Homework Diners

 

With schools now fully engaged in a return to in-person learning, we're excited to announce Homework Diners will return in the Fall. Homework Diners are a unique family engagement experience that builds connections between parents, teachers, students, and community partners.

More Important Than Ever

We know that many students and families continue to struggle with the challenges brought about as a result of COVID-19 disruptions. With a focus on two key areas, we believe Homework Diners can help students and families get back on track by:

  1. Partnering students with volunteer tutors to help them with homework.
  2. working with our partners to ensure families have access to needed community resources.

And of course, all of this is done over a free healthy and nutritious meal provided by local caterers.

Check out the photo gallery

You're Invited

Homework Diners are open to any family with a K-12 student in the surrounding school district with an adult family member in attendance with the participating student(s). Be sure to visit this page often as we will update the Fall schedule once it becomes available. For more information, and to sign up to attend a Homework Diner, contact Aisha Shepherd. 

 

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Jocelin Rosas United Way Asheville

 

About Homework Diners

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County launched Homework Diners in November 2016. Homework Diners are a dynamic, comprehensive strategy that surrounds students and their families with a continuum of coordinated supports including academic support, opportunities to build parent-teacher relationships, a free and nutritious meal, connections to community resources, volunteer engagement, and family leadership.

Homework Diners replicate a proven, well-documented model shown to be successful in building connections between parents, teachers, students, and community resources. 

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Josh Wells United Way Asheville

How You Can Get Involved 

VOLUNTEER: Our Community Schools are looking for volunteers to support students and families via a wide variety of opportunities. Learn more through United Way's volunteer center, Hands on Asheville-Buncombe.

ENGAGEMENT MARKETS: Established as a means of fighting food insecurity during the pandemic, we continue to partner with Buncombe County Government to offer no-contact food box pickup outside of Homework Diners. These occur once a month at Enka Middle, Erwin Middle, and Isaac Dickson Elementary. Learn more about volunteering at a market. Explore an updated list of meal-sites throughout Buncombe County or by calling 2-1-1.

SIGN UP to receive Homework Diners information via our Newsletter

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Shirley Whitesides

Integrating Community Partners

Working in collaboration with our United for Youth Network partners, our organization is embedding as many community-building elements into Homework Diner offerings as possible.

We collectively do this by:

  • Contracting with local providers to serve families a healthy meal.
  • Providing stipends for local teachers who are interested in providing homework help/tutoring for students outside of the classroom.
  • Providing homework help/tutoring for parents so they learn how to better help their kids at home.
  • Partnering with local service providers and businesses like OnTrack Financial Education and Self Help Credit Union to provide classes around budgeting, financial planning, and homeownership.
  • Enlisting help from local health providers to share preventative education programs and health screenings.

Help support this work and allow us to continue to grow this program throughout Asheville and Buncombe County schools. DONATE TODAY.

* Homework Diners are funded in part by a grant from The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina and sponsorship from Arby's Foundation and the Brumit Restaurant Group.