NC provides quality education for children from preschool through grade 12. They were awarded a two year grant of $75,400 to help support the Out of School Time Math Initiative.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte, Charlotte, NC will receive $30,000 for the salary of a Match Support Specialist in the Amachi Program, which connects faith communities with children of incarcerated parents in a mentoring relationship. The organization helps children in need through professionally supported one-to-one mentoring

• Boys & Girls Club of Wake County, Raleigh, NC helps young people realize their full potential as responsible, productive and caring citizens. Their $44,275 grant will be used to support the Project Learn program, specifically salaries of program staff, supplies and occupancy costs.

• Buncombe Alternatives, Asheville, NC will receive $40,200 for support of the Program Director of the Teen Court Program. The organization encourages and establishes community-based corrections programs.

• Cabarrus Cooperative Christian Ministry, Concord, NC serves as an ecumenical network of individuals, churches and other organizations that seek to address the crisis needs of individuals and families. They will receive $45,000 for the salary of a Program Manager and occupancy costs at its Philip’s Station, as well as funds for crisis assistance.

• Cabarrus County Partnership for Children ensures that services for young children in early education, childcare, health and family support are available and accessible. They were awarded $47,000 to support a public health nurse in the Stepping Stones Intensive Home Visitation Program.

• Cabarrus Meals on Wheels, Kannapolis, NC assists elderly and disabled individuals to live independently through the delivery of nutritious meals. They will receive $22,422 for general operating support.

• Catawba County Hispanic Ministry, Hickory, NC provides a Christian response to the critical needs of the Hispanic population through education, translation, community awareness and referral. Their $30,000 grant will help provide the salaries for tutor staff and to purchase bi-lingual teaching materials for the Abriendo Puertos After School Program.

• Center for Community Transitions, Charlotte, NC restores offenders to their families and communities, reduces recidivism and promotes self-sufficiency. They will receive $25,000 to help support the LifeWorks! and Families Doing Time Programs.

• Communities in Schools of Cleveland County, Shelby, NC will receive $50,000 for salary support of two parent educators for the Teen Parents as Teachers program. Communities in Schools champions the connection of needed community resources with schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school and prepare for life.

• Community Free Clinic, Concord, NC works to improve the accessibility of primary medical care, prescription medications and counseling for the uninsured. Their $30,000 grant will be used for operating support, specifically to add a part-time nurse practitioner.

• Community Link, Charlotte, NC reduces homelessness by supporting individuals and families through case management and supportive housing programs. They were awarded $75,000 for salary support for social workers as well as operating support for the Casework and Supportive Housing Programs.

• Crisis Assistance Ministry, Charlotte, NC helps meet basic needs for families in emergency situations, while seeking and advocating long-term solutions. They were awarded $80,000 to provide emergency housing and utility assistance for the Emergency Financial Assistance program.

• Disability Rights & Resources, Charlotte, NC works with people with disabilities, through advocacy, training, peer mentoring and support, to help them achieve greater independence, direct their own lives and participate in the community. They will receive $30,000 for transition expenses for the My Home, My Choice project.

• East Cooper Community Outreach, Mt. Pleasant, SC ministers to disadvantaged persons through financial aid, pharmaceutical assistance and a dental clinic. They were awarded a two year grant of $170,060 to help provide support for four positions in the Out of Poverty Initiative.

• Eblen-Kimmel Charities, Asheville, NC provides medical and emergency assistance to people and their families. Their $38,081 grant will help support the Direct Crisis Assistance Program, specifically the salary of a Client Service Support Manager.

• Eliada Homes, Asheville, NC provides treatment services for abused, neglected and troubled adolescents, assistance for families in crisis and foster care for children. They will receive $75,000 to help support expansion of the Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility.

• Elon Homes and Schools for Children, Charlotte, NC provides residential programs, community skills training and experiential learning opportunities for at-risk youth in group homes and foster homes. Their $40,000 grant will be used to support the Kids Central program.

• Family Care Center of Catawba Valley, Hickory, NC provides homeless families with emergency and transitional housing together with services to assist them in becoming self-sufficient. They will receive $35,000 for general operating support.

• Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, Raleigh, NC contributes to the alleviation of hunger by accumulating stores of surplus food and non-food essentials and providing them to non-profit agencies who distribute directly to individuals in need. Their $40,000 grant will be used for transportation expenses of the Food Bank’s 23-truck fleet.

• Furman University, Greenville, SC provides a liberal arts education at the undergraduate level. They will receive $35,000 to help support the Bridges to a Brighter Future Program, which is a three year, comprehensive college access program for disadvantaged ninth through twelfth grade students.

• Greensboro Housing Coalition, Greensboro, NC advocates for decent affordable housing for low and moderate income people and those with special needs. Their $42,900 grant will be used for general operating support, specifically for the salary of a Healthy Homes specialist.

