The generosity of the late Dr. Francis Leon Edwards and his wife Dr. Theresa Amato Edwards made it possible to start this fund. Upon their retirement in 1998, this couple directed that all money collected from the sale of their office equipment to be used to start a BAF endowment benefiting the United Way of Southern WV. United Way took advantage of the BAF option which allowed agencies to build a fund within a five-year period. Both wife and husband received their Doctor of Dental Surgery degrees from the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, University of Maryland Dental School. They practiced dentistry in Beckley for more than 48 years. Memorial gifts were added to the fund when Dr. Francis Edwards died in 1999. Dr. Theresa Amato Edwards then made another generous donation to reach the financial requirement establishing a fully funded named endowment. Additional memorial gifts were received when Teresa Amato Edwards died in June 2008.