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WNC Bridge Foundation’s Children’s Services Fund provides funding to families for essential medical care and equipment for children suffering from serious medical conditions, such as developmental or neurological disorders. Whether WNC families need assistance purchasing medications or hearing aids, wheelchairs, and other specialized equipment for children, the Children’s Services Fund recognizes that it is imperative to enable children to experience the mobility and freedom that so many of us take for granted every day. 

WNC Bridge is expanding this initiative to programs across WNC, including Exceptional Children Programs in Macon, McDowell, Polk, and Transylvania County School Districts with the hope of increasing services to schools across all 18 Western North Carolina counties.  

In April 2022, WNC Bridge Foundation met with administrators and educators at Polk County Middle  School to identify needs within their Exceptional Children Department (ECD). PCMS currently serves approximately 76 students in their ECD and an additional 35 students in their English as a Second  Language Program. At PCMS, 1 in 5 students requires specialized assistance and instruction to make  meaningful progress in general curriculums and developmental activities. 

According to Morgan Bradley, Development Officer for WNC Bridge Foundation, their goal is to not only  assist the school districts, educators, and students but to ultimately expand awareness of their services,  allowing for them to better serve as a resource to the families of children in these programs, as well as children throughout WNC on an individual, at-home basis. 

“We are extremely excited to partner with WNC Bridge Foundation as a community resource for our  students. Through the generosity of WNC Bridge Foundation, we will be able to provide resources for  our students to enhance their learning and development. … [WNC Bridge’s] generosity will support  teachers throughout Polk County Middle School and will engage and enrich some of our most complex  students with a wide range of abilities and exceptionalities!” says Todd Murphy, Principal, Polk County Middle School 

With many healthcare providers no longer accepting Medicaid nor Medicare to the extent they once were, and with many types of needed medical equipment and supplies not covered by a variety of insurance plans, the need for assistance is significant and growing daily. WNC Bridge understands that many people who call Western North Carolina home either rely on or lack the health coverage needed to fit the bill. In circumstances where private insurance or Medicare are not applicable, WNC Bridge is the Western North  Carolina non-profit with initiatives, such as Children’s Services Fund to bridge the gap for families facing financial hardships while also lacking the essential healthcare equipment and supplies they need.