This is the Fall 2026 issue of Impact in Action, the quarterly newsletter of the Catawba Nation Foundation. It is written for grant partners, community leaders, and anyone interested in the foundation's work across North Carolina, especially in Cleveland County and Catawba Nation communities. The Executive Director's report, titled "The Summer I Turned Amazed," describes visits to nearly 40…
Impact in Action is the quarterly newsletter of the Catawba Nation Foundation. This Fall 2026 issue is written for grant partners, community leaders, and anyone interested in the foundation's work across North Carolina, especially in Cleveland County and Catawba Nation communities. It covers partnerships, programs, and events supported by the foundation.
The Executive Director's report, titled "The Summer I Turned Amazed," describes visits to nearly 40 grant partners. It highlights food pantries, community gardens, youth programs, and efforts to preserve history, culture, rivers, and natural spaces. The report emphasizes collaboration and the people behind the foundation's grants.
A feature on Orange Shirt Day (September 30) remembers Indigenous children who were sent to boarding schools. It tells the story of Wade Ayers, a 13-year-old Catawba boy who died at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in 1904. The piece includes a reflection from Catawba citizen and foundation Program Officer Tolani Franks.
The main featured story covers the collaboration between Shepherd's Table and Jireh Food Ministry to create a community food mart in Shelby. The project includes healthy eating education, children's activities, literacy resources, and a market garden and greenhouse. The foundation highlights this as an example of grantmaking that fosters partnership.
A community spotlight covers the Cleveland County Philanthropic Network's Elevate Together event, with workshops on capacity building and succession planning. The final page mentions the foundation's participation in the Kings Mountain Historical Museum's fundraiser celebrating America's 250th anniversary and Catawba contributions to regional history.