BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. (WLOS) — A Black Mountain children’s home is in the running for a national grant from Chick-fil-A’s Inspiration Grant program.
“We have the opportunity to be able to acquire up to $350,000,” said Jimmy Harmon, president of Black Mountain Home for Children. “And that’s really where we need people to step in and help us with that.”
Supporters can download the Chick-fil-A app on their phone and vote for Black Mountain Home for Children at this link.
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The home currently cares for more than 80 children living at the 200-acre property that has served the community since 1904.
“We have 86 children in care right now,” said Harmon. “That’s through residential care, foster care, and independent living. What we do as a ministry is we just really want our kids to have an opportunity to have a home.”
Harmon estimates that a huge landslide and flooding caused by Helene led to more than $10 million in damage. The slide wiped out cabins, and a youth group doing mission work narrowly escaped the cabins because of an evacuation right before the slide.
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Harmon said the home’s dining hall was destroyed, which was a major central gathering place where events could be held and revenue could be added to help the home.
Longtime Chick-fil-A Asheville franchise owner Larry Meadows is trying to help. He and his wife, Gail Meadows, have already worked to donate thousands to help the home over the past several years, including after Helene.
At Meadows’ Hendersonville Road Chick-fil-A location, there is a sign on the door about Black Mountain Home for Children, hoping to help them get more votes for the national grant.
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“We just felt that we wanted to get on board and recommending them for the Truett Cathy (Chick-fil-A’s founder) grant is something we wanted to do,” said Larry Meadows.
Nationally, 30 nonprofit organizations are competing for the large grant. Many of them will receive smaller grants, which range up to $200,000.
Last year, more than 625,000 votes were cast in the grant contest.
“You can help select a grant winner in the Atlantic coast region and then Black Mountain Home. Because we start with a ‘B,’ we’re right there at the top. It would help us out dramatically because that’s one piece of the algorithm they have to determine the winner are the votes. We would be so grateful,” said Harmon.
