*Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of community partners. For the full list, please view the main Community Partners Database page (View Alphabetically).
Health, Wellness, and Safety 
Achilles Freedom Team
| Contact Person | Eric Strong (Charlotte Chapter Contact) |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Website | achillesinternational.org/achilles-freedom-team |
| Email | info@achillesinternational.org
achillescharlotte@gmail.com |
| Phone | (212) 354-0300
(402) 871-9514 (Charlotte Phone) |
| Agency Description | In 2004, Achilles launched the Freedom Team Program. An extension of the Achilles process of physical strengthening, building confidence, and generating a supportive community, the program was adapted to the specific needs of wounded, ill or injured members of the U.S. military. Program participants receive training as well as use of specialized adaptive devices, such as hand-crank wheelchairs. While the goal is to enter and complete a marathon, the program stresses “achievable accomplishment,” encouraging participants to begin by training for a less-demanding competition, such as our 4-mile “Hope and Possibility” race. This allows the members to experience success and build confidence. All injured military personnel and veterans are eligible for the program, whether the injury is combat or non-combat related. |
All Souls Counseling Center
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 35 Arlington St. , Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | allsoulscounseling.org |
| Phone | (828) 259-3369 |
| Agency Description | ASCC has grown to include 20+ professionally licensed therapists and a psychiatrist who provide high-quality compassionate mental health counseling for uninsured and underinsured adults of Western North Carolina. We continue to offer counseling on a sliding scale fee basis. We have expanded our services to place therapists within partner community organizations to make counseling as accessible as possible. |
Asheville Buncombe Institute of Parity Achievement (ABIPA)
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | See contact page below |
| Website | abipa.org |
| Contact Page | https://abipa.org/infoabipa-org/ |
| Agency Description | ABIPA promotes economic, social, and health parity achievement for African Americans and other under served populations through advocacy, education, research, and community partnerships. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Ameena Batada, Health & Wellness |
Brooks-Howell Home
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 266 Merrimon Ave, Asheville NC 28801 |
| Website | brooks-howell.org |
| Email | jknight@brookshowell.org |
| Phone | (828) 253-6712 |
| Agency Description | Brooks-Howell is a non-profit, charitable continuing care retirement community owned and supported by the United Methodist Women of the United Methodist Church. It was established to provide a retirement facility for deaconesses, missionaries, and others approved by United Methodist Women. |
Buncombe County Emergency Services
| Contact Person | Van Taylor Jones |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 164 Erwin Hills Road Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/emergency-services/default.aspx |
| Email | Click on “Locate & Contact” in the menu, then fill out the email form on the webpage |
| Phone | (828) 250-6600 |
| Agency Description | The Department of Emergency Services of Buncombe County takes pride in serving the needs of the residents and visitors of our county. Our many roles include: Pre-hospital emergency care from our paramedic EMS service, fire and life safety from the fire marshal’s office, disaster coordination in the emergency management division, training and development classes for county personnel |
Buncombe County Health & Human Services
| Contact Person | Stoney Blevins |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 35 Woodfin Street Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/hhs/default.aspx |
| Email | Click on “Locate & Contact” in the menu, then fill out the email form on the webpage |
| Phone | (828) 250-5588 |
| Agency Description | The Purpose of Buncombe County Health and Human Services is to strengthen our communities by advancing health, safety, and opportunity. |
Cigna Health
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Website | cigna.com |
| Phone | +1 (877) 484-5966 |
| Agency Description | Cigna’s quality plan options, personalized health care support, and low costs provide you with access to the expertise and care you need, when you need it. |
Community Health Improvement Process (CHIP) Advisory
| Contact Person | Ginger Clough |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | P.O. Box 7407 Asheville, NC 28802 |
| Website | https://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/health/Chip.aspx |
| Phone | (828) 250-5436 |
| Agency Description | The Community Health Improvement Process (CHIP) brings together many diverse partners to improve the health of our community. They align their efforts and support each other for greater collective impact on the priorities identified through our Community Health Assessment. CHIP collaborators work together to identify priority issues, develop and implement strategies for action, and establish accountability to ensure measurable health improvement, which is outlined in the form of a Community Health Improvement Plan. CHIP looks outside the performance of an individual organization serving a specific segment of a community to the way in which the activities of many organizations contribute to community health improvement. |
Helpmate
| Contact Person | Ebony Grayson-Reece |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 35 Woodfin St Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | helpmateonline.org |
| Phone | Business Line: (828) 254-2968
Hot Line: (828) 254-0516 |
| Agency Description | We work with our community to eliminate abuse and fear by providing safety, shelter, and support for victims/survivors of intimate partner domestic violence. |
Hinds Feet Farm
| Contact Person | Erica Rawls |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 375 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville, NC 28813 |
| Website | hindsfeetfarm.org |
| Email | erawls@hindsfeetfarm.org |
| Phone | (828) 274-0570 |
| Agency Description | Our mission is to maximize the post injury potential of persons living with brain injury with integrated, unique and holistic programs; allowing our members to pursue meaningful activities while developing a sense of belonging at home and in the surrounding communities. We will accomplish this mission with unique, person-centered, post-rehabilitation, community-based programs. |
| Training/Special Requirements | Volunteer/Intern Forms |
Homegrown Families
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email, Phone, or Website Form |
| Address | 201 Charlotte St, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | ashevillehomegrownfamilies.com |
| Email | info@ashevillehomegrownfamilies.com |
| Phone | (828) 777-8899 |
| Agency Description | Our mission is to create a diverse, sustainable birth and postpartum doula workforce while simultaneously increasing access to education and doula services across under-resourced and historically marginalized communities. We want to deconstruct the systems of white supremacy and racism within health care, creating opportunities for equitable access to collective community care through education and doula support. We believe that business should exist to serve society, and we prioritize community and social wellbeing alongside business success. Homegrown works in partnership with many public health organizations to decrease health inequities. Our commitment to community centric work gives power back to the community and allows the members to make a difference on issues that matter to them. |
Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC)
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 121 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803 |
| Website | mahec.net |
| Phone | (828) 257-4400 |
| Agency Description | The NC AHEC Program provides and supports educational activities and services with a focus on primary care in rural communities and those with less access to resources to recruit, train, and retain the workforce needed to create a healthy North Carolina. Located in Asheville, MAHEC is one of nine centers in the NC AHEC Program and serves the western part of our state. |
Nothing But Net for Special Olympics
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 2200 Gateway Centre Blvd., Ste. 201, Morrisville, NC 27560 |
| Website | sonc.net |
| Phone | (919) 719-7662 |
| Agency Description | The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. |
Open Path Psychotherapy Collective
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Chat through website |
| Website | openpathcollective.org |
| Email | info@openpathcollective.org |
| Phone | (800) 268-2833 |
| Agency Description | Open Path Psychotherapy Collective is a nonprofit nationwide network of mental health professionals dedicated to providing in-office and online mental health care—at a steeply reduced rate—to clients in need. Open Path provides people in need with access to transformative and affordable mental and holistic health care. We envision a just, compassionate world where all people can easily access the care they need to thrive. |
Our VOICE
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Online Contact Form |
| Address | 35 Woodfin St, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | ourvoicenc.org |
| Phone | (828) 252-0562 |
| Agency Description | Our VOICE takes an intersectional, person-centered approach to support survivors and prevent future acts of sexual violence. We hold ourselves accountable to these core values: Believe All Survivors, Promote Dignity, Support Individual Agency, Shift Paradigms, Create a Culture of Care and Honesty. |
Project NAF (Nurturing Asheville & Area Families, Mt. Zion Community Development)
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email, Phone, or Website Form |
| Address | 47 Eagle Street Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | mtzionasheville.org/mzcd-inc/naf/ |
| Email | mzmbcinc@outlook.com |
| Phone | (828) 252-0515 |
| Agency Description | MZCD has been providing services, case management and support to pregnant and post-partum Africa American women and their children through Project NAF since 1998. Project NAF has been cited as a National Community Initiative Model to Eliminate Health Disparities, led by the U. S. Bureau of Primary Health Care.
