Catawba Nation Foundation

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We're excited to share the latest edition of Impact in Action, the Catawba Nation Foundation's quarterly newsletter!This...
10/14/2026

We're excited to share the latest edition of Impact in Action, the Catawba Nation Foundation's quarterly newsletter!

This issue highlights the people, partnerships and programs making a difference in communities across North Carolina. Inside this edition:
- A message from Executive Director Kristine Locklear Urrutia, reflecting on visits with nearly 40 grant partners.
- A look at how Shepherd's Table and Jireh Food Ministry are working together to address food insecurity in Cleveland County.
- Honoring Orange Shirt Day and remembering the story of Wade Ayers.
- Celebrating community connections, nonprofit partnerships and the organizations creating meaningful impact.

From supporting Native communities and preserving cultural heritage to strengthening local nonprofits, we're proud to share the work happening through our grant partners.

đź“– Read the full newsletter: https://flipbook.so/flip/Q1Y4L8FhDDkmkFvsZGNm

Thank you to our grant partners, community leaders and supporters who help make this work possible!

Today, we recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a day to honor the history, cultures, traditions and contributions of Indig...
10/12/2026

Today, we recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a day to honor the history, cultures, traditions and contributions of Indigenous peoples and communities.

For the Catawba Nation Foundation, this day also reflects the importance of investing in Native communities today and for generations to come. Through our grantmaking, we are proud to support organizations and initiatives that strengthen Native communities, preserve culture, create opportunities and help traditions continue to thrive.

Today and every day, we celebrate the strength, resilience and rich heritage of Indigenous peoples across North Carolina and beyond.

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! 🧡

World Teachers’ Day | Celebrating Education 🍎📚On World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the teachers and educators who help s...
10/06/2026

World Teachers’ Day | Celebrating Education 🍎📚

On World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the teachers and educators who help students learn, grow and discover what is possible.

Education is one of the Catawba Nation Foundation’s four focus areas, and that investment takes many forms. Among the many Catawba Nation Foundation grant partners whose work touches education, two examples show just how different those opportunities can look.

In Cleveland County, the Cleveland County Schools Educational Foundation recognizes academic achievement and helps graduating seniors continue their education through its scholarship program. Each year, the program awards scholarships to approximately 175 to 200 students, celebrating their accomplishments and helping them take the next step in their education.

The North Carolina Native American Youth Organization (NCNAYO) creates educational and leadership opportunities for Native youth. With support from Catawba Nation Foundation, its Annual Conference brings together American Indian youth from across North Carolina for experiences centered on cultural identity, leadership development and college readiness.

These are just two of the many Catawba Nation Foundation grant partners helping create educational opportunities through scholarships, youth development, cultural learning, access to resources and programs that help young people thrive.

On World Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the educators in our classrooms and the many people and organizations working alongside them to invest in the next generation.

Join us in thanking the educators and organizations helping students learn, grow and thrive. ❤️

🧡 Every Child Matters.On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also recognized as Orange Shirt Day, we remember...
10/06/2026

🧡 Every Child Matters.

On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also recognized as Orange Shirt Day, we remember the Indigenous children who were taken from their families and communities and sent to boarding schools designed to separate them from their cultures, languages and identities.

For the Catawba people, that history includes Wade Ayers.

Wade was a 13-year-old Catawba boy when he was sent to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania in 1903. Just months later, on January 18, 1904, Wade died. His family was not notified of his illness or given the opportunity to bring him home. He was buried in the school cemetery, and more than a century later, his final resting place remains unknown.

Wade was not alone. At least 12 Catawba children are known to have attended Carlisle between 1893 and 1916. Today, a monument at the Catawba Cultural Center honors Wade and the other young people who were taken to boarding schools and forced to abandon their culture and heritage.

For Tolani Franks, Catawba citizen and Program Officer for the Catawba Nation Foundation, this history is also part of her own family story.

“As a Catawba citizen, Orange Shirt Day reminds me that the history of boarding schools is not distant. My great-great-grandparents met while attending the Carlisle Indian boarding school, making this part of my family's story as well. Today, I remember the children who never came home, honor the survivors and their families, and celebrate the resilience of Native peoples who continue to carry our cultures and traditions forward.”
— Tolani Franks

On Orange Shirt Day, we honor Wade and the children who never came home. We honor the survivors, their families and generations forever changed by the boarding school experience.

And we honor the resilience of Native peoples who continue to preserve their cultures, traditions and stories—and ensure this history is never forgotten.

🧡 Every Child Matters.