• Hope Haven, Charlotte, NC provides residential after care for recovering alcoholic and other drug-addicted men and women through the operation of rehabilitation facilities. They will receive $25,000 to provide assistance with staffing and material costs for the ServSafe and Families Programs.

• Housing Assistance Corporation, Hendersonville, NC provides safe and affordable housing for persons of limited income. They were awarded $35,000 to expand the Emergency Home Repair Program.

• Housing for New Hope, Durham, NC operates supportive transitional and permanent housing programs for the homeless and other people with special housing needs. They will receive $19,500 to support the salary of a Program Manager and related supplies for the Dove House transitional housing program.

• Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, Carrboro, NC provides shelter, food, direct services, advocacy and information to people in need. Their $25,000 grant will provide support for salary and food costs related to the Food First Food Pantry and Community Kitchen Program.

• Interfaith Assistance Ministry, Hendersonville, NC provides crisis assistance to individuals and families. Their $40,000 grant will help provide crisis assistance such as financial help with power and water bills and emergency prescriptions.

• Jacob’s Ladder Job Center, Charlotte, NC will receive $36,000 to provide salary support for the Program Assistant. The Center is a job placement service aimed to helping chronically unemployed and underemployed individuals obtain and sustain living wage employment.

• Literacy Council of Union County, Monroe, NC teaches adults to read, write, speak and understand English. Their two year grant for $30,865 will be used for operating support, specifically for occupancy and related expenses.

• MedAssist of Mecklenburg, Charlotte, NC provides free or very low co-pay prescriptions for low-income individuals age 65 and older who cannot afford the cost of their medications. They were awarded $35,000 to support the expansion of the pharmacy program.

• Pisgah Legal Services, Asheville, NC provides legal services for economically disadvantaged persons. They will receive $65,000 for general operating support, specifically the salaries of attorneys and related expenses.

• Rainbow Center - Children & Family Services, Wilkesboro, NC provides therapeutic services for children who have been abused, neglected, undisciplined, delinquent or otherwise at risk. They were awarded $49,900 to help support the expenses of a Foster Care Coordinator.

• Rowan Helping Ministries, Salisbury, NC will receive $50,000 to provide support for the Crisis Assistance Network staff. The organization provides crisis-oriented services for the needy, such as food, clothing and shelter.

• Sanctuary House, Greensboro, NC facilitates the recovery and rehabilitation of adults with serious mental illness. They will receive $35,000 for salary support of a licensed clinical supervisor.

• St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic, Spartanburg, SC provides medical care to uninsured individuals. Their two year $50,000 grant will help support the salary of a part-time Registered Nurse.

• StepUP Ministry, Raleigh, NC is a transitional housing and counseling program serving working families with dependent children who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. They were awarded $50,000 over two years to provide support for an employment recruiter.

• Triangle Family Services, Raleigh, NC provides services such as family safety, financial security and mental health assistance to families. They will receive $22,000 to provide support for a Consumer Credit Counselor to work with the Homelessness and Rapid Re-housing Program.

• Turning Point of Union County, Monroe, NC provides shelter and assistance to women and their children who are victims of domestic violence. They will receive $45,000 for general operating support.

• United Methodist Relief Center, Mt. Pleasant, SC works to correct substandard housing in poverty stricken areas of South Carolina through new construction and refurbishment. They were awarded $30,000 for costs associated with relocating and refurbishing Elderly Transportable Cottages.

• Urban Ministries of Durham, Durham, NC provides services, including emergency shelter, food and clothing, to low-income people in need. Their $50,000 grant award will be used to provide salary support for a Case Manager for the Journey Program.

• Western Carolina Community Action, Brevard, NC works to alleviate poverty and assist low-income residents to become self-sufficient. They were awarded $25,000 to purchase cases of Ensure and Glucerna for the Nutritional Supplement Program.

• Western North Carolina AIDS Project, Asheville, NC provides HIV related services through case management, prevention education and outreach. They will receive $41,500 for the salary for a full-time Case Manager.

• Western Youth Network, Boone, NC meets the needs of youth and families through community prevention and intervention programs. They were awarded $30,150 for salary support of the Coordinator of the Mentoring Program.

• Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind, Asheville, NC provides opportunities for persons who are blind or visually impaired and in need of training, employment and services. Their two year grant award of $65,000 will be used for operating expenses for the Asheville Division, specifically, the salary of a Coordinator for low vision outreach and services.

• With Friends, Gastonia, NC provides emergency residential, counseling services and outreach to youth who are homeless, runaway and in crisis. Their grant award of $25,000 will contribute to the support of teaching and counseling staff as well as for the Education, Counseling and Skill Building Services of the With Friends’ Emergency Shelter.

Since announcing in October, 1996 that it was ready to begin receiving grant applications, the Foundation has awarded 1,013 grants totaling more than $45,900,000 to organizations serving unserved or underserved populations. For information concerning the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation, please call 704/366-0087 or visit our web site at www.somncfdn.org.