We are honored to have been able to serve the community throughout this time and look forward to continuing our successful partnership Project NAF staff members are dedicated to the provision of services and support to the community. |
Red Cross WNC
| Contact Person | Tabitha Bagwell |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 100 Edgewood Road Asheville, NC 28804 |
| Website | redcross.org/local/north-carolina/greater-carolinas/about-us/locations/western-north-carolina.html |
| Email | tabitha.bagwell@redcross.org |
| Phone | (828) 803-2884 |
| Agency Description | The American Red Cross Western North Carolina Chapter serves a population of more than 775 thousand people in the counties of Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Eastern band of the Cherokee Indians, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Blood Drives jointly hosted by the Key Center and Highsmith |
YMCA
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone or Website Form |
| Address | 30 Woodfin St., Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | ymcawnc.org |
| Phone | (828) 210-9622 |
| Agency Description | The YMCA of WNC is committed to strengthening the foundations of community through programming that supports youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Our programs nurture the greatness in every child, promote well-being throughout the community, and give back to our neighbors in need. All of this work is rooted in our four core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. |
YWCA
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone or Website Form |
| Address | 185 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | ywcaofasheville.org |
| Email | contact@ywcaofasheville.org |
| Phone | Phone: (828) 254-7206
Fax: (828) 258-8731 |
| Agency Description | YWCA Asheville is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, nurturing children and promoting health. In line with our mission, YWCA programs bridge gaps in education, health, childcare and earning power for women and families in our community. |
Food and Environment
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP)
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 306 W. Haywood St., Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | asapconnections.org |
| Phone | (828) 236-1282 |
| Agency Description | ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) is a nonprofit based in Asheville, North Carolina, serving the Southern Appalachian region. Our mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. |
Asheville GreenWorks
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 2 Sulphur Springs Rd, Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | ashevillegreenworks.org |
| Email | volunteer@ashevillegreenworks.org |
| Phone | (828) 254-1776 |
| Agency Description | GreenWorks is a community of action takers. Each hour or dollar we devote to taking care of our urban environment adds up to a healthier, more resilient future for all of us. |
Asheville Mushroom Club
| Contact Person | Frank Bartucca (President) |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website Form |
| Address | 3 Avon Rd, Asheville, NC 28805 (East Asheville Library Confrence room) |
| Website | ashevillemushroomclub.org |
| Agency Description | Our membership ranges from the beginning collector to the professional mycologist and includes an abundance of mycophagists (mushroom eaters), photographers, artists, and nature enthusiasts. We enjoy eating edible mushrooms we gather in the forest. Others cultivate fungi in their gardens. At our Monthly Meetings, we hear from experts – many of them club members – about different aspects of fungi identification, folklore, cultivation and culinary preparation. |
Blue Ridge Audubon Society
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | PO Box 18711 Asheville, NC 28814 |
| Website | blueridgeaudubon.org |
| Email | blueridgeaudubon@gmail.com |
| Agency Description | Blue Ridge Audubon (formerly the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society) is a chapter of the National Audubon Society, serving Buncombe, Henderson, and surrounding counties in the mountains of western North Carolina. We are the only North Carolina Audubon chapter that owns and manages a wildlife sanctuary, the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary in Asheville, NC. We host monthly bird walks at Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary and other local birding spots. Our programs, held seven times per year at the Reuter Center on the UNC Asheville campus, are free and open to the public. Our mission is to protect birds and the places they depend on. We believe that a world in which birds thrive is a world that benefits all living things. Our vision is a vibrant and just community where the protection of birds and our natural world is valued by everyone. |
| Training/Special Requirements | Volunteer Form/Survey |
Botanical Gardens at Asheville
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd. Asheville, NC 28804-3414 |
| Website | ashevillebotanicalgardens.org |
| Email | office@ashevillebotanicalgardens.org |
| Phone | (828) 252-5190 |
| Agency Description | Welcome to The Botanical Gardens at Asheville! Our native plant collection includes more than 600 species native to the Southern Appalachians. These include many species of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, vines, grasses and sedges. The Gardens has a full collection of native pine, magnolia and birch trees. Habitats vary from the sunny and dry to the shaded and wet, allowing many suitable niche species. We have more than 70 species of plants that scientists consider uncommon, rare or endangered on a regional, state or federal level. Such species include Oconee Bells (Shortia galacifolia), Swamp Pink (Helonias bullata), Broad-leaved Coreopsis (Coreopsis latifolia), French Broad Heartleaf (Hexastylis rhombiformis) and Pale Yellow Trillium (Trillium discolor). |
| Training/Special Requirements | Garden Rules |
Bountiful Cities
| Contact Person | Cathy Cleary |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | Office: 50 S. French Broad Ave. #257 Asheville, NC 28801
Mail: PO Box 898 Asheville, NC 28802 |
| Website | bountifulcities.org |
| Email | cathy@bountifulcities.org |
| Phone | (828) 257-4000 |
| Agency Description | Bountiful Cities is an urban agriculture non-profit founded in 2000. We partner with community groups, focusing on dialogue, trust and community needs, to create urban agricultural spaces. Our partnerships emphasize social justice, access to education, sustainability and economic viability. We share agricultural skills and resources to promote social justice and economic viability. Bountiful Cities participates with local, state and national organizations in advocating for our values and practices. We envision abundance and food sovereign communities |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | VISTA planned community service events with Orientation mentors |
Bounty & Soul
| Contact Person | Karla Gardner |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 999 Old US Hwy 70, Black Mountain, NC 28711 (Office Address) |
| Website | bountyandsoul.org |
| Email | karla@bountyandsoul.org |
| Phone | (828) 419-0533 |
| Agency Description | Our Mission: Together, we connect, share, and celebrate nutritious food, education, and community.
Vision: Creating communities where everyone has the right and opportunity to eat well, be nourished, and thrive. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Various service opportunities hosted by the Key Center |
Church of the Advocate
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 60 Church Street, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | reddooravl.org |
| Phone | (828) 253-9361 ext. 227 |
| Agency Description | The Red Door Ministry at the Church of the Advocate is located in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, and is a worshipping community of the Episcopal Dioceses of WNC. Most of our friends simply know us as The Red Door. Our ministry was established in 1997, making it one of the earliest to serve the marginalized and outside people in the downtown area. On Sundays we celebrate the Holy Eucharist and offer a safe and sacred space for our congregation to enjoy conversation, creative expression through art, access to The Basics Supply Closest and our Sole Mate Shoe Closet. A community meal is shared following our celebration and everyone is welcome to join us. Participation in the worship is NOT required to take part in any offerings. On Tuesdays you will find us opening The Red Door for Lectio Divinia, a community brunch with snacks, counseling and a place to just be. |
Center for Biological Diversity
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | Main Office: P.O. Box 710 Tucson, AZ 85702-0710 |
| Website | biologicaldiversity.org |
| Email | center@biologicaldiversity.org |
| Phone | (520) 623-5252 |
| Agency Description | At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature – to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law, and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters, and climate that species need to survive. We want those who come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive. |
Climate Listening Project
| Contact Person | Dayna Reggero |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Website | climatelisteningproject.org |
| Email | DaynaReggeroPR@gmail.com |
| Agency Description | The Climate Listening Project is an award-winning collaborative film and storytelling effort from Dayna Reggero to connect and share hopeful conversations on climate change impacts and community solutions. We partner with nonprofit organizaitons and groups to help share the stories that need to be heard. We have created short films, documentaries, branded contect, virutal reality films, animated videos, motion graphic videos, hand-painted portrait series, podcast series, experiential events, and more. We collaborate with diverse creatives to create unique and inspiring art and experiences with passion and intention. Since 2014, we’ve traveled across the United States and around the world to explore the connections that are important to each of us: family, faith, business, community; weaving together the latest science with inspiring stories from the globe. We’re not trying to convince anyone that climate change is real, we’re just listening to the real people who are impacted by climate change and the real people creating climate solutions. The Climate Listening Project not only focuses on our changing climate, but how we are changing as individuals, listening to our own realities, overcoming our fears and stereotypes, healing ourselves, and allowing ourselves to be our whole selves. Real change is not just about acknowledging and adapting to our changing weather – it is about changing our political climate, social climate, inclusion climate, and economic climate. We all have unique and important stories, contributions, experiences, and perspectives as we listen, learn, change, and grow. The Climate Listening Project shares these stories – your stories – our stories. |
Food Connection
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website Form |
| Address | PO Box 8324, Asheville, North Carolina 28814 |
| Website | food-connection.org |
| Phone | (828) 407-0353 |
| Agency Description | Food Connection eases hunger, reduces waste and supports our local food industry by redistributing surplus prepared food and purchasing meals from chefs to serve our neighbors in need. Food Connection is currently operating in North Carolina in Buncombe and Madison Counties. |
Food Justice Policy Initiative
| Contact Person | Jesse Rosenblum (Project Manager) |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Website | wncfoodjustice.com |
| Email | projectcoordinator@wncfoodjustice.com or projectmanager@wncfoodjustice.com |
