Helen C Cobbs Foundation

About Helen C Cobbs Foundation

The Helen C Cobbs Foundation shows a tight local pattern: repeated support for Roanoke-area organizations that meet immediate needs, sustain a regional college pipeline, and back community institutions year after year. Two recurring anchors are Presbyterian Community Center Inc, which received funding for rent, electric bills, and food for needy residents in both 2023 and 2024, and Roanoke College, which received general support alongside Cobbs Scholars funding in both years. That combination points to a funder that pairs emergency assistance with longer-term educational support. The same pattern extends across a small circle of local nonprofits serving households under strain. Grants to Family Service of Roanoke Valley, Roanoke Area Ministries (Ram House), and Rescue Mission of Roanoke Inc connect the foundation to basic-needs relief and a battered women’s program. Other awards support youth, family, and civic organizations such as Child Health Investment Partnership (CHIP), West End Center, Boys & Girls Clubs of Roanoke Valley Inc, Hollins University Corporation, Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council Inc, Salem Historical Society Dba Salem Museum, and Blue Ridge Mountains Council Boy Scouts of America. The overall picture is of a place-based funder with steady ties to Roanoke and Salem institutions.

What Helen C Cobbs Foundation Funds

Basic-needs assistance is a clear theme. In 2023, the foundation gave $46,930 to Presbyterian Community Center Inc for rent, electric bills, and food for needy residents, and it repeated that support in 2024 with a $35,667 grant. Similar purpose text appears in gifts to Roanoke Area Ministries (Ram House), showing a consistent emphasis on housing, utilities, and food. The foundation also supports family and crisis services. Family Service of Roanoke Valley received general support in both 2023 and 2024, while Rescue Mission of Roanoke Inc was funded for its battered women’s program in both years. Education is another strand. Roanoke College received general support and Cobbs Scholars funding in both years, and Hollins University Corporation also received general support in both 2023 and 2024. Youth-serving groups such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Roanoke Valley Inc, Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council Inc, and West End Center appear in the grant list as well.

How Helen C Cobbs Foundation Gives