Rye Hosts “Champions for Children Day”

Children’s Charities Outline Funding Needs During Pandemic

Part of our corporate culture at the Rye Foundation is to meet face-to-face with every organization which is being considered for funding support.

To achieve this ambitious goal, we frequently sponsor “Champions for Children Day,” when children’s charities make formal presentations on their mission, funding priorities, and current needs.

Recently, charities from across North Carolina traveled to the Historic Brookstown Inn in downtown Winston-Salem. They came from Hendersonville in the west, from Farmville in the east, and from throughout the Triad. During the informative sessions with Rye leaders, one theme rose to the top of the agenda.

“It was uplifting and encouraging to learn how child-focused charities are responding creatively to the global pandemic,” said Warren Steen, the President of the Rye Foundation. “During these challenging times,” he continued, “nonprofits are showing both creativity and resilience.”

One example is the excellent work of Young Life of Henderson County. Graham Wright spoke to foundation leaders about two brand new initiatives, “Quarantine Breakfast Club” and “Zoom Campaigners.”

According to Steen, the event is especially helpful for Board members, who receive detailed information on trends, programming priorities, and capital projects. Many of the groups are invited to submit formal requests during Rye’s next funding cycle.

Steen expressed his appreciation to all the participants and to Allison Watts, the director of sales at the Historic Brookstown Inn, who helped with planning for the statewide event. Established as the community of Salem’s very first factory in 1837, the renovated Inn is now recognized for its guest rooms and meeting space, all located in close proximity to Old Salem.

Over the years, a total of 124 charitable organizations have made presentations at the “Champions for Children Day” event.