| Agency Description | The Western North Carolina Food Justice Planning Initiative (WNC FJPI) is an opportunity for over three dozen stakeholder organizations from across our 18 county region and the Qualla Boundary to come together to think through the possibilities and create tangible action steps for collectively improving our food system. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Was a partner with Addison Wright on their McCullough Fellow project and worked with 2022 VISTA on grant research. |
Growing Wild Forest School
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | Hominy Creek Greenway, West Asheville |
| Website | growingwildforestschool.org |
| Email | growingwildforestschool@gmail.com |
| Phone | (828) 761-1497 |
| Agency Description | Growing Wild Forest School’s nature-based emergent curriculum allows for child-led free play interwoven with open-ended adult-guided activities. This strong foundation supports healthy development through all aspects of the growing child becoming more secure and balanced with an innate drive for stewardship and service. |
MANNA Food Bank
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 627 Swannanoa River Road, Asheville, NC 28805-2445 |
| Website | mannafoodbank.org |
| Phone | Phone: 828-299-3663
Fax: 828-299-3664
Food Helpline: 800-820-1109 |
| Agency Description | MANNA FoodBank, located in Asheville, North Carolina, is a private, not-for-profit service organization working to end food insecurity in the 16 counties of Western North Carolina, including the Qualla Boundary. MANNA links the food industry to over 200 partner pantries and other human service organizations to get food to thousands of families’ tables. MANNA is an acronym, and stands for Mountain Area Nutritional Needs Alliance. We are a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. Together we can solve hunger. |
| Training/Special Requirements | Food Drive Planning Page/Form
Volunteer |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Food Drives with the Key Center |
NOAA National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI)
| Contact Person | List of Contacts |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 151 Patton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | ncei.noaa.gov |
| Email | ncei.info@noaa.gov |
| Phone | (828) 271-4800 |
| Agency Description | NCEI is the Nation’s leading authority for environmental data. We manage one of the largest archives of atmospheric, coastal, geophysical, and oceanic research in the world. NCEI contributes to the NESDIS mission by developing new products and services that span the science disciplines and enable better data discovery. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | NCEI has supported several scholarships and interns for members of the UNCA Chapter of the American Meteorological Society. Executive Officer Tim Owens has also taught ATMS 103 at UNCA. |
Riverlink
| Contact Person | Justin Young |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone or Email |
| Address | 170 Lyman Street, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | riverlink.org |
| Email | information@riverlink.org |
| Phone | (828) 252-8474 |
| Agency Description | Riverlink promotes the environmental and economic vitality of the French Broad River and its watershed. RiverLink accomplishes its mission by improving watershed health and climate resilience, providing permanent public access to the river through conservation and recreation easements, reclaiming contaminated lands for public use and enjoyment, empowering over 1,000 volunteers each year, and annually educating over 3,000 students, as well as the public at large, about the importance of a healthy French Broad River watershed. |
| Training/Special Requirements | Volunteer Forms |
Shiloh Community Garden
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website Form |
| Address | 59 Hampton Road, Asheville, NC 28803 |
| Website | shilohnc.org |
| Phone | (828) 277-9654 |
| Agency Description | Shiloh Community Garden is a local community garden established and operated by members of the Shiloh community in Asheville. The garden is a project of the Shiloh Community Association (SCA) whose mission is to cultivate and promote cooperative relationships among residents, property owners, and businesses in the community; harmonious growth and development of the community; health, educational, and residential programs for children of the community; quality housing development in the community; and good citizenship among and by residents of the community. SCA envisions building on legacy, embracing community. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Volunteer service days hosted by the Key Center |
| Notes | Can be difficult to contact |
Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
| Contact Person | Travis Bordley |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 372 Merrimon Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | appalachian.org |
| Email | travis@appalachian.org |
| Phone | (828) 253-0095 |
| Agency Description | The mission of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is to conserve the unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty, and places for all people to enjoy outdoor recreation in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, enduring for future generations. We achieve this through long-term conservation relationships with private landowners and public agencies and owning and managing land. We are committed to creating and supporting equitable, healthy and thriving communities for everyone in our region. |
| Training/Special Requirements | Volunteer Form |
Sunrise Movement Asheville Hub
| Contact Person | Eliana |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | sunriseavl.org |
| Email | sunrisemovementavl@gmail.com |
| Agency Description | The Sunrise Movement is a youth movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. Building an army of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and wellbeing of all people. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Have linked with Sunrise’s UNCA Hub for volunteering and protest. Comm. Fellow is in Sunrise UNCA. |
The North Carolina Arboretum
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone, Email, or Website Form |
| Address | 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, N.C. 28806 |
| Website | ncarboretum.org |
| Email | info@ncarboretum.org |
| Phone | (828) 665-2492 |
| Agency Description | For more than 30 years, The North Carolina Arboretum has cultivated connections between people and plants. Established in 1986 by The North Carolina General Assembly to serve as a statewide and national resource, the Arboretum has served to demonstrate, interpret, and celebrate the importance of plants to our economy, culture and enjoyment. The North Carolina Arboretum’s mission is to advance our state’s future by creatively connecting people, plants and places through education, design and economic development, and its values include:
1) Insight in knowledge about the plant world
2) Authenticity to plan and work thoughtfully and carefully with respect for the regional landscape and culture, and
3) Responsibility to develop, communicate, interpret and support the importance of and the teaching about the importance of plants to our world. |
Urban Peace Gardens
| Contact Person | Safi Martin |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 47 Bryant Street, West Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | urbanpeacegardens.org |
| Email | safi@urbanpeacegardens.org |
| Phone | (828) 301-0166 |
| Agency Description | The Peace Gardens are situated on the side of a hill in the heart of West Asheville in the Burton Street Community, a historically African American neighborhood established in the early 1900’s by community leader, Edward Walton Pearson, Sr. The gardens stand and build on his legacy of entrepreneurship and community pride.
In 2003, as the nation clamored to our 2nd war in Iraq, the Burton Street neighborhood worked to recover from the recurring trauma of the war on drugs. Neighborhood residents were afraid to come out of their homes. Though we could not stop the war in Iraq, we could do our small part to increase the peace within our own neighborhood – and thus the Burton Street Community Peace Gardens were born. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Service opportunities with the Key Center |
USFS Southern Research Station
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website Form |
| Address | 200 W.T. Weaver Blvd., Asheville, NC 28804-3454 |
| Website | srs.fs.usda.gov |
| Phone | Phone: (828) 257-4832
TTY: (828) 259-0503 |
| Agency Description | The Southern Research Station is part of the Nation’s largest forestry research organization—USDA Forest Service Research and Development—the leading organization for research on natural resource management and sustainability in the United States. Science is our business; we are dedicated to scientific discovery, to developing and applying new techniques and technologies, and to meeting the needs of our customers. We believe that an emphasis on sustainability is the key to successful natural resource management and that human considerations are a part of every resource issue and opportunity. |
Western North Carolina Nature Center
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone or Website Form |
| Address | 75 Gashes Creek Rd, Asheville, NC 28805 |
| Website | wildwnc.org |
| Phone | (828) 259-8080 |
| Agency Description | The Western North Carolina Nature Center connects people with the animals and plants of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region by inspiring appreciation, nurturing understanding, and advancing conservation of the region’s rich biodiversity. Today, the Nature Center is one of the primary facilities in Western North Carolina offering school children and adults opportunities to learn about and develop an understanding of their responsibility for this area’s native wildlife and habitats. The WNC Nature Center is home to sixty species of wild and domestic animals and hundreds of species of plants, all representative of this unique bioregion, the Southern Appalachians. |
Wild South
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone or Website Form |
| Address | 31 Cross Street, Suite 210, Spruce Pine, NC 28777 |
| Website | https://wildsouth.org/ |
| Phone | (828) 258-2667 |
| Agency Description | Wild South has been putting the public in public lands for 28 years, giving communities opportunities to enjoy, value, and protect the wild character and natural legacy of the South. Wild South believes the Southern National Forests and parks are treasured places that enrich the quality of life and the social, economic, and cultural wealth of communities. |
Housing and Basic Need Security
Asheville Housing Authority
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 165 S French Broad Ave, Asheville, NC |
| Website | haca.org |
| Phone | (828) 258-1222 |
| Agency Description | Asheville Housing’s mission is to provide safe, quality, and affordable housing, to expand available resources, and to collaborate with the community to create opportunities for resident self-reliance and economic independence. Our core values are Compassion, Equity, Fairness, Integrity, Openness, Patience and Respect. From the Great Depression to the Information Age, HACA has given families and others a chance to come home to a place that is more than just an address. |
Asheville Poverty Initiative
| Contact Person | Kai Noar (Program Coordinator)
Melva Lowry (Director) |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 610 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | ashevillepovertyinitiative.org |
| Email | contact@ashevillepovertyinitiative.org |
| Agency Description | Asheville Poverty Initiative aims to build community and promote economic justice.
