The Whetstone Family
The Whetstone Family Foundation is more than an organization—it is the outgrowth of a family who has lived, firsthand, the realities so many Appalachian families face. Rooted in rural Ohio, shaped by both struggle and resilience, and grounded in a promise made early in marriage, the Whetstone family has built this Foundation on lived experience, gratitude, and a commitment to open doors for others.
A Family Who Has Walked the Appalachian Story
Before there was a Foundation or a mission statement, there were two young newlyweds—Brent and Heather—trying to build a life in the same Appalachian landscape they now serve. They faced the challenges familiar to countless families in the region: financial hardship, long hours, limited opportunities, and the relentless work of trying to get ahead while stretching every resource to its limit.
Those early years were difficult, humbling, and formative.
And in the midst of them, Brent and Heather made a simple but life-shaping commitment:
If we ever reach a place where we can help others, we will.
And we will never forget where we came from.
That promise became the seed of the Whetstone Family Foundation.
A Family Built on Service
Today, Brent and Heather have carried that promise through years of ministry, community work, education, and leadership. From ICU hallways to small-town classrooms, from rural churches to community events, their lives have been interwoven with the joys and struggles of Appalachian families.
Their children—Caitlyn, Isabella, Noah, Madeline, and Abigail—have grown up watching their parents serve, advocate, and show up where they are needed most. Each of them contributes to the Foundation through volunteer work, events, outreach, and behind-the-scenes support. Together, they form a family united by gratitude and committed to giving back.
Why We Give
The Whetstones understand the barriers Appalachian students face, not from a distance, but through lived experience. They know what it feels like to work hard and still come up short. They know what it means to rely on the generosity of others. And they know the difference it makes when just one person believes in your future.
The Foundation exists because the Whetstone family never forgot those early years—and because they believe no student should have to abandon their dreams simply because the road is hard.
Every scholarship, every program, every act of support is rooted in the commitment they made long ago:
to lift others as they climb, and to honor the region that shaped them.
A Legacy for the Future
The Whetstone Family Foundation is a generational promise—one built on gratitude, faith, compassion, and the firm belief that where you come from should never limit where you can go. From rural classrooms to clinics, from small-town theaters to community programs, the Whetstone family remains dedicated to strengthening Appalachian Ohio one student, one story, and one family at a time.
This is our home.
These are our people.
And this is our commitment—to give back, to uplift, and to help every student see the possibility in their own story.