General news about Mountain Projects
By Vicki Hyatt, the Mountaineer
Thanks to a $1 million grant from Dogwood Health Trust, those without health insurance due to the Pactiv Evergreen mill closure have some stop-gap answers.
With the company insurance coverage paid for by Pactiv Evergreen through July 31 for workers who sign up under COBRA, those unable to find another job immediately or who have to wait until they are eligible for insurance at their new job can receive up to $500 per family member to defray the policy cost.
To read more, follow the following link: https://www.themountaineer.com/news/dislocated-workers-can-get-500-per-family-member-to-help-with-insurance/article_dbe218b0-0e1b-11ee-aa52-efcefe339c57.html
Brenda and James Porcello live in Charlotte, but have family in Waynesville. James had a recent medical crisis, and despite a clean health history it became obvious he needed a liver transplant, fast. His life was in danger. Unfortunately, the Porcello’s insurance policy was unacceptable to the hospital that would perform the transplant.
Jacquie Buttles knew just who to call. She’s an Insurance Analyst for the state of North Carolina, and she had become involved in the case.
“Jan Plummer at Mountain Projects and I have been program partners for a decade,” Jacquie said. “I thought we should talk this case through to see what options were available for this patient.”
With their many years of combined experience, the two knew both client processes and large agency needs, and they put their heads together to carve out a complicated path forward. It worked: in September, James had a liver transplant at one of the few hospitals in North Carolina that does such procedures, and he came through with flying colors.
The insurance Jan and Jacquie arranged covered the costs of surgery, medications and recovery, and James’s strong family support system was ready to help him fight for his life.
Jan and Jacquie know the intricacies of health insurance, and sometimes they have the opportunity to help save a life. “This story makes my heart sing,” says Jan, “we counselors know this work is important, but don’t always have such an amazing story to tell.”
Release date: December 3, 2022
Holiday Campaign to Replenish the Emergency Fund
WAYNESVILLE AND SYLVA – Through December, Mountain Projects is requesting community support to replenish its Emergency Fund. This fund assists vulnerable households with serious challenges like avoiding utility shut-off, making unexpected vehicle repairs and emergency shelter. The Emergency Fund is dedicated to supporting low-income households in Haywood and Jackson County who are ineligible for grant-funded programs.
Executive Director Patsy Davis encourages the community to chip-in to protect our region’s most vulnerable. “Every contribution, every act of generosity is a blessing to a person in need,” she says. Mountain Projects receives an average of ten emergency requests per week. Davis said, “This week, we had a request from a family living out of their car. With emergency funds we were able to provide temporary housing while we find a longer term solution for their situation. The community helps us solve serious problems when they make donations.”
Founded in 1965, Mountain Projects was chartered as part of President Linden Johnson’s War on Poverty and currently serves more than 12,000 people each year. Ninety-seven percent of clients served by Mountain Projects are the working poor, disabled, elderly or handicapped. The organization employs 140 staff members and maintains offices in Sylva and Waynesville
As a Community Action Agency, Mountain Projects supports and implements programs designed to improve social, economic, educational, health, emotional and environmental aspects of life for families and individuals in the western mountain region. Those initiatives range from Head Start and food assistance to a variety of programs for senior citizens, and from public transportation to housing rehabilitation.
For information and stories about Mountain Projects’ work in Haywood and Jackson Counties, visit MountainProjects.org and Mountain Projects’ Facebook page.
To donate, visit MountainProjects.org, call 828-452-1447 or send a contribution by mail to Mountain Projects, 2177 Asheville Road, Waynesville NC 28786.
Release date: 11/17/2022
Phone: (828) 452-1447
HAYWOOD COUNTY – Mountain Projects and Waynesville Rotary Club paired for many years to coordinate a popular Christmas holiday blanket drive.
Then, In 2021, Mountain Projects Executive Director, Patsy Davis contacted Bill Allsbrook of Waynesville Rotary and asked if their blanket drive could be moved to early November due to the rising heating and utility costs. Mountain Projects was already taking calls for assistance and were anticipating more.
To meet the need quickly, the two contacted seven Haywood County Service Clubs: Altrusa, Kiwanis, two Lions Clubs and three Rotary Clubs, who enthusiastically signed on to help. Then, as word got out in the community, the general public contributed and the effort brought in over 300 blankets and significant cash donations to help local families with heating and utility bills.
The Annual Haywood County Blanket Drive has evolved out of this success and in addition to ongoing Service Club efforts, all Haywood County residents are invited to participate. “We hope the community will join in. With the temperatures starting to dip and a 28% projected increase in heating and utility costs, we will need more blankets,” says Allsbrook.
“With increasing costs of basic needs, like groceries, particularly for ‘fixed-income’ seniors, we appreciate the help,” says Executive Director Patsy Davis, “Many senior households can’t afford their heating bills and Head Start families also need a helping hand.” The Blanket Drive and Winter Warmth campaign will be a significant component of Mountain Projects’ winter relief efforts.
