When was the last time you stepped inside a middle school?
For many of us, the answer might be: not since we were students ourselves. And that seems normal, right? Why would anyone be inside a middle school unless they have a child there or work in education?
At United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County (UWABC), we believe something different.
We believe our schools should feel like part of everyday community life — places where people connect, contribute, and take pride in the neighborhood they anchor.
That’s exactly why we host the Day of Connection—a special day where UWABC staff intentionally connect local businesses with schools and partners across our network. We bring people into schools, not just to volunteer, but to understand how schools operate as community hubs of support.
That belief came to life when the Municipal Sewage Department (MSD) traveled to East Asheville to support Reynolds Middle School.
Their goal sounds simple enough: help improve an outdoor lunch and recreation space. But what happened next shows what community partnership really looks like. MSD didn’t just show up with willing hands. They showed up with—wait for it—a dump truck carrying 9.5 tons of gravel.
Yes. 9.5 tons. Not books. Not backpacks. Gravel. And it was perfect.
As they leveled the ground and built up seating areas, something beautiful happened. Students began using the newly refreshed spaces immediately. Kids sat, talked, laughed, and soaked up the fall sunshine on the very areas MSD had just finished.
MSD workers looked on, smiling — especially two volunteers who realized they were standing in the same place they had once eaten lunch as Reynolds Middle students themselves.
Schools don’t just need traditional supplies — they need community. They need building materials, furniture, clothing, and yes… sometimes gravel.
With nine Community School Coordinators in nine schools across Buncombe County, we hear daily what students, families, and teachers need. And we’re especially grateful when businesses or community members ask, “How can we help?”
Because when more people step into our schools, more people start caring about what happens inside them. And that changes everything.
Inspired to Step Up?
Make a difference at a Community School Today: Volunteer at your local Community Night now!
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