Dismantling stereotypes, reducing fear, and empowering hope through telling stories across socio-economic difference. API hosts two programs: Realities of Poverty Education Program and 12 Baskets Cafe. The Cafe serves free, sit down, hot lunch Thursdays from 11am-1pm and distributes food pantry style Tuesdays & Fridays 11am-1pm. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | 2022 VISTA worked with API at their 12 Baskets Cafe on a number of capacity building measures. API has connections to UNCA through the Key Center and Leslee Johnson. Leslee’s class volunteer with 12 Baskets in Fall of 2022. |
Babies Need Bottoms
| Contact Person | Meagan Lyon Leimena |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Website | babiesneedbottoms.org |
| Email | meagan@babiesneedbottoms.org |
| Agency Description | Babies Need Bottoms mission is to improve the lives of babies, toddlers, and parents in Western North Carolina through diaper distribution, community awareness and partnerships. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Homecoming service project |
| Notes | Emma Gravitt has been in contact with Meagan previously |
BeLoved Asheville
| Contact Person | Amy Cantrell (Director) |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | Mailing address: P.O. Box 6386
Asheville, NC 28816 |
| Website | belovedasheville.org |
| Email | belovedasheville@gmail.com |
| Phone | (828) 571-0766 |
| Agency Description | “BeLoved constantly is in the ‘eye of the storm’ providing for those in need and helping us to remember the humanity in all.” |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Together All Build Love & Equity event as part of the Arts & Impact Series |
| Notes | Can be hard to contact |
Community Housing Coalition of Madison County
| Contact Person | Laura Cheatham |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 798 Walnut Creek Rd. Marshall, NC 28753 |
| Website | chcmadisoncountync.org |
| Email | chc@chcmadisoncountync.org |
| Phone | (828) 649-1200 |
| Agency Description | Twenty years go, the work of Community Housing Coalition (CHC) of Madison County began informally with local church congregations banding together to provide home repairs for families in need in their communities. Aging housing stock and the very low income level of many homeowners in the County resulted in an increasing need for such assistance. Community Housing Coalition was formed out of the need to coordinate the generous efforts of the various groups providing assistance to community members. Today, 25% of Madison County residents live in sub-standard housing. A growing senior population, rising housing prices, the challenges of addiction, and generational poverty are all part of the environment in which we work. CHC works with more than 100 households annually, responding to their most urgent repair needs, many of which threaten the health and safety of residents. |
Haywood Street Congregation
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 297 Haywood St, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | haywoodstreet.org |
| Email | haywoodstreet@haywoodstreet.org |
| Phone | (828) 575-2477 |
| Agency Description | Haywood Street’s core programs provide a platform for the ministry of relationship, which can be defined simply as the act of “being with” and speaks to our deepest identity. It contrasts with “doing for” and requires spending time together, talking and listening, serving and being served, giving and receiving. It forms the basis for our unique and transformative companion ministry. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Worked with Key Center & VISTA on a fresco tour for Dr. Mangone’s Poverty Law Clinic class. |
Homeward Bound WNC
| Contact Person | Samuel S. (Outreach Specialist) |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | AHOPE Day Center: 19 N. Ann Street, Asheville, NC 28801
Mailing Address (donations, info, etc.): P.O. Box 1166, Asheville, NC. 28802
Welcome Home Donation Center: 205 Elk Park Drive, Woodfin, NC 28804 |
| Website | homewardboundwnc.org |
| Email | Samuel@HomewardBoundWNC.org |
| Phone | AHOPE Day Center: (828) 252-8883
Administrative Offices: (828) 258-1695
Welcome Home Donation Center: (828) 412-5322 |
| Agency Description | Homeward Bound was founded in 1988 with a focus on ending homelessness in Buncombe County. Since adopting the Housing First model in 2006, we’ve moved more than 2,300 individuals into housing. 92% have not returned to homelessness. |
| Training/Special Requirements | Fill out volunteer application via website |
Social Justice
Blue Ridge Pride
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | PO Box 2044, Asheville NC 28802-2044 |
| Website | blueridgepride.org |
| Email | Hello@BlueRidgePride.org |
| Phone | (828) 423-0655 |
| Agency Description | Our mission is to promote equality, safety, and quality of life for western North Carolina’s LBGTQ and allied communities, working as a united community through advocacy, celebration, education and service. We envision an inclusive community, where people are embraced for who they are and feel welcomed to engage and contribute. Service area: We seek to support communities in the following 23 counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Translyvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey. |
| Training/Special Requirements | Sign-Up Sheet |
Family Justice Center
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 35 Woodfin St, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | https://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/justice-services/key-initiatives/enough.aspx |
| Phone | (828) 250-6900 |
| Agency Description | The Family Justice Center (FJC) is a safe place where victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse can come for help. At the Buncombe County Family Justice Center survivors can access many different services in one location and begin their journey towards hope, healing, and safety. |
Hood Huggers International
| Contact Person | DeWayne Barton |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email, Phone, or Website Form |
| Address | 21 Mardell Circle Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | hoodhuggers.com |
| Email | For tours: info@hoodhuggers.com
All other inquiries: blove@hoodhuggers.com |
| Phone | (828) 275-5305 |
| Agency Description | DeWayne Barton returned to his hometown of Asheville, NC in 2001 bring with him a commitment to youth and community development. And in 2003, as the nation clamored to its 2nd war in Iraq, the Burton Street Neighborhood (where his family had lived for 4 generations) continued working to recover from the recurring trauma of the war on drugs. Though he couldn’t stop the war in Iraq, he and his wife could do their small part to increase the peace within this historic neighborhood – and thus the Burton Street Community Peace Gardens (now Peace Gardens & Market) were born. The Peace Gardens are situated on the side of a hill in the heart of West Asheville’s Burton Street Community, a historically African American neighborhood established in the early 1900’s by community leader, Edward Walton Pearson, Sr. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Connection through service events at Burton Street Peace Gardens, tours that the Key Center have sponsored, and Blue Note Junction. |
Kairos West
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 610 Haywood Rd, Asheville NC |
| Website | kairoswest.wordpress.com |
| Email | Kairoswest742@gmail.com |
| Phone | (828) 552-3344 |
| Agency Description | Kairos West Community Center is a sacred space in a secular world, accessible to all and set apart for community building and for the empowerment of emerging leadership through art, liturgy, and social service. We seek to provide a space for radical hospitality. The space at 610 Haywood Rd is open daily from 9 am – 4 pm and is available for your organization or group to use, free of charge, for community capacity building events or meetings. |
Our VOICE
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Online Contact Form |
| Address | 35 Woodfin St, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | ourvoicenc.org |
| Phone | (828) 252-0562 |
| Agency Description | Our VOICE takes an intersectional, person-centered approach to support survivors and prevent future acts of sexual violence. We hold ourselves accountable to these core values: Believe All Survivors, Promote Dignity, Support Individual Agency, Shift Paradigms, Create a Culture of Care and Honesty. |
Racial Justice Coalition
| Contact Person | Erin Barksdale |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website Form |
| Website | rjcavl.org |
| Agency Description | The Racial Justice Coalition (RJC) is a broad-based alliance of individuals and organizations committed to addressing systemic racism and state-sanctioned violence against Black people and those most impacted by poverty, criminalization, and mass incarceration. Through grassroots-led organizing and community collaborations, the RJC seeks to achieve and sustain deep equity by building power to those historically underrepresented, dismantling policies and institutions that uphold racism, and reimagining a community where justice exists for all people. |
Tranzmission
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website Form |
| Website | tranzmission.org |
| Agency Description | On April 2nd, 2001, Tranzmission was formed with a mission: to make the lives of nonbinary, transgender and gender nonconforming people in western North Carolina happier, healthier and safer through education, advocacy and support. Since then, we have expanded our service to transgender and non-binary people through a variety of different support groups, the Talya Mazuz Food Pantry, assistance in the name change process, connections with trans-affirming mental and physical health care providers, an affirming garment program, transgender awareness and support trainings for businesses and organizations, and several other programs. |
TruRidge
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 204 6th Ave W, Hendersonville, NC 28739 |
| Website | trueridge.org |
| Email | info@trueridge.org |
| Phone | (828) 205-1170 |
| Agency Description | True Ridge is a culture broker for the Hispanic and Immigrant community to empower them with knowledge and provide resources so they may feel seen, safe, and respected. We advocate for the underserved Hispanic community of Henderson County with limited English proficiency. We began in 2017 serving victims of crime, domestic violence, and sexual assault. Many families in our county have limited English and the need for bilingual advocates, this has driven the mission of True Ridge further. Our services encompass court advocacy, court accompaniment, translation and interpretation, case management, referrals to community resources, managing progress towards self-sufficiency, and immigration services as well as referrals to mental health services. |
United Way of ABC
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone or Website Form |
| Address | 50 S French Broad Ave, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | unitedwayabc.org |
| Phone | Phone: (828) 255-0696
Fax: (828) 255-8004 |
| Agency Description | Since its founding in 1921, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County (UWABC) has been known as a convener — bringing together the necessary people and resources needed to tackle crucial community issues and connect people to the support they need. In order to create lasting systemic change that improves opportunities for future generations, we’re committed to working with community partners to do what no one organization can do alone. |
Urban Peace Gardens
| Contact Person | Safi Martin |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 47 Bryant Street, West Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | urbanpeacegardens.org |
| Email | safi@urbanpeacegardens.org |
| Phone | (828) 301-0166 |
| Agency Description | The Peace Gardens are situated on the side of a hill in the heart of West Asheville in the Burton Street Community, a historically African American neighborhood established in the early 1900’s by community leader, Edward Walton Pearson, Sr. The gardens stand and build on his legacy of entrepreneurship and community pride.
