Dear Valued Friend,

As we head full steam into the holiday season, our hearts are filled to overflowing with thanks for all who continue to work tirelessly to improve the health and well-being of those living, learning, working, and playing in far Western North Carolina, the place we are privileged to call home.

To Our Partners: You are the boots on the ground, through whom meaningful impacts are made for so many.

To Our Volunteers: Change on the scale we strive to create will only happen when we engage with others. We are so thankful for those who volunteer their time to help us serve our region, especially our dedicated Board of Directors and our first Now + Next alumni cohort members and program designers. (Keep scrolling to learn more about Now + Next.)

To Our Donors: You recognize the tremendous value of our work and have stepped up in a big way to contribute financially to our success and long-term sustainability. Your faith in our mission is making a difference in the health and well-being of our underserved neighbors.

As Nantahala Health Foundation continues to grow to better serve our region, our ability to demonstrate public support becomes evermore essential. Financial contributions in support of our mission are required not only to ensure our sustainability but to maintain our eligibility to receive external investments and to serve as a trusted source of support for our partners.

As you plan your end-of-year giving, please keep us in mind. Whether you can afford a contribution of $20 a month or a one-time $10 gift, your support adds up to a healthier region for us all.

Wishing you a Happy, Healthy Holiday Season,

Lori Bailey

Executive Director

Our Needs Immediately Met, or NIMble grant, of up to $5,000 per organization is intended to support an organization's one-time critical purchases, immediate needs for stabilization or crisis response, or small-scale opportunities related to work to address health and well-being as defined by our Priority Funding areas.

NIMble applications in 2022 will be accepted on a rolling basis, with notification of award status anticipated within 6 to 8 weeks of submission. The NIMble 2022 program will remain in effect until allocated funds are exhausted.

Now + Next: Members of our leadership pilot cohort gathered for their final official session earlier this month. At the meeting's conclusion, our facilitator, Dr. Frederick Buskey, illustrated with a ball of string how critical connections are to building relationships and community.

Pictured are (clockwise, starting bottom left) Bernadette Peters, Sylva's Main Street Director; Paul Heckert, HIGHTS' Chief Financial Officer; Jonah Lossiah, Cherokee One Feather reporter; Dr. Buskey; Parker Chatham, Restoration House WNC Executive Director; Lori Bailey, Nantahala Health Foundation Executive Director; Lisa Duff, NHF Associate Director; Becca Scott, Southwestern Commission, Director of Community and Economic Development; and Beth Booth, Graham County Health Department Director. Not pictured: Tim Radford, Town of Murphy Mayor; and Joey Owle, Secretary of Agriculture, Eastern Band of Cherokee.

Now + Next will launch another session in early 2023 as we continue to build this leadership growth opportunity by specifically addressing the needs of our community with valuable input from seasoned and next-generation visionaries.

Nantahala Health Foundation Executive Director Lori Bailey (centered) visited a recent Veterans Smiles/East Carolina University dental clinic, where an impactful partnership is providing essential care to our country's veterans. During her visit, Lori witnessed first-hand how this partnership is working seamlessly to achieve physical and mental well-being for veterans in need by addressing their oral health.

Dr. Rob Tempel (right) serves as the Associate Dean for Extramural Clinical Practice at the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine. The last Army dentist to become Special Forces qualified, Dr. Tempel and his students -- future dentists -- provide the necessary oral care. With grant funds from Nantahala Health Foundation, Veteran Smiles, represented during this clinic session by Jessie McCorvey (left), covers the costs of the procedures. Lori was also happy to have met and spent time speaking with Dr. Robert Manga of ECU and Russ Conner of Veteran Smiles during her visit to the Sylva clinic.

Veterans Smiles Foundation has received two NHF grants to provide dental care at a greatly reduced cost to area veterans, thanks to this partnership.

"Nantahala Health Foundation is so very thankful to be a part of this innovative, collaborative effort," Lori said. "Seeing the immediate relief experienced by these veterans as their oral concerns were addressed and knowing that these students are not only being trained in dentistry but also in how to care for their community was especially moving."

Our grant-making priorities are designed to create a strong network of organizations by investing in your strategies to remove barriers to health.

At Nantahala Health Foundation, we build partnerships with forward-thinking organizations focused on improving the overall health of the region. 

Our Values Statement

Our values speak to who we are as an organization and how we intend to achieve our mission. Read our full statement of values and let us know what you think.

Grantmaking | Capacity Building | Elevating Leaders

About Us | Our Priorities | Our Values

Financial information about our organization and a copy of our license are available from the N.C. State Solicitation Licensing Section at (919) 807-2214. The license is not an endorsement by the State.