2021
COMMUNITY
REPORT
Friends &
Neighbors
I am pleased to share the PATH Foundation’s latest Community Report.
The past year brought many opportunities for collaboration between the foundation, the nonprofits and the governmental agencies in our community, as we continued to face the COVID-19 pandemic and overcome challenges.
Collaboration is a key component of our work at PATH. By building trust, identifying partners and their roles and clearly communicating, together we can adapt to change and create a healthy and caring community.
This community report highlights several of the many PATH Foundation grants awarded to nonprofits in our three-county footprint that rely on working together to solve complex problems. There are many partnerships that were formed during the pandemic, from mobilizing volunteers at COVID-19 testing sites to scheduling vaccine appointments.
Culpeper Baptist Church partnered with the Rappahannock Rapidan Community Services Board to create an adult day care center. Fauquier FISH partnered with the senior center program at Warrenton Community Center to provide supplemental nutrition for their clients. The Piedmont Environmental Council collaborated with the Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County to document local Black experiences and history in Fauquier County. And, the Rappahannock County Public Schools partnered with Valley Health to create the Fit Kids Clinic, a program that provides students with access to telehealth. It’s these collaborations and partnerships that collectively make us stronger and more connected to each other.
We are thankful for the efforts of everyone who worked to support our mission to strengthen the health and vitality of our community. Thank you for reading, and we hope you’ll join us in looking forward to all we can accomplish together.
Christy Connolly
PATH Foundation President and CEO
About
PATH
THE PATH FOUNDATION
is a philanthropic, charitable foundation that supports Fauquier, Rappahannock, and Culpeper counties. Since 2013, we have invested over $60 million in our community. Through grants, programs and partnerships, we help provide resources to our community and the organizations that serve it. We invest in nonprofits and agencies whose goals for wellness and community improvement align with our mission and values.
OUR MISSION
The PATH Foundation strengthens the health and vitality of our community.
OUR CORE FOCUS
Grant recipients must align with one or more of our core focus areas: Access to Health, Childhood Wellness, Mental Health, and Senior Services.
PATH
Resource
Center
The PATH Resource Center began as a partnership with the Charlottesville-based Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE). Since then, it has grown to include the PATH Volunteer Hub, PATH Community Link, community meeting rooms (available for free to area nonprofits), and office space for a variety of local organizations, including Fauquier Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Fauquier.
The PATH Volunteer Hub is home to LetsVolunteer.org, an online platform that connects local nonprofits with community members looking to volunteer their time. Today, more than 5,200 volunteers are registered on the platform. The Volunteer Hub also provides case-by-case assistance and advice on implementing volunteer programs. In addition, the Volunteer Hub spearheads an annual, community-wide day of service: Let’s Volunteer Week.
PATH Community Link is a free, confidential resource that connects community members in need with organizations and services that can provide help. You can call or email for personalized assistance, or search the online database to find services that help with needs ranging from food and transportation to translation, financial assistance, health care, casework, housing and more. Se habla Español.
The Center for Nonprofit Excellence at the PATH Resource Center offers personalized tools, training, consulting, and resources to nonprofits in the PATH Foundation footprint. Intending to strengthen the impact of nonprofits in the community, the PATH Resource Center also offers classes, workshops, access to the Foundation Directory Online, and many more services.
Close to Home:
Companion Care in Rappahannock
Having support can be a critical component of maintaining good health and vitality, especially for those who are affected by health issues or disabilities.
This was the case for Kathy and Fred Eggers. Previously active members of the Rapp@Home board, the couple took a step back after Kathy had a serious stroke.
“I found myself not able to use my arms, hands and legs – I couldn’t walk,” Kathy said. “My husband was faced with doing a lot of the things that I had done, and he couldn’t do it all without being worn out.”
Suddenly, the Eggers were left to find home care options. However, the rural nature of their home in Rappahannock County meant that they, like other residents in isolated areas, had difficulty finding accessible, at-home care.
To help fill in those gaps to accessible care, Rapp@Home developed the Companion Care program. The program hires Certified Nurse Assistants, whose services are then available to both private pay clients and to clients referred by the Department of Social Services (DSS) at no cost.