New blankets can be dropped off at the Mountain Projects Office, 2177 Asheville Road, Waynesville (the old public health building roughly across the street from Junaluska Middle School) or online purchases can be shipped directly to the agency through December 23, 2022.
Mountain Projects
“Blanket Drive”
2177 Asheville Road
Waynesville, North Carolina 28786
Financial contributions towards winter heating bills can be made online at MountainProjects.org/giving or checks can be sent by mail. Please annotate checks with “Winter Warmth.”
PUBLIC NOTICE: Beginning Sept. 6, 2022, Mountain Projects, Inc., of Haywood County will begin taking applications for rental assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8 Program funded through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Online applications are now accepted. Households are encouraged to apply online by visiting: HTTPS://WWW.WAITLISTCHECK.COM/NC3130
Households that are unable to complete an online application may schedule an appointment by calling Mark Carden at 828-492-4103 or Samantha Ramsey at 828-492-4114 ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 6, 2022.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, or national origin.
Mountain Projects Executive Director Patsy Powell Davis was named President of the North Carolina Community Action Association Board of Directors on Friday, May 13, at the organization’s annual conference, held this year in Cherokee.
The North Carolina Community Action Association is an anti-poverty member organization that advocates on behalf of the needs of vulnerable families through its statewide network of 34 community action agencies (CAAs) serving all 100 counties. Member organizations work together to break cycles of poverty and to strengthen low-income families and communities.
Mountain Projects and the NCCAA were both formed in 1965, and have a long history of collaboration.
“I am profoundly honored to lead the NCCAA board for the next two years and to be joined by such a stellar group of advocates for North Carolina’s most vulnerable populations,” said Davis. “This board has very clear objectives. Like our predecessors, our goal is to continue to uphold the community action network’s high standards of enriching lives purposefully and intentionally through the collective work that we do.”
Community Action Agencies equip low-income citizens with the tools and potential for becoming self-sufficient. The structure of programming is unique: federal grant dollars are used locally to offer specialized programming in communities. It is a coordinated effort to address the root effects of poverty and, ultimately, to move families and individuals to self-sufficiency.
“NCCAA exists to uplift our state’s most vulnerable families,” said Executive Director Sharon C. Goodson. “We welcome these new board members, whose passions are deeply rooted in our statewide network’s anti-poverty mission of empowering low-income people to help themselves and each other while growing strong communities for all. These dedicated advocates and inspiring leaders will guide this work in both rural and urban communities in all 100 of our state’s counties.”
The following individuals were sworn into leadership at the NCCAA Conference in Cherokee and represent agencies throughout the State of North Carolina.
Mountain Projects Community Action Agency has received a $30,000 investment grant from Nantahala Health Foundation to increase home safety for underserved populations in Jackson County.
Grant investment funds from the Foundation will be used for Housing Rehabilitation projects in Jackson County. “We have a long waiting list for these services, and it will feel good to give these people some relief,” says Mountain Projects Rehabilitation and Weatherization Program Manager, Vivian Bumgarner.
The Weatherization and Rehabilitation program manages urgent repairs for low income homeowners. Oftentimes, clients need accessibility modifications to their homes and other urgent repairs to prevent imminent displacement. Accessibility projects include ramp building and making bathrooms safe and usable, while other projects might include replacement of doors and windows or other weatherization measures that keep the household warm and reduce costly heating bills.
“These funds are essential in our effort to support the wellbeing of underserved households in Jackson County and will assist with the independence and self-sufficiency of local seniors,” says Mountain Projects Executive Director Patsy Davis. “This project would not have been possible without this support from Nantahala Health Foundation.”
About Mountain Projects
Mountain Projects is a non-profit Community Action Agency founded in 1965. We offer programs and services that improve life in Haywood and Jackson Counties, and our 145 employees serve more than 15,000 people each year. Our programs and partnerships help provide assistance with health and wellness, housing, education, transportation and much more.
We serve seniors, households with economic need, the disabled and individuals and families experiencing emergencies. If we cannot provide needed services, we connect clients to those who can.
For more information about Mountain Projects and how you can support this community effort, please call Patsy Davis at 828-452-1447 or visit our website at www.MountainProjects.org.
About Nantahala Health Foundation
Working as a catalyst for innovation and collaboration, Nantahala Health Foundation seeks to partner with nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies in Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties and the Qualla Boundary to achieve better health and wellness outcomes for all. By working to address the upstream, root causes of health inequities and by removing barriers to positive social determinants of health, NHF’s success is seen best in partnerships with regional change-makers. Since its establishment in 2019, NHF has awarded nearly $3.13 million in support to some 148 programs throughout the region. Visit NHF’s website to join their Healthy Future Movement.
Need help health insurance through the ACA? Counselors will be on hand to answer your questions, including: 1. Can I be denied certain benefits because of preexisting conditions? 2. Will my current health issues affect insurance rates? 3. How much do insurance plans cost? 4. What do insurance plans cover?