The West Virginia First Foundation has entered into a partnership with West Virginia University and Ascend West Virginia — which was launched during the pandemic through a financial gift from a sitting First Foundation board member — to open outreach offices in five cities and towns throughout the state, according to a Thursday news release.
The offices will be housed in Ascend WV locations in Morgantown, Fayetteville, Elkins, Martinsburg and Lewisburg and will come at no cost for the First Foundation, which is a private nonprofit tasked with distributing an expected $1 billion in state opioid settlement funds throughout the next 10 years. So far, these are the only offices announced to be opened by the First Foundation, which meets regularly through Zoom and is run by members from across the state.