After a successful pilot year in 2021, Companion Care quickly became one of many programs supporting seniors in the PATH footprint—a group that also includes Hero’s Bridge, Generations Adult Day Center, the Senior Services Collaborative, Aging Together and others.
“It makes me very humble and proud to help seniors in Rappahannock County; it’s rewarding,” said Laury Settle, a CNA who works with the program. “I assisted with companion services, meal preparation, running errands, … [and] medication reminders.
For Kathy and Fred, it’s helped them continue their life on their own terms.
“The program has made our life possible, in a fashion that closely approximates what it was like before I had the stroke,” Kathy said. “They’ve helped me with exercises I do for physical therapy to regain the use of my leg and my arm. ‘Lifesaver’ is a cliche, but this program has made our life possible.”
To learn more or get involved with the Companion Care program, visit www.rappathome.org. Or, if you or someone you know is in need of resources, reach out to PATH Community Link.
Community
Engagement
COVID-19 Response
The PATH Resource Center continues to provide assistance to our community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether it was the Volunteer Hub mobilizing volunteers to help staff COVID test sites, schedule vaccination appointments, support call centers for at-risk community members, Community Link connecting residents in need to helpful resources, or the Resource Center providing meeting spaces to plan these endeavors, we were happy to pitch in and support our community.
Merry and Kind – Holiday Giving
Everyone can use a little kindness. That’s why, in December 2021, the PATH Foundation encouraged random acts of kindness by giving away 400 $20 bills, tucked inside copies of Angela C. Santomero’s “Radical Kindness: The Life-Changing Power of Giving and Receiving.” The holiday surprises encouraged recipients to use the money in an act of kindness for a friend, family member, or another person in the community. In addition, PATH also distributed 400 copies of “Be Kind: 125 Kind Things to Say and Do” by Naomi Shulman. Spreading kindness and joy in the community is always a highlight of the holidays. You can see that kindness in action here:
High School Giving
Our High School Giving program provides each senior high school student in Fauquier, Culpeper and Rappahannock counties with funds to donate to a local nonprofit of their choice. The program aims to show local students the importance of philanthropy and giving, first-hand.
Give Local Piedmont
The PATH Foundation supports Give Local Piedmont with an annual gift towards Northern Piedmont Community Foundation’s day of giving. The funds go towards a bonus pool to match community donations and encourage public support of the event.
Interns/BOB Project
In the summer of 2021, PATH hired 14 interns for the annual Summer Internship Program. Interns spent one day a week at the PATH Foundation, learning leadership development and working on a group project. The other days of the work week were spent at a placement organization serving the community.
Working together, the interns helped plan and publicize the grand opening of BOB’s Place – a permanent home for Books on the Bus, and a StoryWalk™ and reading area at Brumfield Elementary School. Learn more about the project here:
Community Conversations
In 2021, PATH hosted several Community Conversations: virtual events that help spark open dialogues within our community.
2021’s speakers included…
Dr. Bruce Perry, MD, Ph.D.
Dr. Perry talked with FOX5 DC’s Holly Morris about the impact of trauma and adversity and how healing must begin with a shift to asking, “what happened to you?” rather than “what’s wrong with you?” Free copies of “What Happened to You,” the book Dr. Perry co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, were available for residents to pick up before the talk.
Heather C. McGhee
Heather C. McGhee joined moderator John McCarthy to discuss her book, “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together.” She discussed how racism affects everyone in a community, and ways to address it and make communities healthier and safer for everyone. Free copies of the book were available at area libraries and bookstores, where attendees could pick up a copy before the event.
Chris Herren and Jan Brown
Chris Herren, of Herren Wellness, and Jan Brown, of SpiritWorks Inc., joined moderator Randy Rieland for a discussion about the pandemic’s impact on addiction recovery, mental health, and finding support for people affected by those issues.
Grants
Overview
The PATH Foundation offers grant cycles throughout the year to help nonprofits or government agencies better our community. There are three main grant cycles: Flexible Funding, Make it Happen! and Technical Assistance. Flexible Funding grants are offered twice each fiscal year, while Make it Happen! and Technical Assistance grants are accepted on a rolling basis.
