Over 50 young professionals from the Asheville area gathered at Archetype Brewing last night to assemble snack packs for Asheville and Enka middle school students. The idea behind this service project (hosted by United Way and Young Professionals of Asheville) was to help fight hunger among middle school students. With an estimated 1 in 5 students facing poverty in Asheville and Buncombe County, this issue continues to be a major barrier to school success.
Change Capacity
The power of local organizations, institutions and businesses are harnessed through United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County to tackle hunger and other societal issues. Snack pack experiences are just one component of Hands On (United Way's volunteer center) "We Care" Engagement Events. Hands On coordinates these service projects for employee volunteer teams to participate in impactful service experiences that align with United Way's strategy to reduce the impact of poverty on people's lives. These events connect the dots between the volunteer activity and the community need behind each package created. Beyond assembling snack packs for middle school students, other We Care projects include:
- Welcome Home Boxes for recently homeless individuals transitioning into housing
- Personal Care Hygiene Kits for homeless students and their families
- Activity Kits for local students
- Mindfullness Kits for local students impacted by trauma
- Domestic Violence Shelter Kits for both parents and children
- New Mother Kits
It is by working together, utilizing the community impact model, that we accomplish wide-scale community change. This year United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County and its partner organizations have executed seven We Care projects, helping hundreds of our neighbors in need. We would like to thank Young Professionals of Asheville, Archetype Brewing and all of the wonderful individuals who made this event such a success.
Sounds Enticing
Increased morale, productivity and skill development — all of these things can be accomplished through a robust employee volunteer program. Let United Way help your business increase its employee engagement.