Melinda Kupner pauses for a photo with son Zach. The Kupner family is being helped through High Country First In Families.

High Country First in Families seeks volunteers in Alleghany

The Alleghany division of High Country First In Families is seeking volunteers to help individuals with developmental disabilities.

At the time of the interview, there were only six people involved in the family-oriented Alleghany chapter. According to Melinda Kupner, who co-chairs the division with husband, Larry, the program was established in 1997 and serves five counties—Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Watauga and Wilkes. The couple has a developmentally disabled son, 13-year-old Zachary.

How It Works

Children birth to 7 are eligible for services through High Country First In Families if they receive preschool services and/or special education services, have a developmental disability or delay that makes them eligible for early intervention with the North Carolina Infant-Toddler program. Also eligible are those 7 to 18, as well as adults who have developmental disabilities as long as the onset was before the age of 22, except in the event of a traumatic brain injury, To qualify, the aforementioned groups must live in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Watauga or Wilkes and must have a household income under $65,000 a year.

"There are all different kinds of things that the program has done to help families over the years," stated Kupner. They include finding a van for those who have family members in a wheelchair, finding furniture, building fences and building a room onto a home.

Kupner said, "Families can apply once a year for assistance. While the limit for each family is $500, it is common for the membership committee to resource funds and stretch each dollar to best assist families.

Citing an example, Kupner commented should a family apply for services in April and an emergency comes up between then and the following April, the family could apply for emergency funding, a maximum of $250.

In that case, Kupner remarked, "What our staff would do is try and resource...After the application comes in, they'll start working on seeing what they can resource and get at the lowest amount…"

Kupner said, "This program serves anyone that has a developmental disability—as long as the onset was before age 22. A developmental disability is a disability where it is either mental or physical or a combination of mental and physical, except in the event of a traumatic brain injury. The onset has to be before the age of 22 and it's likely to last a lifetime and it results in three or more of the following areas: self care, language, which is hearing and speech; learning, mobility, ability to live independently, and the ability to earn a living or hold a job."