KANNAPOLIS — Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and the RCCC Foundation recently celebrated meeting a milestone in fundraising for health-care education as a part of the “Building a More Prosperous Community“ Major Gifts Campaign.

The RCCC Foundation has met a $300,000 challenge grant from the Leon Levine Foundation for the support of health-care education.

“This is a huge accomplishment for Rowan-Cabarrus. I can’t thank the Leon Levine Foundation enough for their confidence in our ability to meet this challenge and secure the funds we need for health-care education,” said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

With the help of the $300,000 challenge grant from the Leon Levine Foundation, the RCCC Foundation is able to take a big step toward supporting the college and community’s health-care education needs.

“We are excited to partner with an organization committed to a mission so close to the vision of our founder,” said Tom Lawrence, executive director of the Leon Levine Foundation. “We were proud to award the challenge grant to the RCCC Foundation, and are extremely pleased that Rowan and Cabarrus residents and companies have provided support to meet the grant goal. We look forward to the success of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in meeting the local workforce development needs for the growing health-care resources in the region.”

Today’s growing population of aging Americans, and individuals with disabilities or other chronic conditions, is outpacing the number of workers with the knowledge and skills to effectively care for them. Like other regions across the country, Rowan and Cabarrus counties face a shortage of certified health-care professionals.

Over the past three years, the college brought together community leaders and industry representatives to determine the community’s most pressing needs.

“We are asking for support – not for things that the college needs, but what we believe the community needs,” said Edward Norvell, Rowan County resident, attorney and co-chair of the college’s campaign. The Leon Levine Foundation offered $300,000 to the college’s foundation for health-care education if the health-care education gifts within the foundation’s Major Gifts Campaign reached $1.2 million by May 31.

The RCCC Foundation reached its $1.2 million goal with the support of numerous community members and organizations like Novant Health and the Rowan County Board of Commissioners, whose recent donations helped the campaign meet the challenge grant’s goals.

“We are grateful to the Leon Levine Foundation for an incredible opportunity to continue to grow the college’s efforts to train our health-care workforce through this challenge grant. We are thankful to our donors for being a part of the movement that helps provide support for updating programs, laboratories and equipment; developing new programs aligned with emerging labor market demands; and increasing student scholarships,” Norvell said.

The Major Gifts Campaign, with a total goal of raising $7.1 million, is centered on four key initiatives that address specific needs for the college, including a new advanced technology center, health-care education, an outdoor learning and amphitheater space, and science, technology, engineering, art and math scholarships for students pursuing those fields. In addition, the foundation’s $7.1 million goal includes funds for two special projects related to solar energy and an expansion of the fire and emergency services training facility.

“The Leon Levine Foundation exemplifies excellent philanthropic leadership and the college is grateful for their generosity,” said Spalding.

Gifts to the Major Gifts Campaign support the college’s educational programs, short-term training and services.

“The RCCC Foundation resources support the mission of the college and are channeled into scholarships and other student assistance, support for academic programming and capital projects, and other needs of the college and the local community,” said Marty Richards, director of the RCCC Foundation. “For instance, over 100 students received emergency scholarship funds this year, which allowed them to remain in school in spite of critical financial barriers to meet their educational goals.”