Past Grants » General

Gardens for Humanity

Watauga County, NC

During World War II, backyard vegetable gardens, contributed to 40% of the USA's food production. Today more and more people want to remember how to garden due primarily to rising costs of fuel, food and transportation.

A grant of $2,500 from the Clabough Foundation along with a number of private donations, gave Jasmine ShoShanna the opportunity to begin the Gardens for Humanity and Zero Waste project in North Carolina.  Although the gardens produced food, they also provided opportunities to educate people about their environment, where their food comes from and the importance of zero waste.

The financial assistance provided at the start, as well as the community support, made the project possible.  Local Boy Scouts groups assisted with building the community center garden beds; students from Appalachian State University volunteered to maintain the gardens; and a local farmer donated soil.  The gardens are based on the notion that 60 – 90% of waste can be composted and returned to the earth as fertilizer.  Each garden is based in a different area of the county.  The gardening project grew to include schools, neighborhoods and other community organizations.   There are now six gardens in the High Country area.

Hospitality House has welcomed the homeless and those in crisis for the past 26 years, providing shelter, food, supportive counseling, health and employment referrals to its clients. As the only homeless service provider in a seven county area, Hospitality House is committed to helping people rebuild their lives with programs which build a sustainable future.

Hospitality House offers shelter, supportive services, the Bread of Life community soup kitchen and WeCAN – Watauga Crisis Network, a faith based initiative to help neighbors in crisis through financial assistance and/or referrals to other community agencies. Residents sign accountability agreements and staff work with clients in a respectful, compassionate manner to make a difference – one life at a time.

In 2008, when faced with unsurmountable costs to repair and maintain three very old facilities, the Board of Directors voted to move forward with a project that would both expand the agency’s capacity to serve those in need and consolidate the three shelters. Hospitality House leaders set a Combined Campaign goal to raise $3,000,000 over three years in donations from individuals, businesses, civic groups, and supporting congregations plus foundation grants.

After an outpouring of support and generosity, Hospitality House reached its fundraising goal in February 2011 and invited the community to celebrate the dedication of the building. Residents and staff moved in the following month and the new shelter has been at or near capacity every night.

Clabough Foundation grant funded a radio telemetry and tracking bog turtle habitat and population project with Ann Somers/UNC Greensboro and Project Bog Turtle, a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve habitat, and advise state and federal agencies in conservation of the turtles.

Clabough Foundation provided a grant to Blazing Saddles.  This Therapeutic Riding program offers opportunities for youth dealing with the impact of personal and/or family issues that put them “at risk” for engaging in risky behaviors and having low academic achievement.  Blazing Saddles’ instructors design lesson plans integrating horses to encourage these youth to have fun while developing coping skills and goal setting strategies, dealing with anger management, learning appropriate social interaction and building self confidence.