For Health Foundation fundraising letter, click here.
                                               For Health Foundation donation card, click here.

 

The Surry County Health Foundation was incorporated and received tax-exempt status in 1986.  It was organized for the purpose of soliciting and receiving contributions which could be used by the Surry County Health and Nutrition Center for enhancing the health of citizens and residents of Surry County.  Since its beginning, the Foundation has made a significant impact on the programs of the Health and Nutrition Center through study grants, equipment, and as an underwriter for program and service development.

The Surry County Health and Nutrition Center is supported in part by local, state and federal funds.  These sources are not adequate to provide for the health needs of citizens of Surry County.  Often, appropriated funds cannot be made available as needs arise.  The Foundation allows for provision of services, which would otherwise not have been possible.  The Foundation is charged with developing and maintaining supplemental funding sources for the delivery of healthcare to the citizens of this county commensurate with unmet needs.  The Foundation is instrumental in supporting or providing services that are not contained in the agency budget of the Health & Nutrition Center.

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors who are appointed by the Surry County Board of Health to serve for three-year teams.  The Foundation Board meets quarterly.  Directors serve without compensation, geographically represent the entire county and come from varied backgrounds.  The work of the Board includes evaluating requests for funds, determining focus areas of the Foundation and planning the annual fund drive.  The Foundation Board supports the recognition of the work of the Health and Nutrition Center through participation in Public Health Month during April.  Support in 2004 was made by assisting with the compilation of an educational packet on childhood obesity, one of the focus areas of the Foundation.  Over 100 packets were distributed to providers, schools, government leaders and recreation agencies.  Other focus areas include community health targeting obesity and chronic disease, and medical assistance.

Each year the Foundation holds an annual fund drive to solicit donations.  This is normally done in late fall of each year.  These donations are tax deductible.  Over the years, the citizens of Surry County have benefited greatly from services and equipment made possible by the Foundation.  Some of these include equipment to begin an Ear, Nose & Throat clinic, colposcopy services, a van for client transport, dental equipment, autoclave, tympanometer and healthy snacks for summer recreation programs.  Funds have been used for medical and prescription assistance, helping families and children that otherwise would not receive needed medical care and treatment.  Most recently, the Foundation supported placement of milk vending machines in the Mount Airy School system and salary support for our Healthy Carolinians Coordinator.

In these times of limited financial resources, the work of the Foundation is tremendously important.  Without the assistance of the Foundation, the Health and Nutrition Center would not be able to provide many of the services currently offered.

Current Health Foundation Members:

Don Matthews, Chair
Sharon Gates, Vice Chair
Polly Long
Fred Folger, Jr.
Pat Woltz
Ginger Keith
Lelo Comer
Brenda Goings
Allen Edwards
Louis Stanfield
Claudia Bryant