Unifour Foundation Awards Second Grant to CVCC For Expanision of Catawba Furniture Academy

Unifour Foundation Grant 2016 ImageThe Unifour Foundation has awarded Catawba Valley Community College a second grant to support the critically needed expansion of the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy.

The Catawba Valley Furniture Academy is an industry-driven training program designed in collaboration with local furniture manufacturers to prepare a workforce with industry-specific skills for modern-day furniture manufacturing not currently in supply.

Since its founding in January 2014, the Furniture Academy has graduated 67 people with certifications that have led to jobs in the furniture industry.  To date, 100 percent of those are employed in the Unifour area.

Founding partners who assisted with the curriculum design, instructional support of the program and donations of equipment, materials, and scholarships include Century Furniture, LEE Industries, Lexington Home Brands, Sherrill Furniture, and Vanguard Furniture.   Additional Supporting Partners include Atlantic Packaging, Autoquip Corporation, Bassett Furniture, CR Laine, DUO-Fast, Ethan Allen, Fairfield Chair, Geiger International, Gerber Technology, Haworth Health Environments, HBF, HSM Solutions, Harris Handling, Heritage Home Group, Leggett & Platt, NC Works Career Center Catawba, Snyder Paper, United Sewing, Wesley Hall, American Home Furnishings Alliance, Dimension Wood Products, and Image Industries.The outstanding support from the Unifour Foundation will enable Catawba Valley Community College to triple the capacity to train people for area furniture industry. Grant funds will be used to renovate a recently purchased manufacturing facility.

“This gift will make a huge impact on our ability to help individuals train for jobs in demand and supply area employers with qualified candidates for those jobs,” said Dr. Garrett D. Hinshaw, president of Catawba Valley Community College.

About the Unifour Foundation

The Unifour Foundation was established when the Hickory Merchants Association sold its local credit reporting company to a national company. The proceeds enabled the establishment of the Unifour Foundation, Inc. and for several years funds were managed and administered through a private foundation.

In 1999, the board of the Unifour Foundation, Inc., transferred funds to the NC Community Foundation (NCCF) to establish an endowment – The Unifour Foundation Endowment Fund, which promotes general welfare among citizens in the four counties that comprise the Unifour area: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba.

About Catawba Valley Community College:

CVCC is an accredited comprehensive community college serving Catawba and Alexander counties. Approximately 4,500 students are enrolled in college credit courses and more than 10,000 students are enrolled in short-term, non-credit learning opportunities. It offers programming in Hickory, Newton and Taylorsville and in many community and workplace locations. For more information, visit www.cvcc.edu.

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The Unifour Foundation recently awarded Catawba Valley Community College a second grant to support the critically needed expansion of the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy. Pictured (from left) CVCC Business & Industry Services Director Lori Price; Catawba Valley Furniture Academy Project Manager Cindy Fulbright; CVCC Executive Vice President of Instruction Dr. Keith Mackie; Unifour Foundation Board President Nancy Fritz; Unifour Foundation grant committee members Patty Schenk, Clinton Annas and Sam Avery; and CVCC Dean of Business, Industry & Technology Gary Muller.