In 2003, as the nation clamored to our 2nd war in Iraq, the Burton Street neighborhood worked to recover from the recurring trauma of the war on drugs. Neighborhood residents were afraid to come out of their homes. Though we could not stop the war in Iraq, we could do our small part to increase the peace within our own neighborhood – and thus the Burton Street Community Peace Gardens were born. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Service opportunities with the Key Center |
West Marion Community Forum
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website Form |
| Address | Rotating locations; see Facebook page |
| Website | westmarion.org |
| Agency Description | The mission of the West Marion Community Forum, Inc. is to enhance the quality of life of our residents and overcome racial barriers by building bridges in McDowell County. We do this by showing compassion, advocating for policy and systems change, promoting economic development, sharing resources, empowering youth, and creating equitable outcomes for all. |
WNC Diveristy Engagement Coalition
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Website | wncdec.com |
| Email | info@wncdec.com |
| Agency Description | The WNC Diversity Engagement Coalition strives to bring people together to collectively support the professional development, engagement, and inclusion of multicultural people within the member organizations and to serve as a resource around best policy and practice regarding equity in the workplace. |
WNC Interfaith Initiative for Social Justice
| Contact Person | Ron Katz |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Website | facebook.com/interfaithinitiativeforsocialjustice/ |
| Email | ronkatz327@gmail.com |
| Agency Description | The Interfaith Initiative for Social Justice (IISJ) began in the mountains of Western NC as a way for people from different faiths and congregations to work together on social justice issues of common interest. It was started in 2017 when more than 20 people came together to see if such an organization had the people power to be established. Now, more than 220 people subscribe to its bi-weekly e-newsletter that offers opportunities for people to learn, be inspired, and take action. |
Youth OUTright
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website Form or Phone |
| Address | PMB 128, 30 Westgate Pkwy, Asheville NC 28806 |
| Website | youthoutright.org |
| Email | info@youthoutright.org |
| Phone | (866) 881-3721 |
| Agency Description | At Youth OUTright, we engage and support LGBTQIA+ youth to be confident, resilient and compassionate community members. Our mission is to create a world in which all Queer and Trans youth are supported to realize their power and autonomy through self-determination. We help youth resist oppression by building community, healing, and growing together. Youth OUTright engages in intersectional and intergenerational dialogue with a focus on gender and racial justice. Our work includes programming for youth ages 11-24, training for youth-serving organizations, and advocacy for policies that protect Queer and Trans youth. |
YWCA
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone or Website Form |
| Address | 185 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | ywcaofasheville.org |
| Email | contact@ywcaofasheville.org |
| Phone | Phone: (828) 254-7206
Fax: (828) 258-8731 |
| Agency Description | YWCA Asheville is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, nurturing children and promoting health. In line with our mission, YWCA programs bridge gaps in education, health, childcare and earning power for women and families in our community. |
Children, Youth, and Education
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)
| Contact Person | Kim Kessaris |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Website | UNCA: unca.edu/programs/education/outside-the-classroom/avid/
Asheville City Schools: https://nc02214494.schoolwires.net/Page/4892 |
| Email | kessaris@unca.edu |
| Agency Description | AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) began 30 years ago in San Diego, CA. Asheville City Schools adopted the AVID program in 1997 and invited UNC Asheville to become an AVID partner in 1999. For the past 12 years, Asheville City Schools and UNC Asheville, and more recently, the City of Asheville and Mission Hospitals have collaborated to support hundreds of students as they graduate from high school and go on to attend the college or university of their choice. |
Asheville City Schools
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 85 Mountain Street, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | ashevillecityschools.net |
| Phone | (828) 350-7000 |
| Agency Description | Proudly serving our community for over 130 years, Asheville City Schools is deeply connected with the history of our community. Located in western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, we are one of fifteen city districts in the state, with 9 educational campuses and about 4000 students. Asheville City Schools celebrates each child’s passage through educational achievement, a journey championed by a vibrant community of teachers, parents, mentors, staff and fellow students. |
Asheville City Schools Foundation & IRL
| Contact Person | Gregory Hall II or Marilee Woodard |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 43 College Place, Suite 312 Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | acsf.org |
| Email | acsf@acsf.org |
| Phone | Phone: (828) 350-6174
IRL Cell Phone: (828) 747-2247 |
| Agency Description | IRL provides high quality, hands-on, equitable, and accessible after-school programming for all Asheville City Schools middle school students. IRL is committed to ensuring that all students have opportunities to access programming. IRL partners with Asheville City Schools transportation to provide bussing around the city and in the evenings to increase access for students and families. By partnering with 50+ community organizations and professionals, IRL has developed unique youth-informed programs to meet the demands of Asheville City Schools middle school students. |
Asheville Farmstead School
| Contact Person | Lauren Roddick-Brown (founder) |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 218 Morgan Cove Rd, Candler, NC 28715 |
| Website | ashevillefarmstead.org |
| Phone | (828) 771-6047 |
| Agency Description | Asheville Farmstead School exists to foster experiences that unearth the connection between nature, people, and sustainable food sources. By celebrating individual diversity, we lay the foundation for the empathy and kindness needed to create a village of life-long learners. Our students learn skills to develop and care for the Earth, their fellow humans, and their own education. |
Asheville High School Writing Center
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 419 McDowell Street, Asheville, NC 28803 |
| Website | sites.google.com/acsgmail.net/ahswritingcenter/home |
| Phone | (828) 350-2500 |
| Agency Description | At the AHS Writing Center, it is our mission to serve students of all writing abilities during the school day. We have also expanded to offer support in other subjects areas and in the college/scholarship application process. The Writing and Learning Center welcomes students into a safe environment where collaboration is a common part of the creative process. We believe students will thrive in a culture of young scholars who actively support each other to promote academic success. |
Asheville Museum of Science
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 43 Patton Ave. Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | ashevillescience.org |
| Email | info@ashevillescience.org |
| Phone | (828) 254-7162 |
| Agency Description | The Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS) is Western North Carolina’s home for experiential science learning, discovery, and exploration. AMOS strives to spark the imagination and foster lifelong curiosity. |
Brevard Academy
| Contact Person | Ted Duncan |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 1110 Hendersonville Highway, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 |
| Website | brevardacademy.org |
| Email | tduncan@brevardacademy.org |
| Phone | (828) 885-2665 |
| Agency Description | Brevard Academy: A Challenge Foundation Academy is a public charter school, charges no tuition, and is open to any child eligible for the public school systems of North Carolina and the immediately adjacent areas of South Carolina. BA-CFA is characterized by small classes and an excellent music and art program. Physical activity plays an important role and incorporates outdoor education knowledge and kills that will serve students well throughout their lifetimes. Brevard Academy: A Challenge Foundation Academy students live by an Honor Code that promotes consideration, integrity, positive spirit, and value of the individual. The curriculum develops enthusiasm for investigative learning, encourages students to produce original ideas, think creatively, and solve problems effectively. As a partnership between teachers, students, and parents, the school is dedicated to the development of the whole child and to the enhancement of the values of respect and responsibility. |
Buncombe County Schools
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 175 Bingham Road Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | buncombeschools.org |
| Phone | (828) 255-5921 |
| Agency Description | Buncombe County Schools is one school system of 45 schools in six school districts. Our districts include Enka, Erwin, North Buncombe, Owen, Reynolds, and Roberson. |
Buncombe Partnership for Children
| Contact Person | Deborah Calhoun |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 53 Asheland Avenue Suite 102A Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | buncombepfc.org |
| Email | Go to “Contact Us” page on the website for a list of staff emails |
| Phone | (828) 285-9333 |
| Agency Description | Buncombe Partnership for Children is on a mission to strengthen the capacity of educators, families, and the community to build a strong foundation for children’s learning and development beginning at birth. |
Christine W. Avery Learning Center (CWA)
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 135 Hill Street, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | cwalearningcenter.com |
| Email | avery.learningcenter@gmail.com |
| Phone | (828) 232-7433 |
| Agency Description | Named after the late Christine Watson Avery, the CWA learning center strives to build an active learning community for all students. Christine Avery served the community for over 50 years as an elementary school teacher for the Asheville City School system. She also served as first lady of the Hill program. During her time as the first lady of the church, Christine Avery founded the Hill Street Church Daycare; the oldest and only black owned daycare in Asheville. She believed that every child was special and deserving of love. Her message to everyone she encountered was to believe that they are loved and capable. Committed to the edification of the youth, Christine Avery served alongside her husband, Rev. Dr. Nilous M. Avery Sr., to champion discrimination using educational techniques. The two were successful in their attempts to reach the youth by creating many education programs including the Asheville Student Commission on Racial Equality (ASCORE), and Earning By Learning. Christine Avery’s legacy still continues today at the hands of her descendents. CiCi Weston, who is the daughter of the late Christine Avery, currently serves as the head director of the CWA learning center. CWA is also located in the same place where Hill Street Daycare once was. |
Eliada Homes
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website, Email, or Phone |
| Address | 2 Compton Dr. Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | eliada.org |
| Email | info@eliada.org |
| Phone | (828) 254-5356 |
