Calendar of Events

Help local families in need this holiday season at the annual WNC Toys for Tots drive featuring 99.9 KISS Country’s Eddie Foxx Morning Show. Tables will be set up in a tent outside the Asheville Outlets to collect monetary donations and new, unwrapped toys worth $10 or more for Toys for Tots. Visit Thursday, November 16, and Friday, November 17, 2023, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, November 18, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. For more information, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding. 

Applications due by:

• November 30, 2023
• January 30, 2024
• March 30, 2024

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!

Food Scraps Drop Off

The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in two locations for all Buncombe County residents.  This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Register for Food Scraps Drop Off

Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin?  Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.

Locations Holidays call for hours

Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center

85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander

• • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm

Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot

749 Fairview Road, Asheville

• • Dawn – Dusk

Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot

30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville

• • Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.

West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building

942 Haywood Road, Asheville

• • Library open hours

The Council on Aging for Henderson County (COAHC) wants to make sure all seniors receive a gift this holiday season, and they need your help. For the 25th year, the COAHC will be collecting shoebox gifts filled by community members, then deliver those gifts to Henderson County seniors. Last year they delivered more than 350 boxes to COAHC clients. This year all additional boxes will be donated to clients of Henderson County Department of Social Services Adult Services.
Participants fill a shoe box with small, useful items and gifts, such as hygiene items, gloves, large-print books and puzzles, notepads, calendars, flashlights, and any other small gifts a senior would appreciate. Then bring the wrapped shoebox to the Council on Aging office (105 King Creek Boulevard) during their business hours: Mon-Fri, between 9am and 4pm. Please mark if the box is for a male, female or either. Gift collection ends on Friday, December 8th.
This gift drive is in conjunction with a Meals on Wheels gift drive for requested items from their clients. Participants can choose a client, shop for their requested items, then bring the wrapped gift to the Council on Aging office, where volunteers will distribute the gifts to clients in late December.

Whether you start decorating for the holidays before Thanksgiving or well into December, now is the best time to get into the holiday spirit by sponsoring a gift for kids or adults.

Being an adult without a support network, an adult with a disability, or a kid in foster care can be tough over the holidays; this is a great opportunity to let them know that the community cares for them.

Every year, Buncombe County hosts an Adult Wish Tree and a Foster Care Wish Tree that allows members of the community to sponsor a gift for someone this holiday.

Foster Care Wish Tree

Each year, children in foster care in Buncombe County submit a list of wishes they would like for the holidays.

To sign up to sponsor a child, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.

A note from Health and Human Services:

Hello and thank you for your generosity this holiday season. We are grateful for your unwavering support for our foster youth. Here at Buncombe County Health and Human Services, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of our foster youth, and having your support means so much to us and our kids. You are not just providing gifts this holiday season; you are telling someone that they matter and that they are important! That is something to celebrate! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!

If you have any questions about your sponsorship, please call Amber Cook at 828-772-5553 or email [email protected] during business hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.

Adult Wish Tree

When you can’t drive a car or don’t have someone to bring you the things you might need, like a new nightgown or socks, it can be tough. The Adult Wish Tree is a Buncombe County program that works with agencies throughout the county to identify adults and adults with disabilities who don’t have access to a support network to help with these basic needs. The program also identifies young adults in our extended foster care program who will likely not receive a gift this year. Please consider selecting an adult to sponsor this holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor an adult, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.

A note from Health and Human Services:

This holiday season we hope you will choose one of the many names that are submitted by Health and Human Services and our partner agencies for adults and adults with disabilities.  It is such a joy to see the smiles on the faces of adults who have their wishes fulfilled, as these are adults who are not expected to have anyone else to provide them with a gift this year.

If you have questions, please email us at [email protected].

Happy Holidays and thank you for supporting those who need a little extra care this upcoming season.

Each year, one week before Thanksgiving, the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness partner together to sponsor National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Occurring this year during the week of Nov. 11-18 more than 700 colleges, high schools, and community groups across the country will come together to provide education, draw attention to the issues of hunger and homelessness, and recruit volunteers and supporters for local agencies supporting those experiencing food insecurity and homelessness. Our community will also be holding a variety of events to highlight partnerships between agencies working to address these issues, as well as provide education and opportunities to support these organizations and the individuals they serve.

