Founders Fund

2024: Roanoque Baroque

$1,800

Roanoque Baroque was created as a community of instrumentalists and singers who perform musical masterpieces from the Renaissance era to Contemporary periods with an emphasis on music of the 18th century. Established in 2022, they endeavor to include audiences who historically have less access to enjoy performing arts, especially those who are hospitalized, incarcerated, have limited mobility or financial constraints. The Founders Fund donation was presented to Michael Shasberger, Conductor and Founder of Roanoque Baroque.

To learn more, visit www.roanoquebaroque.org

2023: Chris’s Coffee and Custard

$1,820

Chris’s Coffee & Custard is a unique coffee and custard shop that serves a wonderful cup of coffee, a delicious cup of custard or a tasty food item while creating opportunities for gainful and meaningful employment for individuals of all walks of life, focusing on our special needs community.  Many of Chris’s employees are individuals that have special gifts and talents.  Having a job creates pride, dignity, honor, and respect.  Chris’s shop will provide opportunities for young adults with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities to enhance life skills, social skills, and unique job skills. “Our desire is to empower and enhance the lives of these special young adults, while promoting their independence.”

To learn more, visit www.chrisscoffeeandcustard.com

2022: Floyd Center for the Arts

$1,780

The Floyd Center for the Arts’ mission is “to facilitate and showcase artistic endeavors and creativity; to provide education in the arts throughout our rural community and region.” The Floyd Center for the Arts is a community arts center that is located in Floyd, Virginia, just miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway. The center celebrates and facilitates regional arts through classes, exhibits, community receptions and more.

To learn more, visit www.floydartcenter.org

2021: Good Samaritan Hospice

$1,670

The Founders Fund is awarded to Good Samaritan Hospice in memory of Marilyn Elliott.

This gift will support Good Sam’s plans to build the Good Samaritan Center for Caring. The Center will provide hospice inpatient care, serve as a permanent home for home hospice teams, include a community bereavement center, and accommodate administrative offices. Good Samaritan is the only community-based, not-for-profit hospice and palliative care provider serving southwest Virginia. Good Samaritan offers holistic hospice and palliative care, as well as grief support to patients, families, and community members, regardless of ability to pay.

To learn more, visit www.GoodSam.care

2020: CHIP of Roanoke Valley

$1,530

Child Health Investment Partnership (CHIP) of Roanoke Valley is an early childhood home visiting program. CHIP of Roanoke pairs pregnant moms, low-income children, birth to first-grade entry, and their guardians with a Community Health Nurse and Family Case Manager to help them access needed medical services, to assist with the management of chronic conditions and to provide developmental education, kindergarten preparation and regular child assessment and monitoring. These services work to help build parenting confidence and to provide support to families as they set and reach goals moving toward self-sufficiency.

To learn more, visit www.chiprv.org

2019: House of Bread

$1,580

House of Bread is a program for under-resourced women. “In friendship we share tools to help women make a fresh start — tools for restoring confidence, dignity and hope.”

Over the course of a six-week session, women learn job and personal skills through hands-on training, coupled with emotional and spiritual support, while baking and selling bread alongside volunteers from the Roanoke community. In addition to learning basic kitchen and baking skills, women receive ServSafe food handler and/or manager training, develop customer service experience, and partner one-on-one with mentors who work with them to set and meet goals.

To learn more, visit www.houseofbreadroanoke.com

2018: National MS Society – Virginia/West Virginia Chapter

$1,180

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) is a voluntary, non-profit, health organization dedicated to ending the devastating effects of MS by advancing the cure, prevention, and treatment of multiple sclerosis and by improving the lives of affected individuals. When the MS Society was founded by Sylvia Lawry, more than 75 years ago, MS was neglected and poorly understood. What began as one woman’s vision and commitment is now a nationwide organization leading the global charge to create a world free of MS. The National MS Society is bringing the world together to cure MS for every single person — as fast as possible.

To learn more, visit www.nationalmssociety.org