| Agency Description | In Eliada’s 117 year history, the agency has adapted to the needs of the community. Originally an orphanage, Eliada developed Foster Care programming when there was a nation-wide shift away from the traditional children’s home model. As mental health issues in children came into greater focus, Eliada also developed state of the art Residential Treatment Facilities and expanded Foster Care services to include Therapeutic Foster Care. As women entered the workforce, Eliada added child care and preschool services. In Eliada’s recent history, we recognized that youth were aging out of Foster Care and failing in traditional post-secondary education. So the organization once again adapted to meet this community need with Eliada Student’s Training for Advancement Program which provides workforce development programming for this population of youth. |
Growing Wild Forest School
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | Hominy Creek Greenway, West Asheville |
| Website | growingwildforestschool.org |
| Email | growingwildforestschool@gmail.com |
| Phone | (828) 761-1497 |
| Agency Description | Growing Wild Forest School’s nature-based emergent curriculum allows for child-led free play interwoven with open-ended adult-guided activities. This strong foundation supports healthy development through all aspects of the growing child becoming more secure and balanced with an innate drive for stewardship and service. |
Hanger Hall School
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 64 W.T. Weaver Boulevard Asheville, NC 28804 |
| Website | hangerhall.org |
| Email | info@hangerhall.org |
| Phone | (828) 258-3600 |
| Agency Description | Hanger Hall provides each student a superior middle school education in an inclusive and supportive environment that promotes a sense of a belonging, creativity, self-confidence, personal motivation and a desire for knowledge. In partnership with parents, Hanger Hall encourages our students to develop the living and learning skills necessary to succeed in life and to contribute to the betterment of the world. |
Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC)
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 121 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803 |
| Website | mahec.net |
| Phone | (828) 257-4400 |
| Agency Description | The NC AHEC Program provides and supports educational activities and services with a focus on primary care in rural communities and those with less access to resources to recruit, train, and retain the workforce needed to create a healthy North Carolina. Located in Asheville, MAHEC is one of nine centers in the NC AHEC Program and serves the western part of our state. |
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 300 Campus View Dr, Asheville, NC 28804 |
| Website | olliasheville.unca.edu |
| Email | olli@unca.edu |
| Phone | (828) 251-6140 |
| Agency Description | The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville (formerly the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement) is an award-winning, internationally-acclaimed learning community dedicated to promoting lifelong learning, leadership, community service, and research. OLLI embraces a comprehensive array of programs in the arts and humanities, the natural world, civic engagement, wellness, life transition and retirement relocation planning. Our mission is to promote opportunities to thrive in life’s second half through programs in lifelong learning, leadership, community service, and research. |
PEAK Academy
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 27 Balm Grove Ave, Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | ashevillepeakacademy.org |
| Email | info@ashevillepeakacademy.org |
| Phone | (828) 333-5430 |
| Agency Description | Asheville P.E.A.K. Academy is a tuition-free public charter school. At P.E.A.K. we strive to close the achievement gap through personalized instruction and character education to ensure youth from all demographics and backgrounds receive a quality educational experience that will allow them to achieve success in their academics and in life. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | 2021 UNCA Student Volunteers |
Project Lighten Up
| Contact Person | Rock Hill Missionary Baptist Church |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 486 Caribou Road, Asheville, NC 28803 |
| Website | https://www.handsonasheville.org/agency/detail/?agency_id=116863 |
| Phone | (828) 274-2533 |
| Agency Description | Project Lighten Up is a unique summer day camp and afterschool program that blends education and recreation into everyday activities. This educational opportunity for low-income and minority youth, provides meaningful education with a focus on developing the self-esteem of youth in a positive camp environment. Project Lighten up strives to reduce the achievement gap among African American students by eliminating summer learning loss, developing self-esteem and self-confidence through learning and earning, and to deter juvenile delinquency and criminal activity through positive enriching activities. |
Rainbow Community School
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email, Phone, or Website Form |
| Address | 574 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | rainbowcommunityschool.org |
| Email | info@rainbowlearning.org |
| Phone | (828) 258-9264 |
| Agency Description | Rainbow Community School is proud to offer a private, independent and alternative education program for preschool through middle school-aged children that draws from the best in current education thinking and holistic models of child development. We are recognized nationally as a leader in contemplatives and mindfulness education. |
The Asheville School
| Contact Person | Ray Edmond |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 360 Asheville School Rd, Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | ashevilleschool.org |
| Email | edmondr@ashevilleschool.org |
| Agency Description | Asheville School students are passionate about learning and motivated to excel. Our classes are small and active, as students and teachers engage in lively discussions that encourage critical thinking. Our students are driven to excel in their academics, and, very importantly, they enjoy learning. Studying alongside other motivated students, it makes for an exciting, inspiring education. It’s a rewarding one as well – Asheville School graduates are accepted to the nation’s most prestigious colleges. |
Verner Center for Early Learning
| Contact Person | Polly Phillips |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | Verner East, 2586 Riceville Rd., Asheville, NC 28805 |
| Website | vernerearlylearning.org |
| Email | pphillips@verneremail.org |
| Phone | (828) 407-1897 |
| Agency Description | Verner Center for Early Learning is a nonprofit agency providing high quality, affordable early care and education to over 300 children – birth to five years old – throughout Buncombe County, North Carolina. Through holistic learning environments, we strive to help build a community where every child and family has the opportunity to thrive. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Worked with Key Center on service opportunity |
Youth OUTright
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website Form or Phone |
| Address | PMB 128, 30 Westgate Pkwy, Asheville NC 28806 |
| Website | youthoutright.org |
| Email | info@youthoutright.org |
| Phone | (866) 881-3721 |
| Agency Description | At Youth OUTright, we engage and support LGBTQIA+ youth to be confident, resilient and compassionate community members. Our mission is to create a world in which all Queer and Trans youth are supported to realize their power and autonomy through self-determination. We help youth resist oppression by building community, healing, and growing together. Youth OUTright engages in intersectional and intergenerational dialogue with a focus on gender and racial justice. Our work includes programming for youth ages 11-24, training for youth-serving organizations, and advocacy for policies that protect Queer and Trans youth. |
Art and Culture
Asheville Art Museum
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 2 South Pack Square, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | ashevilleart.org |
| Phone | (828) 253-3227 |
| Agency Description | The Asheville Art Museum’s mission is to engage, enlighten, and inspire individuals and enrich community through dynamic experiences in American art of the 20th and 21st centuries. |
Asheville Community Theatre
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 35 E. Walnut St. Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | ashevilletheatre.org |
| Phone | (828) 254-1320 |
| Agency Description | Asheville Community Theatre has been delighting audiences with high quality performances, making us the oldest continuously operating theatre in Asheville and one of the oldest community theatres in the nation. We provide entertainment, enrichment and education through the practices and celebration of the theatre arts. |
Buncombe County Special Collections
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 67 Haywood Street Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | specialcollections.buncombecounty.org |
| Email | packnc@buncombecounty.org |
| Phone | (828) 250-4740 |
| Agency Description | The Buncombe County Special Collections Library (formerly the North Carolina Room) is a medium-sized archival facility located on the lower level of Pack Memorial Library in Downtown Asheville. Buncombe County Special Collections specializes in the social, cultural, and natural history of Asheville, Buncombe County, and Western North Carolina. |
Center for Craft
| Contact Person | Madison Tenney |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 67 Broadway St, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | centerforcraft.org |
| Email | info@centerforcraft.org |
| Phone | (828) 785-1357 |
| Agency Description | For over 25 years, the Center for Craft has been at the vanguard of the craft movement, advancing the understanding, prominence, and historical significance of craft, and identifying and cultivating the next great researchers and artists in the field. Now, the Center is building on this remarkable foundation through a realigned strategic plan, Craft Matters. Focused on activating resources, catalyzing craft communities, and amplifying craft’s impact, Craft Matters will not only shape the Center’s direction for the next five years, but will have far-ranging influence. |
Flatiron Writers Room
| Contact Person | Heather Newton |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website Form |
| Address | 5 Covington Street, Asheville, NC 28806
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 658, Asheville, NC 28802 |
| Website | flatironwritersroom.com |
| Agency Description | The Mission of the Flatiron Writers Room is to support serious western North Carolina writers by:
Offering space for classes, workshops, and writing-related events, as well as co-working space for individual writers; Providing high quality classes and workshops on both craft and the business of writing; Fostering opportunities for writers to showcase their work through publication and performance; Designing retreats that provide intentional writing time and individualized feedback; Partnering and collaborating with other regional literary organizations and groups to achieve a collective positive impact for the western North Carolina writing community; In all of the above, honoring diversity of race, national origin, age, ability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and culture. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Heather Newton teaches creative writing for UNC Asheville’s Great Smokies Writing Program as well as the Flatiron Writers Room. |
Gold Leaf Literary
| Contact Person | Caroline Green Christopoulos |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Website Form |
| Website | goldleafliterary.com |
| Email | theteam@goldleafliterary.com |
