Every child deserves to walk into their first day of school feeling confident, prepared, and ready to learn—not worried about whether they have the supplies they need to succeed.
That's why the School Supply Drive is one of our favorite community efforts each year. It brings together businesses, volunteers, and neighbors around a shared belief: when we invest in our students, we invest in the future of Buncombe County.
This year's School Supply Drive Pack & Sort was more than a single event—it was a countywide movement.
From breweries (because, of course, this is Asheville) to local businesses and finally to our three-day community-wide Pack & Sort at Harrah's Cherokee Center, hundreds of volunteers came together to fill backpacks that will soon be in the hands of students across Buncombe County. Every backpack packed is one less burden for a family and one more child who can begin the school year feeling prepared and included.
As part of United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County's Youth Opportunity focus area, the School Supply Drive helps remove barriers that stand between students and their success. The cost of required school supplies continues to rise, often forcing families to make impossible choices between everyday necessities and classroom essentials. By purchasing supplies in bulk and mobilizing our community, we're able to provide a fully stocked backpack for a fraction of the retail cost—saving local families thousands of dollars while ensuring students have the tools they need to learn from day one.
This incredible effort wouldn't be possible without the organizations that stepped up to lead their own Pack & Sort events. Thank you to Deerfield, Eaton, Bain & Company, New Belgium Brewing, and the Rotary Club of Asheville for organizing, funding, and hosting volunteer events that expanded the reach of this year's drive and brought even more people into the mission.
Our largest Pack & Sort also required some extraordinary community partners. A heartfelt thank you to Harrah's Cherokee Center, who generously donated warehouse space for three days, giving us room to organize thousands of backpacks for distribution across the county. Thank you also to First Citizens Bank for keeping our volunteers and staff fed, hydrated, and energized throughout the event.
Finally, we want to recognize our amazing presenting sponsor and Business United partner, Aeroflow Health. Their continued investment in the School Supply Drive has helped make this effort possible for the past four years. Their Business United partnership demonstrates what community leadership looks like—using business as a force for good and investing directly in the success of local students.
Whether you donated, volunteered, hosted a Pack & Sort, or helped spread the word, you played a part in ensuring that more than 2,700+ students will begin this school year with the confidence that comes from being prepared.
Now, take a look at the numbers behind this year's School Supply Drive—and then enjoy the joy captured in these photos. Every smile represents a community that chose to show up for its students.
2026 School Supply Drive by the Numbers:
Individual Volunteers: 278
Backpacks Packed: 2,770
Estimated Family Savings: $275,000