In The News

RHI Legacy Foundation Awards 2021 Grants

September 30, 2021
For Immediate Release
Contact:  Jill Miracle, (828) 202-4630

RHI Legacy Foundation recently completed their 2021 grant year, contributing $1,064,831 to non-profit organizations and municipalities to assist health-related programs and projects in Rutherford County. The Foundation typically completes one grant cycle each year, but additional funds were made available in the Spring of 2021 to address additional needs experienced by local food pantries and soup kitchens.  

Beth Miller, chairman of the RHI Legacy Foundation Board, related, “It was a pleasure to complete our eighth grant cycle in 2021.  We reviewed several excellent projects this year and we were pleased to be able to make investments in both significant capital projects as well as those which provide services to meet the needs of Rutherford County residents.  Many of the projects funded afforded the Foundation the opportunity to partner with other regional grant makers in a collaborative effort to further our mutual vision of improving the quality of life in our county.”  

In the regular grant cycle, the Foundation approved commitments for 30 initiatives in three focus areas, totaling $1,025,581.  All three focus areas align with the Community Health Assessment and the Community Health Improvement Plan, a review of the factors impacting health for Rutherford County residents.

• Active Living – 8 grants totaling $255,000
• Chronic Disease – 8 grants totaling $443,000
• Healthy Eating – 14 grants totaling $327,581

Each grantee provides regular reports to the Foundation outlining the health impact that the grant accomplished. 

Additional requests were provided to the Rutherford Regional Auxiliary for review and funding.  Funds from the Auxiliary were raised through past fundraising efforts at the hospital. The Auxiliary approved three grants for:

• Rutherford Housing Partnership – $42,000 for home repairs provided by volunteers during the summer of 2021
• Green River Baptist Association – $6,000 for their food ministry
• Chase Corner Ministries for facility upgrades with an amount to be determined and announced soon

Jill Miracle, community impact director for the Foundation, remarked, “We believe that partnerships and relationships are keys to identifying and resolving issues that affect our county. In addition to offering grant funding, we keep communication open with our current and potential grantees.  By doing so, we learn more about community needs and seek other ways that we can respond to those. One such example is a $7,750 grant made earlier this year to Rutherford County’s N.C. Cooperative Extension to provide emergency cooking equipment and food storage for families living temporarily in motels without kitchen facilities.”

Miracle continued, “We were pleased to note that our county has improved in state health rankings over the years.   When we began operations in 2014, our county ranked 75th of 100 counties in North Carolina.   Today, Rutherford County ranks at 68thin the state.   While we have a long way to go, we are pleased to see this upward movement in the county’s length of life and quality of life, reflected in improved health outcomes and health behaviors. We know that agencies who have received grant funding over the years have contributed greatly to this improvement.”  https://www.countyhealthrankings.org

Terry Hines, executive director of the foundation stated, “RHI Legacy Foundation remains committed to providing financial assistance to local organizations addressing health and wellness in our county.” 

Since their establishment in 2015, RHI Legacy Foundation has allocated over $12,832,000 to non-profit entities and municipalities to create or expand health-related services, to meet the basic needs of county residents, and to provide additional avenues for outdoor and recreational activity. 

Please visit the RHI Legacy Foundation website or Facebook page to learn more. Contact Jill Miracle at (828) 202-4630 with questions about their grant-making process.

RHI Legacy Foundation recently completed their 2021 grant year, contributing $1,064,831 to non-profit organizations and municipalities to assist health-related programs and projects in Rutherford County. The Foundation typically completes one grant cycle each year, but additional funds were made available in the Spring of 2021 to address additional needs experienced by local food pantries and soup kitchens.  

Beth Miller, chairman of the RHI Legacy Foundation Board, related, “It was a pleasure to complete our eighth grant cycle in 2021.  We reviewed several excellent projects this year and we were pleased to be able to make investments in both significant capital projects as well as those which provide services to meet the needs of Rutherford County residents.  Many of the projects funded afforded the Foundation the opportunity to partner with other regional grant makers in a collaborative effort to further our mutual vision of improving the quality of life in our county.”  

In the regular grant cycle, the Foundation approved commitments for 30 initiatives in three focus areas, totaling $1,025,581.  All three focus areas align with the Community Health Assessment and the Community Health Improvement Plan, a review of the factors impacting health for Rutherford County residents.

• Active Living – 8 grants totaling $255,000
• Chronic Disease – 8 grants totaling $443,000
• Healthy Eating – 14 grants totaling $327,581

Each grantee provides regular reports to the Foundation outlining the health impact that the grant accomplished. 

