Our Mission
At Gateway Wellness Foundation, our mission is centered in the health and wellbeing of our Western North Carolina community. Through intentional partnerships and collaborations, Gateway Wellness improves and supports quality of life in WNC by promoting wellness opportunities among organizations for people we serve regionally.
About Us
Established in 2019, Gateway Wellness Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, philanthropic organization serving Burke, McDowell, Polk, and Rutherford Counties, NC.
Our purpose is to improve the social determinants of health throughout our service area.
Through strategic collaborations with our fellow nonprofits, local education systems, community organizations, local government, caring donors, and other stakeholders, we aspire to make tangible change for all we serve.
Gateway staff and board continually seek to assess and address the health, wellness, and quality of life issues in the counties we serve. With an ear turned towards community concerns, we strive to understand the unique challenges our residents face as they seek access to healthy living. Local organizations that are committed to addressing the social determinants of health in this region are always invited to reach out to the Foundation. The Board of Directors look to local nonprofits as the experts on the needs of our community.
Gateway Programs
Gateway’s Home Repair Partnership provides urgently needed home repairs for our low-income, elderly, and disabled neighbors in McDowell County.
Gateway Housing strives to make the dream of homeownership a reality for members of our local workforce.
Gateway enacts a grant cycle every year, inviting applications from nonprofit organizations throughout our service area.
Our goal is simple: support efforts that provide lasting, positive impacts on the lives of our neighbors. We invest in organizations and initiatives that offer constructive and measurable solutions for improving the social determinants of health. Gateway prioritizes strategic investments in the areas of Housing, Education, Childhood Development, Food Insecurity, and Access to Healthcare.
Our Board of Directors
The goal of Gateway’s Board of Directors is that it be representative of our four-county area. We believe that when a nonprofit’s board reflects the diversity of the community served, the organization will be better able to access resources in the community through connections with collaborative partners and policy makers. A diverse board will improve our ability to respond to external influences that are changing the environment for those we serve, and when we are facing a major decision, diverse perspectives on are better qualified to identify the full range of opportunities and risks.
While Gateway has made significant progress diversifying its board, this is not something that will ever be complete or finished. As Gateway continues to define its focus areas, Board members will be added that have professional backgrounds and life experiences that are associated with those focus areas. The net result will be a Foundation that, like the region it serves, is in a constant state of growth, evolution, and responsiveness to the ecosystem in which it exists.
