dogwood health trust 2023 annual report

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community
equity

2023 Priorities
  • Equitable Investing for Historically Marginalized Communities
  • Systemic Transformation
  • Culturally Responsive Capacity Building

Equity exists when all people have unconstrained opportunities to live lives of dignity and wellbeing, regardless of place, race, health, wealth, age, identity or ability.

“In our vision, communities are working together for racial equity, respecting each other’s cultures and lived experiences, living without fear, and leading the way in solutions to advance health, economic and educational justice for all.”

– Paula Swepson, executive director, West Marion Community Forum Inc.

Providing quality health care isn’t just about technique, technology and training. It’s also about caring for people within the unique contexts of their cultures and experiences. West Marion Community Forum Inc. worked with BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People of Color) leaders and health care leaders in McDowell County to advance culturally-informed health policies and practices. Listening to the voices of those directly impacted by health inequities is central to their work. They also help health care professionals better understand the ways racism can affect patients’ overall health and wellbeing. Through this initiative, West Marion Community Forum also conducted research, analyzed hospital policies and worked to co-create locally tailored action plans aimed at enhancing the equity of health care systems.

housing

2023 Priorities
  • Community Revitalization
  • Deeply Affordable Housing, Senior Housing and Supportive Housing
  • Workforce Housing through Impact Investments
  • Housing Needs Assessment for Counties/Municipalities

Everyone deserves a stable home. We work with partners on the local, state and federal levels to create more safe shelter, affordable home rentals and home ownership for all.

“We’re grateful to be able to minimize trauma by offering children a safe, comfortable bed while awaiting placement. Dogwood not only provided financial support but also offered valuable guidance, resources and expertise that were instrumental in making a positive difference for those we serve.”

– Delores Hunt, director, Rutherford County DSS

With a pressing need for more licensed foster parents in WNC, foster children are facing placement delays. Many county Departments of Social Services (DSS) are scrambling for support — sometimes opting to place young people in hotels or even resorting to putting sleeping cots in county office spaces to provide temporary shelter.  In 2023, Dogwood made $1.4 million in investments to address this challenge, partnering with government agencies, foundations and nonprofit organizations in Clay, McDowell, Rutherford and Swain counties to create emergency transitional housing. One such home in Rutherford County is now under construction just steps from the county DSS facility, providing a safe, stable and secure place for young people to reside while awaiting permanent placement. The home will also provide young people and families with a safe space for visitation and reunification meetings.

education

2023 Priorities
  • Early Childhood Education
  • K12 Education
  • Post-Secondary Education

Education begins at birth and lasts throughout life. Our partners help unleash potential and opportunity, especially for those living in communities that have experienced disinvestment and disconnection.

“Dogwood helped us remove several barriers we faced for building a diverse workforce pipeline of early childhood educators. As a result, WNCSource is able to provide high-quality care and education to more children and families in our community.”

– Linda Carter, children’s services director, WNCSource

Critical to the success of future generations, Early Childhood Education (ECE) professionals are often referred to as “the workforce behind the workforce.” This vital economic relationship could be compromised unless the persistent ECE labor shortage is addressed. Dogwood was proud to launch a nearly $1 million, five-year partnership with WNCSource last year to recruit, diversify, train, promote and retain ECE professionals within Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Transylvania counties. Recognizing that rebuilding this workforce pipeline is a marathon and not a sprint, this investment helps people of color, first-generation students and those living in rural communities access jobs in the ECE profession and receive training, specialized coaching, improved compensation and career advancement opportunities.

economic
opportunity

2023 Priorities
  • Workforce Development
  • Economic Ecosystems
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Broadband

Access to the financing and business consulting resources needed to start or grow a small business can be transformative for aspiring entrepreneurs. Western North Carolina has a network of nontraditional, mission-aligned small business lenders seeking to make that possible, which helps create economic opportunity and wellbeing for more people.

“Access to the financing and business consulting resources needed to start or grow a small business can be transformative for aspiring entrepreneurs. Western North Carolina has a network of nontraditional, mission-aligned small business lenders seeking to make that possible, which helps create economic opportunity and wellbeing for more people. ”

– Zurilma Anuel, director, Western Women’s Business Center, hosted by CSBDF

Alejandra Soto-Oñate, pictured, owner, Solange Beauty Lounge, LLC

Starting a business is no easy feat. This is especially true for aspiring entrepreneurs who are people of color, from rural areas, or speak languages other than English as their primary language. Dogwood’s partnership with the Carolina Small Business Development Fund (CSBDF) is helping to make business ownership within these communities happen. CSBDF provides below-market interest rate loans to clients who are often the most difficult to reach and in greatest need of educational and technical assistance. With Dogwood’s support, CSBDF added a bilingual staff member to the team to assist Spanish-speaking clients in navigating this process. Through this innovative work, Dogwood is supporting emerging entrepreneurs, enabling them to realize their dreams of starting and growing businesses in Western North Carolina.

health &
wellness

2023 Priorities
  • Accessible Health Ecosystems
  • Equity in the Essentials
  • Health Workforce
  • Substance Use Disorder Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Support

Everyone deserves to be healthy, regardless of their circumstances. We strive to expand access to care, improve care quality and support upstream interventions that improve health outcomes for all people.

“With the increased availability of services and wise coordination, I see our mountain communities being able to effectively combat poverty and trauma, enhancing the probabilities for families to have healthier, more productive and longer lives.”

– Judge Rebecca Eggers-Gryder, district court judge, NC 24th Judicial District

When families are in crisis, every second counts – especially for young children. Dogwood provided a $1 million investment in an evidence-based model in Mitchell and Yancey counties in Judicial District 24 that helps young children involved in the child welfare system transition more quickly from foster care to a safe and permanent home. The Safe Babies Court Team (SBCT) pilot provides professionals to help facilitate family decision-making and enhance communications with the courts, resulting in timely dispositions for children. Teams also connect families and children with services and programs with a focus on healthy child development. This SBCT pilot addresses larger service gaps and systemic barriers for families and is among five other pilots supported by the NC Administrative Office of the Courts, NC Department of Health and Human Services and other philanthropic organizations.

substance
use disorder

2023 Priorities
  • Long-term Support for Recovery
  • Opioid Settlement Planning
  • Substance Use and Prevention Ecosystems

Nearly half of adults in WNC report that their lives have been negatively affected by substance
misuse (by self or someone else). – WNCHN – WNC Healthy Impact Community Health Survey, 2021

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to think strategically and cooperatively to help those living with addiction to again thrive in our communities. Thanks to our partnership with Dogwood, we have access to resources we’ve never had before. ”

– Russ Harris, executive director, Southwestern Commission

As the saying goes, a goal without a plan is just a wish. That’s why Dogwood is committed to helping Western North Carolina collaboratively plan and prepare for an influx of funding from the NC Opioid Settlement, which will ultimately be used to support a range of effective substance use reduction strategies such as substance use disorder treatment, recovery support, harm reduction and other life-saving programs and services. Ensuring productive regional partnerships and a strong infrastructure for recovery is vital to this work. Since 2021, Dogwood has supported opioid planning efforts throughout the entire WNC region within and among municipalities, counties and tribal nations in collaboration with nonprofit and community partners like the Southwestern Commission. In 2023, Dogwood awarded approximately $1.8 million in planning grants to support a third cohort within this initiative to address the substance use crisis in WNC.