Flexible Funding
These grants provide unrestricted general operating support to eligible 501(c)3s. Organizations can apply for up to $75,000 in funding that can be used as needed towards a nonprofit’s mission. Flexible Funding aims to prioritize those most in need, and grants must correlate to one of the PATH Foundation’s four priorities: access to health, childhood wellness, mental health or senior services.
Make it Happen!
Make It Happen! grants foster the can-do attitude of our region and promote creativity. Make it Happen! grants aim to inspire fresh ideas from new voices in the community.
Technical Assistance
Technical Assistance grants help organizations operate more effectively. Funds can be used to offset the cost of a consultant, tool, or training opportunity that will enable a nonprofit to better achieve its mission.
Better Together
Better Together grants supported nonprofit-led events to bring our community together again post-Covid. Grants provided up to $2,500 for nonprofits that planned community-facing events.
List of Grantees
Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County (AAHA)
Aging Together
American Red Cross of Central Virginia
Be the Change Foundation
Boys & Girls Club of Fauquier
Bull Run Mountains Conservancy, Inc.
Capital Caring Health
CASA Children’s Intervention Services, Inc.
Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington
Community Touch
Cornerstone Baptist Church
Culpeper Baptist Child Development Center, Inc.
Culpeper Baptist Church
Culpeper Community Development Corporation
Culpeper County High Schools
Culpeper County Public Schools
Culpeper Wellness Foundation
Culpeper Winter Heat Shelter
Experience Old Town Warrenton
Family Futures
Fauquier Community Child Care, Inc.
Fauquier Community Coalition
Fauquier Community Food Bank & Thrift Store
Fauquier County Government
Fauquier County Public Schools
Fauquier Education Farm
Fauquier Excellence in Education Foundation
Fauquier Family Shelter Services, Inc.
Fauquier FISH
Fauquier Free Clinic
Fauquier Habitat for Humanity
Fauquier Youth Livestock Advisory Council
Fauquier Youth Orchestra
Foothills Forum
Foothills Housing Corporation
Friends of the Fauquier Public Library
Friends of the Rappahannock
Friends of the Rappahannock County Library
George Washington Carver Agricultural Research Center Inc.
Girls on the Run Piedmont
Goose Creek Association
Greenville Elementary School
Headwaters Foundation
Hero’s Bridge
Hope Heals Foundation
Hospice Support of Fauquier County
Kid Pan Alley
Leadership Fauquier
Little Fork Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company
Lord Fairfax Community College Educational Foundation
Mental Health Association of Fauquier County
Minority and Veteran Farmers of the Piedmont
Morgan’s Message, Inc.
New Pathways Tech, Inc.
Next Generation Choices Foundation
Northern Piedmont Community Foundation
Northern Virginia 4-H Educational and Conference Center
Northern Virginia Food Rescue
NOVANT Health UVA Health System
PATH Partnerships for the benefit of Virginia Funders Network
People Helping People
People Incorporated of Virginia
Piedmont Dispute Resolution Center
Piedmont Environmental Council
Piedmont Journalism Foundation
Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic
QuickStart Tennis of Central Virginia
Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center
Rapp Center for Education
Rapp@Home
Rappahannock Benevolent Fund
Rappahannock County Broadband Authority
Rappahannock County Public Schools
Rappahannock Pantry, Inc.
Rappahannock Rapidan Community Services
Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission
Remington United Methodist Church
Rx Drug Access Partnership
Services to Abused Families, Inc.
Spiritual Care Support Ministries
SpiritWorks Foundation
States Newsroom
The Arc of North Central VA
The Bridge Community Church
The Clifton Institute
The Free Clinic of Culpeper
The Plains Community
League (TPCL)
The Salvation Army
Town of Warrenton
Verdun Adventure Bound, Inc.
Virginia College Advising Corps
Virginia Foodshed Capital
Warrenton Youth Sports Club
Windmore Foundation for the Arts, Inc.