| Agency Description | Like so many of the best stories, ours starts in a bookstore. Lauren Harr and Caroline Green Christopoulos met while working as events manager and book buyer at Malaprop’s, the legendary Asheville, North Carolina independent bookstore. Throughout the years of coordinating author readings, attending industry trade events, and working with publishers and distributors, they developed a passion for helping authors navigate the confusing maze of book publishing and book promotion. They launched Gold Leaf Literary in 2016, working with authors to book and coordinate school visits, bookstore events, and develop book publicity campaigns. Now celebrating five years in business, Gold Leaf has expanded to serve clients with author assistance, social media and author branding, manuscript critique and submissions support. Our expanded team brings a breadth of experience and a wealth of long-standing relationships with pros across the publishing industry. |
Hood Huggers International
| Contact Person | DeWayne Barton |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email, Phone, or Website Form |
| Address | 21 Mardell Circle Asheville, NC 28806 |
| Website | hoodhuggers.com |
| Email | For tours: info@hoodhuggers.com
All other inquiries: blove@hoodhuggers.com |
| Phone | (828) 275-5305 |
| Agency Description | DeWayne Barton returned to his hometown of Asheville, NC in 2001 bring with him a commitment to youth and community development. And in 2003, as the nation clamored to its 2nd war in Iraq, the Burton Street Neighborhood (where his family had lived for 4 generations) continued working to recover from the recurring trauma of the war on drugs. Though he couldn’t stop the war in Iraq, he and his wife could do their small part to increase the peace within this historic neighborhood – and thus the Burton Street Community Peace Gardens (now Peace Gardens & Market) were born. The Peace Gardens are situated on the side of a hill in the heart of West Asheville’s Burton Street Community, a historically African American neighborhood established in the early 1900’s by community leader, Edward Walton Pearson, Sr. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Connection through service events at Burton Street Peace Gardens, tours that the Key Center have sponsored, and Blue Note Junction. |
Jewish Community Center (JCC)
| Contact Person | Aislinn McShane |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 236 Charlotte Street Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | jcc-asheville.org |
| Email | info@jcc-asheville.org |
| Phone | (828) 253-0701 |
| Agency Description | The JCC is Asheville’s Jewish Town Square. At the JCC, all are welcome to share in Jewish traditions, values, and culture. Our JCC has been the home for Jewish life in Western North Carolina since 1940, and today we continue to be a vibrant and diverse community, offering a wide variety of programs for people from all backgrounds, at every stage of life. |
| Training/Special Requirements | Requires membership |
LEAF Global Arts
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 19 Eagle St Suite 120, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | theleaf.org |
| Email | info@theLEAF.org |
| Phone | (828) 686-8742 |
| Agency Description | LEAF Global Arts connects cultures and creates community through music, arts education and experiences, to cultivate curiosity, preserve cultures and promote global understanding. |
Malaprops
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 55 Haywood St, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | malaprops.com |
| Email | info@malaprops.com |
| Phone | +1 (800) 441-9829 or (828) 254-6734 |
| Agency Description | We bring books, writers, and readers together in an environment that nurtures community and the joy of reading. We carry a carefully curated selection of books for adults, children, and young adults. |
Museum of the Cherokee People
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 589 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee, NC 28719 |
| Website | mci.org |
| Email | mci.org/contact (museum staff emails) |
| Phone | (828) 497-3481 |
| Agency Description | Our mission is “to preserve and perpetuate the history, culture, and stories of the Cherokee people.” To accomplish this mission, the museum maintains a permanent exhibit, extensive artifact collection, archives, education programs, artist series, and a gift shop. The museum also publishes the Journal of Cherokee Studies. |
NC Genealogical Survey
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 6300 Creedmoor Road, Suite 170 #323, Raleigh, North Carolina 27612 |
| Website | ncgenealogy.org |
| Email | info@ncgenealogy.org |
| Agency Description | Our goals are to increase interest in and raise the standards of research and compilation by means of educational programs and publications; acquaint members with research sources and materials in North Carolina and elsewhere; serve as a medium of exchange of genealogical information; promote the collection, preservation, and utilization of manuscripts, documents, and other materials of genealogical and historical value. |
South Asheville Cemetery
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 20 Dalton St, Asheville, NC 28803 |
| Website | southashevillecemetery.net |
| Phone | (828) 254-9109 |
| Agency Description | The South Asheville Cemetery began as a slave burial ground, and serves as the final resting place for approximately two thousand African Americans. Over the last thirty years, thousands of volunteers have worked with members of the South Asheville Cemetery Association to improve and maintain this sacred and historical site in an effort to promote greater public awareness of African American history in Buncombe County and to honor the people buried there. |
Thomas Wolfe Memorial
| Contact Person | Kayla Pressley Seay |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 52 North Market Street, Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | wolfememorial.com |
| Email | kayla.seay@ncdcr.gov |
| Phone | (828) 253-8304 |
| Agency Description | Considered by many to be one of the giants of 20th-century American literature, Thomas Wolfe immortalized his childhood home in his epic autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe’s colorful portrayal of his family, his hometown of “Altamont” Asheville, North Carolina, and “Dixieland” the Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse, earned the Victorian period house a place as one of American literature’s most famous landmarks. |
YMI Cultural Center
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone or Website Form |
| Address | 39 S. Market St. Asheville N.C. 28801 |
| Website | ymiculturalcenter.org |
| Phone | (828) 257-4540 |
| Agency Description | The YMICC’s mission is to promote cultural preservation and elevate Black Excellence through community engagement, advocacy, leadership development and economic justice. Each and every person at the YMI Cultural Center makes a difference to the complex, ongoing work of advancing the black community here in Buncombe County. We have and will continue to stand in and lead the way for black rights, social justice and changing… And with the community by our side, we will continue to accelerate to the next milestones for Black People. |
Policy, Government, and Civic Engagement
Asheville Sister Cities
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | Asheville Sister Cities, Inc. PO Box 2214, Asheville, NC 28802 |
| Website | ashevillesistercities.org |
| Email | ashevillesistercities@gmail.com |
| Agency Description | Organized in 1988, Asheville Sister Cities, Inc. (ASCI) is an independent 501(c)3 that is a people-oriented, community organization affiliated with the City of Asheville and Sister Cities International. In conjunction with local governments, it serves to promote international awareness and maintain relations with the sister cities linked to Asheville: |
Buncombe County Board of Elections
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 59 Woodfin Place Asheville, NC 28801
Mail: PO Box 7468 Asheville, NC 28802-7468 |
| Website | buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/election/Default.aspx |
| Email | Click on “Locate & Contact” in the menu, then fill out the email form on the webpage |
| Phone | (828) 250-4200 |
| Agency Description | Buncombe County Election Services is committed to transparent, inclusive, and efficient elections giving the residents of Buncombe County confidence in exercising their right to vote. Register. Plan.VOTE. |
Campus Vote Project
| Contact Person | Mike Burns |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Website | campusvoteproject.org |
| Email | info@campusvoteproject.org |
| Phone | (202) 331-0114 |
| Agency Description | We can help change these historical trends and continue to grow the increasing voter turnout rates and increasing share of the electorate that is younger voters by working with community colleges and universities to welcome the nearly 20 million students they serve each year into the democratic process. Young people cite barriers such as missing a deadline or lacking other information as the reason they did not register at much higher rates than older age groups. Students also cite trusting their college or university over other institutions so by working with community colleges and universities to provide students nonpartisan opportunities to register to vote, learn about the issues and candidates on the ballot, and receive accurate information on deadlines and processes for voting absentee, by-mail, early, or on Election Day we can empower students to become life-long voters and active citizens. |
City of Asheville
| Contact Person | Maggie Burleson |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 70 Court Plaza P.O. Box 7148 Asheville, NC 28802 |
| Website | ashevillenc.gov |
| Email | General: webmaster@ashevillenc.gov
Maggie Burleson: mburleson@ashevillenc.gov |
| Phone | General: (828) 251-1122
Maggie Burleson: (828) 259-5601 |
| Agency Description | The City of Asheville operates under a council-manager form of government as prescribed by its charter. The Asheville City Council is composed of a mayor and six council members who are elected at-large for four-year, staggered terms. City Council determines the needs to be addressed and the degree of service to be provided by the administrative branch of city government through the establishment of city policies. The City Council appoints a city manager who oversees day-to-day city operations and executes Council-established laws and policies. Contact Maggie Burleson to be added to the email distribution list to receive City Council agendas and City Council related notifications. |
Civic Influencers
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 16192 Coastal Highway, Lewes, DE 19958 |
| Website | civicinfluencers.org |
| Email | info@civicinfluencers.org |
| Phone | (302) 644-5757 |
| Agency Description | Founded in 2008, Civic Influencers is a national nonpartisan 501 c 3 organization whose mission is to increase youth civic power and youth voting, giving emphasis to Black, Indigenous and Youth of Color. At this pivotal time, the landscape for young people understanding, and participating in, our democracy is changing so rapidly that they may never inherit the future we promised. Rigorous novel data collection and analysis are now driving our youth centric voting interventions, and determining what we are scaling. This data driven approach will have greater impact on increasing young people’s voting and civic power. |
Democracy NC
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 3000 Aerial Center Parkway
Suite 160
Morrisville, NC 27560 |
| Website | democracync.org |
| Email | info@democracync.org |
| Phone | (919) 286-6000 |
| Agency Description | Our mission is to strengthen democratic structures, build power among disenfranchised communities, and inspire confidence in a transformed political process that works for all.
