Our EmpoWWer program allows us to use our gifts for good.
EmpoWWer is our service-grant program, created to support 501(c)(3) community initiatives and continue our tradition of giving back. Framed by three pillars — creativity, shelter and advancement — EmpoWWer provides deserving organizations with an opportunity to apply for resources of time and talent and use our building as an event space. EmpoWWer also gives all of our employees a chance to get involved in supporting important causes and formalizes a commitment to social responsibility Wray Ward has embraced since we opened our doors in 1977.
The 2025 Program
The EmpoWWer 2025 program will be open for applications November 1 through December 31, 2024. The review process for all EmpoWWer grants includes thorough evaluations by a committee, weighing the balance of partner needs with available agency resources. Read about the program pillars below and learn more about past EmpoWWer grant recipients and the programs we created together.
Our dedicated pillars reflect our personal passions and industry expertise to direct our community support initiatives.
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Creativity
From programs that support the arts to groups that provide a platform for new ideas, we support organizations dedicated to igniting, fostering and spreading creativity throughout the Charlotte community.
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Shelter
Whether we’re building homes or developing public awareness campaigns against domestic violence, we embrace opportunities that embody the stability, safety and nurturing environment that “home” represents.
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Advancement
We’re committed to uncovering new possibilities for our clients and our community by embracing opportunities to empower, unify and strengthen individuals from all backgrounds.
Working with community partners to build something special.
Nourish Up
Feeding people in need in the Charlotte region is a big job that led two organizations – Loaves & Fishes and Friendship Trays – to combine efforts and join as one nonprofit to make a more significant impact. Wray Ward was pivotal in rebranding the new organization, Nourish Up, through its EmpoWWer service-grant program. When the two nonprofits merged, their shared mission to fight food insecurity required a unified identity. Through stakeholder interviews and creative development, Wray Ward produced a new name, logo, branding guidelines, and applications emphasizing dignity and empowerment, redefining Nourish Up’s message as a community support rather than charity.
The chosen name, "Nourish Up," and the logo—featuring organic shapes and warm colors—reflect Nourish Up's focus on warmth, nourishment, and community growth. Launched in January 2024, the new brand marked the culmination of a meaningful partnership and gave Nourish Up a stronger voice in its mission.
“The EmpoWWer program does just that: empower nonprofits to reach their full potential. Through this program, Wray Ward gives nonprofits critical access to professional marketing services that are often perceived as a luxury only afforded to large corporations.”
–Tina Postel, CEO, Nourish Up
Furnish for Good
Furnish for Good empowers underserved communities by providing quality home furnishings, redefining the donation experience. Rather than simply offering items, they curate and present furnishings in a dignified, welcoming way that enables recipients to personally select items that make their homes truly theirs. To help sustain and expand this mission, Wray Ward collaborated with Furnish for Good to create a comprehensive brand foundation, messaging strategy, and guidelines to launch their new individual giving society, Good Neighbors. By fostering a network of supporters, each contributing an annual $5,000 gift, Good Neighbors will provide essential, ongoing resources to ensure Furnish for Good's meaningful work continues.
Our support for Furnish for Good was designed to create a lasting impact, helping them build a community of individual donors while aligning their goals with Wray Ward’s values. Furnish for Good’s unique approach nurtures creativity and a true sense of shelter by allowing recipients the freedom to choose furnishings that reflect their individuality and needs. Through these choices, Furnish for Good helps their clients create homes that provide both refuge and potential, supporting underserved individuals’ overall stability and well-being.
“As an organization entering our fifth year of service the time, we were honored to be a recipient of the EmpoWWer grant. The time Wray Ward spent with our staff was invaluable. Through our workshops we unlocked new dynamic, intentional, and exciting ways to speak about our mission delivery model to our donors, supporters, and the community. Beyond the deliverables of our project, Wray Ward helped shaped the way we will talk about our mission for years to come – truly having a long-standing impact on our organization”