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Before I write another word, I want to thank you for your belief in the power of community and in United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County.
As your new President and CEO, I’ve spent my first six months on the job meeting as many volunteers, donors and community leaders as possible. I wanted to hear first-hand what you value about our United Way and hope we’ll take on in the years ahead.
Where can you and your family find K-12 tutoring support, build parent-teacher relationships, get a free and nutritious meal for the whole family, AND connect with community resources? At one of the weekly Homework Diners hosted by United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County.
Last year we served almost 8,000 meals at these weekly events and we couldn't do it without the support of great partners like the Brumit Restaurant Group.
We were proud to support a request from a coalition of organizations to help bring SaulPaul and Bianca Neal to speak with youth and adults alike in our community. SaulPaul is an award-winning musician, speaker and author, and Bianca Neal is an award-winning filmmaker and facilitator around issues related to restorative justice.
There's usually a lot of smack talk, and a whole lot of fun at the Asheville City - Buncombe County Public Services Chili Cookoff and this year was no different. Good food, good people and proceeds benefit our work in the community.
Brandon Morgan
Joseph Silberman
Joseph Silberman
Thanks to Women United, Kudzu Brands, and all of the wonderful volunteers from businesses, organizations, and communities throughout Buncombe County who came together at Highland Brewing Company to wrap donated books for our 7th Annual Holiday Book Drive. And special thanks to Capstone Health Alliance and Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road in Asheville for their sponsorship support.
Every year, volunteers roll up their sleeves and dig in to tackle impactful projects that support local community nonprofits and schools addressing critical needs. This year's Days of Impact showed us once again how powerful a group of committed citizens, dedicating a few hours of their time, can be. More than 460 volunteers from 38 local businesses and organizations shared their time and talents this year, helping to address critical community needs at 25 nonprofits throughout Buncombe County.
Three numbers, 2-1-1, can mean the world of difference for people facing any number of health or life challenges, and your donations to United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County are essential to keeping this resource available for people within a 16 county region in western North Carolina.
A student can be paired with a tutor or mentor and will often do better in school. But if that student is going home to a family in crisis, a family that might be hungry, or severely ill, or in an unsafe home, that support can only go so far. If we are to have a long term impact we have to serve whole families and communities.
There’s a problem in our community. 17 percent of low wealth students don’t graduate from high school. This means they are:
All because they didn’t graduate high school.
This impacts the student’s life long term. It impacts their families. And it impacts our whole community.
