A simple illustration of a green plant with leaves, a stem, and roots.

Community Resilience

Rooted in care. Rising together. Rebuilding what matters—side by side.

A woman planting a seedling in the soil while a young girl assists her, both kneeling on straw-covered ground outdoors. Several other people are nearby.

What do we mean by “Resilience”?

True community resilience means being prepared, rooted in compassion, and agile in the face of adversity. At MCCLC, our commitment to equity and access extends to times of crisis—because when disaster strikes, families need more than just a school; they need a lifeline.

We proudly stand as a member of the Madison Alliance for Resilient Communities (MARC): A regional resilience hub, offering training, infrastructure support, and coordination in times of disaster. MCCLC’s Executive Director also serves on MARC’s board.

Illustration of four stylized leaves in green and yellow, arranged in a circular pattern.

Building Resiliency

Logo with three stylized leaves in green and yellow, arranged in a circular pattern.

Crisis Response Model:

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, our campus was spared while homes and roads around us were devastated. Within one week, MCCLC reopened its doors—providing safe childcare, hot meals (courtesy of World Central Kitchen), and emotional support for over 150 local children whose schools remained closed. Our middle schoolers even helped distribute meals and organize relief efforts, modeling leadership for younger students.

Lifelong Wellbeing:

Resilience is more than emergency response; it’s prevention. Through nature-connected learning, real food, and emotional literacy, MCCLC addresses mental and physical health at the roots. Our programs help children develop self-regulation, families build food security, and community members form supportive networks—so the next storm, economic downturn, or health crisis doesn’t break us.

Partnerships & Collaboration:

When crisis strikes, MCCLC doesn’t stand alone. We partner with Beacon of Hope for food distribution, World Central Kitchen for emergency meals, and local organizations like Light-En to clear our campus after storms. Together, we ensure rapid, coordinated action—rooted in Appalachian values of neighbor helping neighbor.

Sliding-Scale & Emergency Access:

Well before Helene, local income levels made enrichment and childcare financially out of reach for many families. MCCLC’s sliding-scale tuition and scholarship partnerships (e.g., NC Opportunity Scholarship covering 80% of our families) ensure that no family is turned away—whether in prosperity or in crisis. When recovery strained budgets, we doubled down on affordability so children could continue learning, playing, and healing.

Economic Impact:

By employing local educators, farmers, and artisans year-round—through teaching teams, land stewardship roles, and food distribution—we create stable livelihoods that anchor our rural economy. When adversity hits, these jobs and skills become pillars of regional recovery, fueling local supply chains and community solidarity.

Long-Term Vision:

Our goal is to build a funding model where 70% of our budget comes from secured local grants and donations by aligned funders—so we can focus on service, not survival. This stability will allow us to replicate our proven rural education and resilience model across Appalachia and beyond—connecting communities to their land, their heritage, and each other.

A rural landscape with a gravel path leading through green hills and trees under a partly cloudy sky, with a small wooden shed and a larger wooden building with a metal roof.
Colorful wooden playhouse with words like 'SHARING,' 'LOVE,' 'COMMUNITY,' 'GIVING,' 'FRIENDSHIP,' 'CARING,' 'HELPING,' 'KINDNESS,' 'MADVENTURE,' and 'LEARNING' painted on the boards, situated outdoors among leafless trees and surrounded by dirt and fallen leaves.
Interior of a room with wooden ceiling and flooring, featuring a blue couch, a bookshelf, a large plant, and a door with an exit sign above it.

Our Campus

Our Campus contributes to the resiliency of our community by providing space for our K-8 School, Woodson Branch Nature School — where aftercare programs and camps are accessible to all — and our community events & programming. It gave us space to offer support to the community when tragedy struck. Our farm provides both a rich learning environment and food distribution to our community.

Two children, a girl and a boy, are excitedly watching a pot of cooking soup or stew on the stove. The girl is smiling with her mouth open, and the boy is leaning over the pot with a spoon.
Children and adults standing around a small campfire outdoors, with some holding shoes and looking down at the fire. A basket is on the ground nearby.
Three colorful backpacks hanging on a wooden fence, each with a different character or design.
Children and adults playing with a colorful ball outdoors on a sunny day, near green hills and trees.
Children and teenagers gathered in a rustic barn decorated with string lights and flowers for a celebration.
Two young boys are sitting inside a makeshift teepee constructed from sticks and branches in a forested area, surrounded by green foliage.
A young woman in a gray hoodie holding a large brownish-green leaf with a thin stem, outdoors with blurred green foliage in the background.
Group of children working on a woodworking project outdoors in a wooded area.
Group of children engaged in arts and crafts inside a wooden cabin, with some working at a table and others standing nearby.
A young boy sitting at a computer desk in a classroom, playing a 3D Among Us game on the monitor, holding a game controller, and smiling at the camera.
Two women plant a small shrub in a patch of straw, with several people standing nearby outdoors.
Children planting a seed in the soil on a farm with straw mulch, colorful flags, and wooden stakes in the background.
A group of five children in a forest with green foliage, with one child climbing a tree while the others pose on the ground. The children are smiling and making playful gestures.
Children planting and working in a garden with orange and pink markers, surrounded by a rural landscape with mountains and a partly cloudy sky.
Children and adults gardening and harvesting vegetables in a lush, green outdoor garden with trees and hills in the background.
A young girl with red hair wearing pink gloves and a light-colored dress with a blue pocket, standing outdoors on a sunny day, holding a string in her hand, with other children around her working with hay.
A woman supervising four young girls standing in a line in a spacious indoor room with hardwood floors, wooden ceiling, windows, and minimal furniture.
Children playing outdoors holding hands in a chain, with a rustic barn and parked white vans in the background on a clear, sunny day.
A man with a beard and plaid shirt demonstrates a science experiment to a group of children at a desk, using a small bottle and a framed whiteboard, in a classroom with computers and a large monitor in the background.