Dogwood Health Trust awarded WNC Communities a three-year grant to build the capacity of our 80+ member communities to address the Social Determinants of Health. Based on our surveys, many of our community centers across Western North Carolina need basic organizational support to continue to run their programs effectively.  Dogwood Health Trust’s support has enabled us to respond to these communities’ specific needs by providing targeted workshops on topics such as volunteer recruitment and retention, board management, financial stewardship, strategic planning, legal compliance, improved communication, and more.  We foster opportunities for community leaders to connect and share best practices on everything from fundraising and renting their facilities to creating youth educational programs and food relief programs at our monthly Coffee Hours.  Our intention is to build a fabric of mutual support among our members to nurture a stronger, more resilient WNC region where “we are in this together.”