This is your final reminder to complete and submit your application.A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated i...
09/30/2026

This is your final reminder to complete and submit your application.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in our Information Sessions, joined us for Tuesdays with Tina, asked questions, shared your ideas, and took the time to complete the application process.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to connect with communities across North Carolina.

If you haven’t submitted your application yet, now is the time!

Complete your application and submit by 6:00 PM.

Thank you for being part of this process and for the work you’re doing to strengthen your communities.

The deadline is almost here! If you’ve started your application, now is the time to finish it and make sure everything i...
09/28/2026

The deadline is almost here! If you’ve started your application, now is the time to finish it and make sure everything is submitted.

Tomorrow, Sept. 29, is our final Tuesdays with Tina session, giving applicants one last opportunity to ask questions, get support, and make sure they’re on the right track before the deadline.

Don’t wait until the last minute!
Finish your application and submit it by Sept. 30.

Complete your application at CatawbaNationFoundation.org.

🧡 September is Hunger Action Month, a time to raise awareness about food insecurity and recognize the organizations and ...
09/22/2026

🧡 September is Hunger Action Month, a time to raise awareness about food insecurity and recognize the organizations and individuals working to make sure our neighbors have access to the food and resources they need.

Here in Cleveland County, that work is taking on a new collaborative approach.

Recently, the Catawba Nation Foundation had the opportunity to tour the future site of a new community food mart ministry with Dr. M. Lamont Littlejohn Jr., Servant Pastor/Teacher of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church; Paula Alexander, Executive Pastor of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church; and the Rev. Anita Ware of Episcopal Church of the Redeemer’s Shepherd’s Table.

The new collaboration brings together Shepherd’s Table, the food ministry of Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, and Jireh Food Ministry, the food ministry of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church. Located at Mt. Calvary’s Community Life Center in Shelby, the community food mart will serve individuals and families throughout Cleveland County.

But their vision for addressing hunger goes beyond providing groceries. Plans include healthy eating education, children’s activities and literacy resources, along with a market garden and greenhouse where children can learn about growing their own food and making healthy choices.

“How do we come together as community, true community for community?” asked Dr. M. Lamont Littlejohn Jr., Servant Pastor/Teacher of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, while sharing the vision for the campus.

That question captures the spirit of Hunger Action Month and the kind of collaboration the Catawba Nation Foundation is proud to support. Addressing food insecurity takes more than one organization. It takes churches, nonprofits, funders and community partners bringing their resources and strengths together to create greater impact.

We’re excited to see Shepherd’s Table and Jireh Food Ministry come together around a shared vision for food, education, health and community, and what that collaboration can mean for families throughout Cleveland County.

The 2026 NC Tribes & Native-Serving Organizations Grant Cycle are still open! We look forward to supporting projects tha...
09/18/2026

The 2026 NC Tribes & Native-Serving Organizations Grant Cycle are still open! We look forward to supporting projects that strengthen Native communities across North Carolina.

Start or complete your application at CatawbaNationFoundation.org.

Creativity, culture and community came together in Charlotte!Catawba Nation Foundation was proud to sponsor and attend A...
09/17/2026

Creativity, culture and community came together in Charlotte!

Catawba Nation Foundation was proud to sponsor and attend ArtPop Street Gallery’s 6th Annual Upcycled Fashion Show & Community Arts Fundraiser at Blumenthal Arts’ Blume Studios.

The evening was a vibrant celebration of creativity and sustainability, featuring incredible work from talented artists and designers—including Indigenous designers Virgil Ortiz (Pueblo) and Teresa Dunlap (Catawba).

We were especially glad to share the ArtPop Street Gallery evening with Catawba Nation Foundation's Board Members Brooke Richey, Lacey Edwards and John Searby, along with John’s wife, as well as Catawba Nation Foundation's Tanya Varanelli and her daughter.

Supporting opportunities that elevate creativity, celebrate Indigenous talent and strengthen communities aligns closely with the work we value at Catawba Nation Foundation. Congratulations to ArtPop Street Gallery on another inspiring event!

We were delighted to spend Saturday evening supporting the Kings Mountain Historical Museum at its 23rd Annual Fundrais...
09/16/2026

We were delighted to spend Saturday evening supporting the Kings Mountain Historical Museum at its 23rd Annual Fundraiser!

Members of the Catawba Nation Foundation team enjoyed coming together with community members to celebrate the Museum and its important work preserving and sharing the history of Kings Mountain and the surrounding community.

We’re grateful for organizations like the Kings Mountain Historical Museum that help keep local history alive and create opportunities for future generations to learn from the stories of the past.

Congratulations on another wonderful annual fundraiser, and thank you for a great evening!

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Shelby, NC
28150

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