BOONE, N.C. — Kaaren Hayes and Teresa Emory are the recipients of $20,320 in funding from the Blue Ridge Partnership of Children to provide support for families with special-needs children, as well as families who have experienced the death of a child.

Hayes serves as the director and coordinator of Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country (FSN-HC), an affiliate of the Family Support Network of North Carolina sponsored locally by Appalachian State University. Emory is the network’s outreach coordinator for Mitchell and Yancey counties.

According to Hayes, the funding will allow Parent to Parent FSN-HC to develop and implement a plan for providing both information and support to families in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties who have children — from infants to those 5 years of age — with special needs.

She said Parent to Parent FSN-HC will also use the funds to provide support and information to service providers in the High Country, as well as families in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties who have experienced the death of a child age four and under, or an unborn child.

Various Appalachian students will be involved in the project through internships and service-learning opportunities with Parent to Parent FSN-HC.

About Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country

Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country (FSN-HC) provides free support, caring connections, information and hope to families who have a premature baby, a child with a disability, an emotional or behavioral challenge, a mental illness or a chronic health condition, and to families who are grieving the death of a child. The program serves seven counties in Western North Carolina: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey. Parent to Parent FSN-HC provides information and tools to help families see the possibilities for their children and turn that potential into reality. Learn more at https://parent2parent.appstate.edu.

About the Blue Ridge Partnership for Children

The Blue Ridge Partnership for Children, a local office of North Carolina’s Smart Start system, is dedicated to enhancing the lives of young children and supporting their families to ensure a strong foundation for learning. The partnership, which serves Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties, brings together all people involved in a young child’s life. This includes families, teachers, doctors, caregivers, social workers and many others to ensure every child has all they need for healthy growth and development.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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