As part of our mission to help North Carolinians achieve meaningful pro-democracy reform, Democracy North Carolina engages in a variety of activities, including: Research that analyzes election-related problems, explores possible solutions, and distributes our findings to targeted audiences as well as the media and other intermediaries; Organizing both statewide and in local communities, where we bring together diverse groups of people to focus on shared advocacy and civic engagement goals; Training that is conducted through our grassroots organizing network; and Democracy Summer, a unique training program that provides outstanding students with paid positions to work on the frontline of democracy for nine weeks each year, learning the fundamentals of grassroots organizing, and empowering citizens to take part in the political process.
Each of these activities complements the other and contributes to our goal of expanding the effectiveness of organizations and individuals who are concerned about civic participation and government reform. |
Land of Sky
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 339 New Leicester Hwy., Suite 140 Asheville, NC |
| Website | landofsky.org |
| Email | info@landofsky.org |
| Phone | (828) 251-6622 |
| Agency Description | Land of Sky Regional Council is a multi-county, local government, planning and development organization. We reach county and municipal borders providing technical assistance to local governments and administer projects and programs which benefit our region’s citizens. |
| Training/Special Requirements | Apply through website |
League of Women Voters
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC, 20036 |
| Website | lwv.org |
| Phone | (202) 429-1965 |
| Agency Description | “Empowering voters. Defending democracy.” We envision a democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge, and the confidence to participate. |
National Study for Voting, Learning, and Engagement
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 163 Packard Ave., Medford, MA 02155 |
| Website | idhe.tufts.edu/nslve |
| Email | idhe@tufts.edu |
| Phone | (617) 627-3453 |
| Agency Description | The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) offers colleges and universities an opportunity to learn their student registration and voting rates and, for interested campuses, a closer examination of their campus climate for political learning and engagement and correlations between specific student learning experiences and voting.
Critical to our broader mission of strengthening college student learning for democracy, NSLVE’s goals are to:
• Provide a service to colleges and universities interested in learning about their students’ voting habits
• Build a national database for research on college student political learning and engagement in democracy |
NC Campus Engagement
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 515 East College Ave., Elon, NC
Mailing: 2257 Campus Box, Elon, NC 27244 |
| Website | nccampusengagement.org |
| Email | ncce@ncengage.org |
| Phone | (336) 278-7278 |
| Agency Description | North Carolina Campus Engagement (NCCE) is a collaborative network of colleges and universities committed to educating students for civic and social responsibility, partnering with communities for positive change, and strengthening democracy. The NC Campus Engagement state office fosters connections between campuses, shares best practice information and resources, recognizes outstanding work, and champions civic and community engagement in higher education. |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | Hood Huggers Int’l & the Urban Peace Gardens received the NCCE 2023 Community Partner Award for their partnership with UNCA. |
Pisgah Legal Services
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone, Website Form |
| Address | 62 Charlotte Street Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | pisgahlegal.org |
| Phone | +1 (828) 253-0406 |
| Agency Description | Pisgah Legal Services seeks to pursue justice by providing legal assistance and advocacy to help low-income people in Western North Carolina meet their basic needs and improve their lives. |
| Training/Special Requirements | Volunteer Requirements |
| Past Engagement/Partnerships/etc. with UNCA | UNCA Alum Intern |
WNC Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | PO Box 28004, Raleigh, NC 27611 |
| Website | acluofnorthcarolina.org |
| Email | contact@acluofnc.org |
| Phone | Phone: (919) 834-3466
Fax: (919) 869-2075 |
| Agency Description | Whether it’s achieving full equality for LGBTQIA+ people, fighting to achieve racial justice, pushing to eradicate our broken and racially biased criminal legal system, defending freedom of speech, religion, and the right to protest, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach. |
WNC Diveristy Engagement Coalition
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Website | wncdec.com |
| Email | info@wncdec.com |
| Agency Description | The WNC Diversity Engagement Coalition strives to bring people together to collectively support the professional development, engagement, and inclusion of multicultural people within the member organizations and to serve as a resource around best policy and practice regarding equity in the workplace. |
Community Service and Volunteering
Blue Ridge Service Corps
| Contact Person | Kelsey Davis |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email |
| Address | 900B CentrePark Drive Asheville, NC 28805 (The Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina) |
| Website | blueridgeservicecorps.org |
| Email | kdavis@diocesewnc.org |
| Phone | (828) 424-1377 |
| Agency Description | The Diocese of WNC is proud to have had over a dozen young adults go on to particpate in programs such as Young Adult Service (YASC) & Episcopal Service Corps (ESC). In 2018, Bisop José McLoughlin and Canon Augusta Anderson gave the support to gather a Steering Committee to explore the feasibility of creating a service corps community in the Diocese. Over the course of 2018 and 2019, the committee worked with Megan Cox, founder of Blue Ridge Service Corps, to lay the groundwork for the program, which had its inaugural year in 2020. Currently, BRSC is supported by the Diocese of WNC, Bishop Jose, the BRSC Advisory Board, Missioner for Youth & Young Adults Eden Lewis, Director Kelsey Davis, partner organizations, and many others who share their resources with us. From our founding, Blue Ridge Service Corps has committed to formation. We are a learning community, that values accountability and transformation. Collectively, we seek to learn from one another and the communities around us through relationship and experiences, co-working with others and God. We are committed to bringing forth the reality of God’s dream, where all people experience equity and flourishing. |
Buncombe County Community Engagement Team
| Contact Person | Rasheeda McDaniels |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Phone |
| Address | Community Engagment 199 College St. Asheville, NC 28801 |
| Website | www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/community-engagement/default.aspx |
| Email | Scroll down to “Locate & Contact” on the webpage, then fill out the email form |
| Phone | (828) 250-4102 |
| Agency Description | Community Engagement serves as a liaison between the County and community to increase public awareness of and participation in County programs, services and initiatives. By supporting efforts to increase access, equity, inclusion, collaboration, and resiliency, Community Engagement seeks to create opportunities for positive change and thriving communities. |
Hands and Feet of Asheville
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 789 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, NC 28804 |
| Website | handsandfeetavl.org |
| Email | handsandfeetavl@gmail.com |
| Phone | (828) 773-8880 |
| Agency Description | Hands and Feet of Asheville is a Young Adult Volunteer [YAV] site of the Presbyterian Church USA. Living in the shadows of the Appalachian mountains, YAVs in Asheville are invited to embrace a city of opposites. A city that thrives in providing for tourists, but has not equitably provided affordable housing or living wages for its residents. A city with an urban downtown setting, that is only minutes from the realities and cultures of rural western North Carolina and the poverty of the southern Appalachian region. A city that has long embraced the arts and provided safe haven for the free spirit and progressive ideologies, while simultaneously being nestled in the corner of a conservative state that does not mirror its priorities. Being a YAV in Asheville requires a willingness to be uncomfortable in the opposites, as well as the fortitude to navigate the in-between so that you may learn more about who you are and decide how you want to live in service of compassionate social justice, during the YAV year and throughout your life. |
| Training/Special Requirements | Live in intentional community, practice simple living, use public transportation (limit of 2 cars), work 32 hours/week with non-profit partners, participate in 2-3 retreats each year, spend each Friday in common reflection, social justice issue education, and community time, learn about, play and find challenging intersectionality in these beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, serve the community between September-July. |
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)
| Contact Person | None Specified |
| Preferred Method of Contact | Email or Phone |
| Address | 300 Campus View Dr, Asheville, NC 28804 |
| Website | olliasheville.unca.edu |
| Email | olli@unca.edu |
| Phone | (828) 251-6140 |
| Agency Description | The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville (formerly the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement) is an award-winning, internationally-acclaimed learning community dedicated to promoting lifelong learning, leadership, community service, and research. OLLI embraces a comprehensive array of programs in the arts and humanities, the natural world, civic engagement, wellness, life transition and retirement relocation planning. Our mission is to promote opportunities to thrive in life’s second half through programs in lifelong learning, leadership, community service, and research. |