Additional requests were provided to the Rutherford Regional Auxiliary for review and funding.  Funds from the Auxiliary were raised through past fundraising efforts at the hospital. The Auxiliary approved three grants for:

• Rutherford Housing Partnership – $42,000 for home repairs provided by volunteers during the summer of 2021
• Green River Baptist Association – $6,000 for their food ministry
• Chase Corner Ministries for facility upgrades with an amount to be determined and announced soon

Jill Miracle, community impact director for the Foundation, remarked, “We believe that partnerships and relationships are keys to identifying and resolving issues that affect our county. In addition to offering grant funding, we keep communication open with our current and potential grantees.  By doing so, we learn more about community needs and seek other ways that we can respond to those. One such example is a $7,750 grant made earlier this year to Rutherford County’s N.C. Cooperative Extension to provide emergency cooking equipment and food storage for families living temporarily in motels without kitchen facilities.”

Miracle continued, “We were pleased to note that our county has improved in state health rankings over the years.   When we began operations in 2014, our county ranked 75th of 100 counties in North Carolina.   Today, Rutherford County ranks at 68thin the state.   While we have a long way to go, we are pleased to see this upward movement in the county’s length of life and quality of life, reflected in improved health outcomes and health behaviors. We know that agencies who have received grant funding over the years have contributed greatly to this improvement.”  https://www.countyhealthrankings.org

Terry Hines, executive director of the foundation stated, “RHI Legacy Foundation remains committed to providing financial assistance to local organizations addressing health and wellness in our county.” 

Since their establishment in 2015, RHI Legacy Foundation has allocated over $12,832,000 to non-profit entities and municipalities to create or expand health-related services, to meet the basic needs of county residents, and to provide additional avenues for outdoor and recreational activity. 

Please visit the RHI Legacy Foundation website or Facebook page to learn more. Contact Jill Miracle at (828) 202-4630 with questions about their grant-making process.

2021 Grant Awards

Active Living – $255,000

• Conserving Carolina – To extend Young’s Mountain Trail and expand parking – $46,400
• Foothills Regional Commission – To continue Safe Routes to Schools operations – $15,000
• Forrest Hunt Elementary School – To maintain and expand fitness programs – $10,000
• Rutherford Outdoor Coalition – To offer and promote outdoor activities – $24,000
• Safe Kids of Rutherford County – To provide helmets, passenger safety, and student programs – $9,000
• South Mountain Christian Camp – To provide camp scholarships – $17,600
• Town of Rutherfordton – To renovate 2^nd Street Park – $125,000
• Trinity Christian School – For summer camp promoting health behaviors – $8,000

Chronic Disease – $443,000

• Blue Ridge Hope – For mental health counseling – $35,000
• Chase Corner Ministries – Emergency medication assistance – $20,000
• Rutherford County Transit – Transportation to appointments and food providers – $25,000
• Rutherford County Library System – Book Mobile with health emphasis – $50,000
• KidSenses – Construction for The Factory and Discovery Garden, Phase 3 – Challenge Grant – $250,000
• Pisgah Legal Services – Health Justice programming – $30,000
• United Way of Rutherford County – NC 2-1-1 staffing and promotion – $13,000
• Yokefellow Service Center – Emergency medication assistance – $20,000

Healthy Eating – $327,581

• Basics Christian Ministries – For cargo van and operating funds – $35,000
• Chase Corner Ministries – For facility upgrades – $8,975
• Community Health Council of Rutherford County – To connect people in poverty with resources – $40,787
• Grahamtown Team – For community and personal gardening – $9,500
• Lake Lure Classical Academy – Student breakfast equipment – $5,000
• Liberty Baptist Food Ministry – Thanksgiving boxes for seniors – $3,500
• NC Cooperative Extension – EFNEP – Nutrition program for low-income families – $24,819
• Rutherford County BARN – Programs and operations for the Farmer’s Market – $25,000
• Rutherford County Schools Education Foundation – Backpack supplies – $25,000
• Rutherford County Schools Education Foundation – Backpack Program Coordinator – $45,000
• Rutherford County Senior Center – Home Delivered Meals – $50,000
• Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy – Backpack supplies – $3,900
• Town of Rutherfordton – Ruff-ton Roots master plan and equipment – $30,000
• Washburn Community Outreach Center – Operating support – $21,100

Total Awards in the 2021 Grant Cycle – $1,025,581