Windward Fund
Windy Hill Foundation
Young Life of Fauquier County
Youth For Tomorrow
Grant
Highlights
Piedmont Environmental
Council
Piedmont Environmental Council received $25,000 in Flexible Funding, which supported efforts to improve river access and connectivity, and provided support for water quality monitoring of the Rush River in Rappahannock.
Culpeper Baptist Church: Adult Day Care Center
Culpeper Baptist Church received $75,000 to help fund the Generations Central Adult Day Center. The facility is the first of its kind in Culpeper and will provide daytime care and a variety of activities to seniors. The program is the result of collaboration between Aging Together, Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, PATH, Rappahannock-Rapidan Community Services and other community partners.
Culpeper Wellness Foundation: PATH Recreation and Fitness Center
Culpeper Wellness Foundation received $500,000 to help fund the construction of a new recreation center in Culpeper County. Named the “PATH Recreation and Fitness Center,” the 27,000 square-foot facility opened in 2022 and provides fitness, recreation and amenities to residents of all ages.
Rappahannock Rapidan Community Services – Mental Health Workers
Rappahannock Rapidan Community Services received funding to establish the Embedded Mental Health Worker program. The program was also supported by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation and Culpeper Wellness Foundation. RRCS hired and trained licensed clinicians to accompany sheriff’s deputies and police officers on calls that involve mental health concerns. In addition to responding to calls with officers, clinicians were able to follow up with residents afterward, checking in and connecting them with available services and care.
Services to Abused Families, Inc.
Services to Abused Families, Inc. received $15,000 in Flexible Funding grants to fund its mission to provide shelter, support and advocacy to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Fauquier Community Food Bank and Thrift Store
The Fauquier County Community Food Bank and Thrift Store received $50,000 to support their general operations, providing food to Fauquier County residents in need.
Fauquier Reaches for Excellence in School Health (FRESH)
FRESH is a flagship school wellness program, serving Fauquier County Public Schools. With a focus on promoting fresh and healthy food in cafeterias, adding movement to classrooms, and helping alleviate food insecurity in students, FRESH aims to make healthy habits the norm for both students and their families. In 2021, the program received $714,500 to fund its sixth year.
Rappahannock County Public Schools (RCPS)
RCPS received $25,000 to help fund a Farmers Market for RCPS students, families and staff. The market provides a fun, community-centered way to access fresh and local food.
Fauquier FISH – Senior Supplemental Nutrition
Fauquier FISH received $17,200 to fund their Senior Supplemental Nutrition Program. Beginning with a pilot for 36 seniors in August 2021, the program is a joint effort with the Warrenton Community Center (WCC) to provide senior-friendly groceries to clients in need. Food is delivered monthly, based on their clients’ selections from a program-specific menu.
Fauquier Free Clinic – Telehealth
The Fauquier Free Clinic received $250,000 to fund its telehealth program that provides virtual visits to certified mental health professionals. In 2021, the program provided 1,742 sessions of mental health treatment to 226 patients.
Friends of the Rappahannock
Friends of the Rappahannock received $17,669 to purchase kayaks, paddles, and personal flotation devices. With the new equipment, they provided local students and families with new field experiences, facilitating special and personal connections to the Rappahannock River.
RCPS – Commit to Be Fit
RCPS received $327,000 to fund their school wellness program, Commit to Be Fit. Commit to Be Fit provides innovations in nutrition, movement, and wellness to RCPS classrooms through initiatives like school-grown produce in cafeterias, a Neuronasium, and community fitness classes.
Rappahannock Rapidan Regional Commission – Rural Transportation Collaborative
RRRC received $190,000 to fund the Rural Transportation Collaborative, which works closely with and supports many regional transportation services. These include VolTran, Foothills Area Mobility Service, Rappahannock Rapidan Community Services’ transportation services, Aging Together, and others.
Rappahannock Pantry Inc.
Rappahannock Pantry, Inc. received $50,000 to help fund its general operations, as well as the use and installation of new shelving and a pantry van.
Culpeper Community Development Corporation
Culpeper Community Development Corporation received $100,000 in funding to go towards its mission of assisting those who are homeless or facing eviction.
