Board Members
Florio Abbate
Barry Blake
John Brabson
Ginny Burton
Katherine Church
James Ferguson
Marty Herndon
Bonnie Lowrey Huff
Stan Kirschner
Phil Myers
Barbara Smith
John C.B. Smith
Delbert Williamson
James J. Ward, III
Chairman & Founder
Harold T. Pontius
April 27, 1930 – August 26, 2015
Terry Ward
Board Member
Connect on Facebook
Debate Continues in Avery County about Need for Animal Services Officer; County Commissioners Reject $100,000.00 Donation
I know Mr Ward has nothing but good intentions for this area. He has a huge , giving heart
Thanks for all you do!
Philanthropy at Work: WAMY Community Action
Thanks to a grant partnership between AMYWF and the The High Country Charitable Foundation, Inc., WAMY served over 150 students in their Avery County After-School Program during the 2020-2021 school year. Through this program, WAMY provided a safe and enriching place for children to be after-school and provided these children and families with a variety of educational opportunities each day. WAMY’s after school program assisted students at Newland Elementary, Cranberry/Freedom Trail, and Riverside Elementary, with homework, social skill-building, as well as social enrichment activities. WAMY was also able to partner with the school system to provide a free meal for children each day.
In addition to the daily after-school activities, WAMY met the needs of the children and their families beyond the program. Some of their efforts this past year included delivering food and educational support activities to the families when school was not in session due to COVID, delivering Thanksgiving meals to all of the families this past November, and hosting collaborative family events that connected families with other community agencies. Delivering the food and activity boxes to each of the after-school students was an amazing way for WAMY to stay connected to families during COVID-19. WAMY also provided families with full meal kits, enrichment activities, and do overall ‘well checks’ on children in the program.
Many parents stated in their end-of-year parent survey that without after-school in Avery County, they would have to quit their jobs to be able to supervise their children during after-school hours. Studies show that most juvenile crime and delinquent behavior happens between the hours of 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. After-school programs such as WAMY’s, assist families with childcare while also providing positive role models, healthy meals, and educational opportunities to all children in our care. After-school serves children from many different ethnicities, income levels, and education levels. No matter who the child is and what their family may be struggling with, after-school provides a safe space for children to share their emotions, thoughts, and opinions as well as help them grow their social skills.
AMY Wellness Foundation is grateful to both The High Country Charitable Foundation and WAMY for their support of children in the community.
