Donors are extraordinary people, as every community-dependent nonprofit will tell you. The size and nature of a donor’s gift never matter. That they thought of us to be the beneficiary of their generosity not only furthers our mission, it also warms our hearts.

Nonprofit leaders also understand that donors come from all backgrounds and walks of life. Each can tell you about a personal experience that led them to act on our behalf.

Our newest donor/hero has a remarkable story, though some details will be omitted here because he wishes to remain anonymous. That’s another incredible thing about donors – most give with little to no expectation of receiving anything in return.

Nantahala Health Foundation will host in-person listening sessions designed to hear from community leaders about ways to improve lives and promote health and wellness in Western North Carolina.

Graham County: Tuesday, June 15, 9:30 a.m.

Swain County: Tuesday, June 15, 2:30 p.m.

Your organization's accomplishments -- especially your Nantahala Health Foundation grant awards and partnerships -- are noteworthy and should be shouted from the mountaintops.

However, since only the birds, bees, and bears are likely to hear this type of announcement, we've put together a few tangible ideas to help you share all your successes in ways that will get your organization's efforts noticed.

Whether you've already been the recipient of a Nantahala Health Foundation grant or are considering seeking a partnership in the future, now is the time to build your success portfolio. A strong showing of past successes is guaranteed to make a positive impression on future supporters.

The American Red Cross received $10,000 from Nantahala Health Foundation to provide free COVID-19 antibody testing of all blood, platelet, and plasma donations made at regional blood drives and donation centers. In their original application, they stated they would provide at least 8,500 COVID-19 antibody tests from June 15, 2020, to October 15, 2020, as the antibody testing program was at that point set to expire on October 15.

However, thanks to generous support from donors, including Nantahala Health Foundation, they were able to extend the program through June 30, 2021. Based on the amount of blood they collected in the same time period last year, they now estimate they will collect and test approximately 17,000 units of blood for COVID-19 antibodies in their WNC Chapter from October 2020 to June 2021.

"By offering these antibody tests to our blood donors, we are providing the Western North Carolina community with valuable public health information," an American Red Cross spokesman said. "On behalf of those that we serve, thank you, NHF, for your generous support of this critical program."

Grace Place, A Community Table purchased a 10-foot x 10-foot walk-in freezer unit in October 2020. Delivery of the unit was in mid-November and installation took place the first week of December 2020.

"The unit is installed, fully functioning, and in use," said Michelle Shiplet, Grace Place executive director (pictured) ."The unit is being used to store food used in the preparation of meals for Graham County citizens who are facing food insecurity.

"The purchase of the unit has allowed us to take advantage of bulk purchasing pricing, saving on our expenses," she continued. "We received additional funding from other sources (leveraged funds), which allowed us to also purchase a three-door reach-in cooler for storage."

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.