Dynamic Duo: How Volunteering Became This Family’s Love Language

Volunteers come in all shapes, sizes, personalities, and pairings. We love them all.
As a volunteer hub, one of the greatest joys of our work at United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County (UWABC) is meeting people from all over—across the country and sometimes even from abroad—who show up ready to serve. Every volunteer has a story. Some stories stand out because of the impact they create; others stand out because of the people behind the service.

And one of our favorite stories comes from right here in Asheville.

Meet Forest and Eva, a father–daughter duo who show up again and again—together.
Eva is easily one of the coolest teenagers we know—she plays bass in a local rock band and carries a sense of kindness that grounds every room she walks into. Her father, Forest, is known throughout the community as someone who shows up for others. When he isn’t volunteering with UWABC, you’ll usually find him in service to our unhoused neighbors, possibly at Beloved or 12 Baskets.

The two moved to Asheville just under two years ago. For many people, moving means settling in quietly and easing into a new place. But Forest and Eva didn’t operate that way. Before Asheville, they lived in Boone, where supporting the unhoused became a regular part of their daily life — not through an organization or structured volunteer shifts, but simply through compassion and a belief that everyone deserves care. Whether that meant sharing a meal, offering supplies, or just showing up with humanity, they served because their hearts led them to.

So when they arrived in Asheville, they didn’t wait to feel settled. They carried that same spirit of care with them — except here, they sought opportunities to connect through formal volunteering as well. They saw service as a way to understand their new community from the inside out.

They jumped in immediately.

Getting to Know Asheville—By Serving It

Not everyone thinks to start volunteering when they move somewhere new, but Forest and Eva say it’s the reason Asheville quickly became home. By showing up at food distributions, UWABC volunteer events, or even community radio stations, they met neighbors, made friends, and started learning the pulse of the city—not as outsiders, but as participants.

 

Forest shared that volunteering not only helped them understand Asheville, it helped them understand each other. It has become a shared ritual — time carved out not just to help others, but to connect as parent and child.

Forest reflected on what he has learned about Eva through volunteering:

“The time we spend doing the volunteer stuff, we’re at a good level together. She goes with the flow so well. She jumps in and does what needs to be done in a stressful environment.”

Volunteering created space for him to notice qualities in his daughter — her adaptability, her attentiveness, and her calm presence during fast-paced moments of service.

Learning Through Example

Eva has absorbed just as much. When asked what she has learned from watching her dad consistently show up for others, she shared that it has shaped her willingness to serve:

Volunteering has given her, “Willingness to help other people — just get out there and do it where it’s needed — it’s made me more available to people and open to having time for others.”

There is something powerful about a community member who makes time for their neighbors simply because it matters. That mindset—I can help, so I will—is what turns community into connection. It is radical compassion in action.

Volunteering has also expanded Eva’s understanding of how relationships form through service. She shared:

“I just keep in mind that people you’re working with and for know you’re a volunteer and from my experience, everyone is open-minded — they take you into consideration.”

That consideration goes both ways. Eva described how, over time, service builds unexpected connections:

“Now I can’t leave without seeing two, three, five people I know — it’s never people I go out to meet at social events, but it’s people I volunteer [with].”

Those relationships aren’t formed through small talk — they’re formed by showing up, working shoulder to shoulder, and doing something that matters.

Volunteering is part of Forest’s values — something he credits in part to his time in the Navy. He shared that he likes being part of a team, getting to know people, and bringing them together. He sees service not as an obligation, but as a way of being present and paying attention.

Forest and Eva don’t volunteer because they have to. They volunteer because they want to.
And while their service brightens every space they step into, it also strengthens the fabric of our community.

Their commitment demonstrates something we all saw after Hurricane Helene: in moments of crisis — whether natural, economic, or personal — we rely on one another. Our community’s resilience was held up by neighbors who checked on each other, shared resources, and stepped in without being asked.

Volunteers like Forest and Eva cultivate that resilience long before it’s needed.

Why Their Story Matters

At United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, we believe that connection is built through action. Volunteering isn’t just about tasks — it’s about relationships, care, and belonging. Forest and Eva remind us that when we make time to show up for others, we build stronger connections to; our families, our neighbors, our city, and our county.

They are proof that volunteering does not just serve a community — it builds one.

 

 

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