NEWS

The Davidson Community Foundation has elected Chris Ahearn as its new board chair. She succeeds Dave Cable, chair since the foundation’s beginning in 2020. Cable will continue to serve on the board.

The foundation also elected Bob Boyd as vice-chair, Ann McCorvey as treasurer and James Waddey as secretary.

Ahearn, one of the foundation’s inaugural board members, is an independent communications professional with 30 years of experience in corporate communications and reputation management. Most recently, she was CEO of Our Towns Habitat for Humanity, providing decent affordable housing in the Lake Norman area. She is on the governance committee of Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region and is a member of Davidson College Presbyterian Church. She and her husband, Jack, live in Davidson.

“Davidson is an amazing community, but there are needs that are not always apparent, and everyday challenges many residents face just to make ends meet,” Ahearn says. “All of us on the Davidson Community Foundation board are eager to work with the community to promote lasting change for our neighbors in need.”

Davidson Community Foundation was established by residents to bolster nonprofits serving the community. By working with local leaders and donors, its goal is to build and distribute funding to address Davidson’s most pressing needs. This citizen-driven initiative is designed to expand local philanthropy and direct it to where it’s most needed.

Launched at the beginning of COVID, the foundation immediately raised nearly $500,000 and distributed $350,000 in grants to nonprofit partners. That support provided critical assistance to 230 families. More recently, it has led community efforts to establish eight permanently affordable housing units in the Parkside Commons on Jetton Street and raised $400,000 toward the planned purchase of the units by Davidson Housing Coalition. It also worked with Davidson Housing Coalition to secure $300,000 in grants from Mecklenburg County to subsidize rents for the units. In June, the foundation awarded a $22,000 grant to the Town of Davidson to assist residents most severely impacted by Mecklenburg County’s new tax assessments. The support will help some 100 residents.

The foundation now is partnering with Habitat for Humanity and the Town of Davidson on a critical home repair program for homeowners in the West Davidson community. This program will help residents stay in their homes and slow displacement from gentrification. The foundation has committed $75,000 for each of the next two years.

About the Davidson Community Foundation
The Davidson Community Foundation’s mission is to enhance the lives of Davidson’s residents, now and for generations to come.

For more information, Contact: Jeri Krentz at her email or by phone at  (or 704-770-1627)