Why is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week important? The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to determine that homelessness has been on the rise since 2017, increasing overall by 6% since then. In 2022, counts of individuals experiencing homelessness reached record highs, with HUD counting around 582,000 Americans experiencing homelessness last year. HUD’s definition of homelessness includes both sheltered and unsheltered individuals. Sheltered homelessness includes people who are living in domestic violence shelters, transitional shelters, safe havens that serve homeless individuals with severe mental illness, or hotels/motels. Unsheltered individuals may be living outdoors, in cars, abandoned buildings, or in other places not meant for human habitation. Concerningly, rates of unsheltered homelessness across the nation are also trending upward, with most racial, ethnic, and gender subgroups disproportionately impacted. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that an estimated 17 million families, or 1 in 8 U.S. Households, experienced food insecurity at some point in 2022 and here too, data demonstrates that rates of food insecurity are significantly higher for racial, ethnic, and gender subgroups. The American College of Physicians reported in 2022 that food insecurity has become a threat to public health in America.

In our community, the Point-In-Time (PIT) count is conducted annually to get a snapshot count of individuals experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness. Conducted on a single night in January each year, the PIT count is conducted by communities nationwide, and is intended to be an unduplicated count of people experiencing homelessness within the community. Our most recent PIT count was conducted on Jan. 31, 2023, and showed that there are around 402 sheltered and 171 unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness here.While this is slightly lower than last year’s count, this total of 573 unhoused individuals is still significantly higher than pre-pandemic counts. Additionally, in our area, more than 8 in 10 children experience poverty, and 1 in 4 children in Western North Carolina do not have access to three square meals daily.

National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week represents a time when we can come together as a community to share knowledge and identify resources to end hunger and homelessness. It invites us to consider joining efforts to help people in immediate need, and to take part in identifying and supporting long-term solutions. Haywood Street Congregation, a local urban ministry, will be highlighting collaboration between service agencies, faith communities, the County, and the City throughout the week of Nov. 11-18 with a variety of events ranging from the Homelessness Learning Series provided by the City of Asheville, volunteer trainings for Code Purple and ABCCM’s Transformation Village, and tours of the Haywood Street Congregation Campus and Homeward Bound’s Permanent Supportive Housing Project, Compass Point Village.

Other notable events include Lunch at the Crossroads at First Baptist Church of Asheville on Thursday, Nov. 16, and an awareness gathering facilitated by the Buncombe County Homeless Coalition at New Belgium Brewing on Sunday, Nov. 19. To see the full calendar of events, visit Haywood Street Congregation’s Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week event schedule.

Tuesday, November 14th

Partner: Bounty and Soul

Event Title/Description: Community Market Tour

Time: 11:00-12:30 (with flexibility)

Location: 999 Old US 70 Highway, Black Mountain

Partner: Haywood Street Congregation

Event Title/Description: Campus Tour

Time: 12:00-12:45

Location: 297 Haywood Street. Meet in the Sanctuary.

Partner: Haywood Street Congregation

Event Title/Description: Conversation in front of the Haywood Street Fresco with Fresco model, James Blount; Founding Pastor, Rev. Brian Combs; and Principal artist, Christopher Holt.

Time: 1:00-2:00

Location: 297 Haywood Street, Asheville

Partner: ABCCM Transformation Village

Event Title/Description: Code Purple Volunteer Training

Time: 6:00 pm

Location: 30 Olin Haven Way, Asheville

Wednesday, November 15th

Partner: Haywood Street Congregation Downtown

Event Title/Description:  Downtown Welcome Table Lunch and/or Campus Tour

Time: 10:00-12:00

Location: 297 Haywood Street. For a tour, meet in the Sanctuary.

Partner: Buncombe County Public Health

Event Title/Description: Mobile Clinic offering vaccines and other services

Time: 9:00-2:00

Location: 297 Haywood Street, Asheville

Partner: ABCCM Transformation Village

Event Title/Description:  Volunteer Orientation

Time: 2:00 

Location: 30 Olin Haven Way, Asheville

Thursday, November 16th

Partner: City/Buncombe County

Event Title/Description: NAEH Work and Update Session at Harrah’s Cherokee Center, open to the public.

