Swannanoa Valley Medical Center awards $50,000 grant to Bounty & Soul

We’re deeply grateful to Swannanoa Valley Medical Center for their generous $50,000 grant supporting the growth and expansion of our mission post-Hurricane Helene. This gift continues a powerful legacy of investment in the resilience and well-being of Swannanoa Valley nonprofits.

In late July, the Swannanoa nonprofit community gathered at Town Corner Coworking to honor the incredible legacy of the Swannanoa Valley Medical Center (SVMC), a grassroots nonprofit that, for over 50 years, has quietly and powerfully shaped the health and well-being of the Swannanoa Valley.

In its final act of service, SVMC distributed $400,000 in grant funding to a dozen local organizations, including Bounty & Soul. This brings its total contributions to Swannanoa nonprofits to an astounding $1.4 million.

“Our consensus was to continue our work by selling the building and giving the money back to the community, as an investment in the Swannanoa Valley,” said Kevin West, former administrator and board chair. “We wanted to use this opportunity as a force multiplier for the other amazing nonprofit organizations that do so much for the people of this valley.”

Bounty & Soul is especially honored to be part of this story. In 2014, our mission was a brand new concept, looking for space. SVMC gave Bounty & Soul a home.

“I was on the vestry at St James when Ali came in with her idea… she needed space,” said Sharon Zeigler. “I then went home and talked to my husband, who was the president at the time… Of all the things we’ve done, this one to me is the one I am most proud of, given how much Bounty & Soul impacts our Valley.”

To Kevin, Sharon, Carl, and every board member past and present, we offer our heartfelt thanks.

“This is the greatest group of people I’ve ever worked with,” West said. “It’s been very fulfilling to me, personally, but I think it will continue to do a lot of good in this community.”

The legacy of SVMC will live on through food shared, health restored, and hearts nourished across the Valley.

Read the full Valley Echo article by Fred McCormick here.