Rappahannock County Public Schools: Fit Kids Clinic
RCPS received $100,000 to fund the Fit Kids Clinic, a program that provides students with access to telehealth pediatricians five days a week. With this grant, RCPS provided dedicated space for the clinic, and systems to maintain confidentiality and obtain parental permission for visits. The Fit Kids Clinic aims to help parents streamline care, reduce absenteeism rates at schools, and improve overall health and wellness in the student population. The program was also supported by Valley Health.
People Helping People
People Helping People received $80,000 in funding for Emergency Financial Assistance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will help advance their mission of supporting residents who are behind on rent and at risk of eviction, behind on electric or gas bills, or in other difficult situations.
Piedmont Environmental Council and The Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County
PEC and AAHA collaborated to create an online story map of African American experiences and history in Fauquier County. Supported by a $24,976 grant from PATH, the project provides digital access to information about the history and contributions of Fauquier’s African American communities, schools and churches established both before and after the Civil War. The map and more information about the project can be viewed here.
Mental Health Association of Fauquier County – Teen Mental Health First Aid
MHA received $15,000 to provide Teen Mental Health First Aid training to students in Fauquier County. Since 2020, more than 500 students have been certified in the program, which teaches how to recognize the signs of depression and anxiety in teens and help them receive the assistance they need.
Free Clinic of Culpeper
The Free Clinic of Culpeper received $60,000 in funding to support its general operations and the medical care of 400 patients in 2021.
Minority and Veteran Farmers of the Piedmont
MFVP received $47,750 to fund their Cold Storage pilot program. Cold storage will help mitigate waste and food safety concerns in food production on small farms. Together with community partners, MVFP is developing a sustainable, DIY cold storage prototype that local farmers could install on their properties. Ultimately, the project will help create healthy food access in communities across the region.
Virginia College Advising Corps
Virginia College Advising Corps received $158,344 to place college advising counselors in each public high school within the PATH Foundation’s footprint. These counselors work closely with students, providing them with guidance and assistance in life after high school. Their services can include things like assistance with FAFSA, scholarships, college admissions, trade school, and much more.
GRANT SPOTLIGHT
Critical Home Repair and Affordable Housing
In 2021, PATH provided grants for critical home repairs to Fauquier Community Coalition, Foothills Housing, Inc. and the Rappahannock Benevolent Fund. Through their efforts, more than 50 low-income households in the PATH footprint have received home repairs at no cost to the residents. These repairs could be as simple as repairing exterior steps, or as advanced as updating or replacing roofing.
PATH also supported low-cost and affordable housing projects, including Millview Apartments (People Inc.), Ann Wingfield Commons (Culpeper Community Development Corporation) and Haiti Street Revitalization (Fauquier Habitat for Humanity). These programs, and others like them, are working to provide low-income and affordable housing across the PATH Foundation footprint. In 2021, renovations were completed in all 28 units at Millview Apartments and all 32 apartments at Ann Wingfield Commons, where 12 new units were also constructed. Meanwhile, Fauquier Habitat for Humanity acquired five properties on Haiti Street, which are placed in a community land trust to ensure permanently affordable housing in the community.
Financials
FISCAL YEAR 2021
OCTOBER 1, 2020–SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
Giving Allocations and Programming
$11,368,356
TOTAL FISCAL YEAR 2021
Since 2014, we have invested over $60.2M in our communities.
Board of Directors
Betsy Dietel
Chair
Rodger Baker
Marshall D. Doeller
Philip Dudley
Powell Duggan
Legal Counsel
Tim Dunn
Raymond C. Knott
Daphne B. Latimore
Doug Marshall
John W. McCarthy, III
Sallie Morgan
Hanna Lee Rodriguez
Major Warner
Joy Willey
Patricia Woodward
Staff
Alejandro Boza
Christy Connolly
President and CEO
Kirsten Hammer Dueck
Beth Foddrell
Elizabeth B. Henrickson
Andy Johnston
Lynn Lauritzen
Julie Lerudis
Melanie Moline
Susan Necci
Amy Petty
Yesenia Reyes
Kelly-Jo Gilkey Settle
David Shang
Michele Stamper
Margy E. Thomas