Last Updated on July 14, 2025 12:48 pm
RALEIGH, N.C. – SECU Foundation has announced a $1.5 million challenge grant for Western Youth Network (WYN) to assist with the construction of a new youth resource center to serve residents in the five-county High Country region of North Carolina. The addition will allow the non-profit to expand their continuum of care for students from kindergarten through twelfth grade and help create an ideal setting for academic, social, physical, and behavioral health services.
WYN has been serving youth in the region through prevention and intervention programs since its establishment in 1985. WYN is the only center for youth programs in Watauga County and provides intentional outreach to underserved children and families through mentorship, after school care, summer camps, and substance abuse prevention, with a focus on serving children overcoming trauma and adversity.
“Western Youth Network has been an integral part of the community, serving the young people of the High Country for 40 years,” said SECU Foundation Board Chair Chris Ayers. “We are pleased to support their important work by providing funds for an expansion that will enhance their ability to meet an ever-growing need for their services.”
“We are incredibly grateful to the SECU Foundation for their transformational grant in support of WYN's future youth center,” said Western Youth Network Executive Director Jennifer Warren. “This gift brings us closer to a new facility and all of the benefits that will provide for children and families in the NC High Country. Together, we are building brighter futures!”
Receiving the check are WYN Executive Director Jennifer Warren (fifth from left) and WYN Board member Cindy Wallace (fifth from right), surrounded by SECU, SECU Foundation, and WYN staff.
