Community Collaborations

Headwaters Partnerships: Community Collaborations

Saying it takes a village to raise a child certainly applies in our rural Rappahannock County. Despite the rolling fields and mountain views we have accessible to us, there aren’t many enrichment activities to sustain inquisitive young minds. To mend this gap, Headwaters works with other county agencies and nonprofits to create innovative programming that supports educational opportunities for youth. Here are some of the ways we’ve partnered with other groups to better serve our young people:

SIFT (School Innovative Finance Task Force)

Founded by the Rappahannock County Administrator and Rappahannock County Public Schools’ Superintendent, this task force will focus on understanding current financial realities of the public school system. Headwaters offers assistance in exploring possibilities for philanthropy to support, not supplant or subsidize, the school budget.

Rappahannock Nature Camp

Through the Emily Jane Hilscher Passion Award, several curious campers have been granted the opportunity to attend Rappahannock Nature Camp – a true Rappahannock treasure that has inspired children to connect to the wild outdoors for over 35 years.

The Child Care & Learning Center (CCLC)

In 2019, the Berley Jo Riley (BJR) Fund at Headwaters transitioned from a traditional scholarship to supporting a special needs preschooler in the Rappahannock community. We partnered with CCLC to help us select appropriate recipients, given their expertise and many years of commitment to children’s education and wellness. We have been pleased to support three children since the BJR Fund’s transition and anticipate serving many more in the years to come.

Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community (RAAC)

Headwaters has partnered with RAAC over many years to increase access to the arts for our young people. RAAC has generously provided financial support to our Summer Chorus Program and After-School Enrichment Program through their Claudia Mitchell Arts Fund.

Rappahannock Kids Coalition

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Headwaters collaborated with Rappahannock County Public Schools, the Rappahannock County Recreational Facilities Authority and the Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community with support from the Mental Health Association of Fauquier County to provide a summer camp program in the summer of 2020. Over 100 children were served in three locations including Verdun Adventure Bound, the Front Royal 4-H Center, and the Rappahannock County Park. Headwaters directed and provided staff support for the program at the park.

The Rappahannock Kids Coalition continues to meet intermittently and discuss ways of bolstering support for youth initiatives.