Time: 9:00-12:00 

Location: 87 Haywood Street, Asheville

Partner: First Baptist Church of Asheville

Event Title/Description: Lunch at the Crossroads

Time: 11:30-1:00

Location: 5 Oak Street, Asheville

Partner: Homeward Bound WNC

Event Title/Description: Tour de Ahope

Time: 1:00

Location: 19 North Ann Street, Asheville

Partner: Homeward Bound WNC

Event Title/Description: Tours of Compass Point Village

Time: 10:00-12:00

Location: 201 Tunnel Road, Asheville

Friday, November 17th

Partner: Bounty and Soul

Event Title/Description: Community Market Tour

Time: 3:00-5:30 (with flexibility)

Location: 999 Old US 70 Highway, Black Mountain

Saturday, November 18th

Partner: Food Connection and Bounty and Soul

Event Title/ Description: Food Connection and Bounty and Soul Collaboration

Time: 11:00-1:00

Location: In the parking lot next to Beacon Animal Hospital at 101 Whitson Ave., Swannanoa

Partner: First Presbyterian Church of Asheville

Event Title/Description: Free hot lunch in a warm and safe space (continues every Saturday through February)

Time: 11:00-2:00

Location: 40 Church Street, Asheville

Sunday, November 19th

Partner: Haywood Street Congregation Downtown

Event Title/Description:  Downtown Welcome Table Breakfast

Time: 10:00-12:00

Location: 297 Haywood Street. For a tour, meet in the Sanctuary.

Partner: Buncombe County Homeless Coalition

Event Title/Description: Awareness Gathering at New Belgium Brewing

Time: 1:00-4:00

Location: 21 Craven Street, Asheville

Monday, November 20th

Partner: Helpmate

Event Title/Description: Training for Service Providers. More information can be found here.

Time: 9:00-5:00

Location: Land of Sky Regional Council-339 New Leicester Highway #140 Asheville

Food Scraps Drop Off

The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in

two locations for all Buncombe County residents.  This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Register for Food Scraps Drop Off

Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin?  Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.

Locations

West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building

942 Haywood Road, Asheville

Library open hours

Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot

30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville

• • Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.

Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot

749 Fairview Road, Asheville

• • Dawn – Dusk

Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander

• • • • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
      • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm

Bargain Hendo Thrift Store will be permanently closing its doors on December 13th.
• WNCSource operates the small thrift store which is located on the corner of King Street
and 2nd Avenue in Hendersonville.
• Bargain Hendo first opened in December of 2020 and was meant to support the programs
and services WNCSource provides in 4 western North Carolina Counties. Unfortunately,
low sales and competition from other local thrift stores has made the store less than
profitable.
• But don’t worry, starting Thursday, November 2nd, Bargain Hendo will be open
Wednesdays through Fridays 10AM to 4PM and Saturdays from 10AM to 2PM with some
incredible bargains and sales to clear the shelves.
• Bargain Hendo’s last day is December 13th

While death is often a taboo topic of conversation, it is inevitable for all of us. A series of award-winning films dealing with end-of-life issues will be shown at Pack Memorial Library on Fridays from October 20 through December 8 from 2:00-5:00 PM. The program is designed to help people better understand and become more comfortable talking about — and perhaps shifting their perspective on — end-of-life experiences.

Each film will be followed by in-depth, thought-provoking, and death-positive discussions moderated by Gail Harris, National Emmy Award-winning journalist for PBS and NPR and former correspondent for ABC News Nightline and World News Tonight. These six exceptional films by new and established filmmakers, animators, and actors about death and dying are entertaining and inspiring. Potential discussion topics will include legacy, the spiritual side of death, alternative ways to die, preparedness, facing fear, and finding courage.

Films:
Oct 20: In the Realm of Death & Dreaming: Does Consciousness Continue After Death?: Documentary. Chapter 1: When You Die Trilogy. Director: Johanna Lunn

Oct 27: Saying Goodbye: Preparing for Death: Documentary. Chapter 2: When You Die Trilogy. Director: Johanna Lunn

Nov 3: Coco, Pixar Animation about Day of the Dead and keeping ancestral memories alive. Disney

Nov 17: Last Ecstatic Days: Documentary about a young man who faces death with courage and even joy. Director: Scott Kirschenbaum

Dec 1: Alternative Endings: Six New Ways To Die In America, Documentary about creative ways to prepare for death and honor our dead. Directors: Matthew O’Neill, Perri Peltz

Dec 8: The Bucket List, Comedy. Director: Rob Reiner; Cast: Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman

Food Scraps Drop Off

The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in two locations for all Buncombe County residents.  This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Register for Food Scraps Drop Off

Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin?  Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.

Locations

Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center

85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander

• • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm

Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot

749 Fairview Road, Asheville

• • Dawn – Dusk

Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot

30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville

• • Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.

West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building

942 Haywood Road, Asheville

• • Library open hours

Food Scraps Drop Off

The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in

two locations for all Buncombe County residents.  This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Register for Food Scraps Drop Off

Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin?  Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.

Locations

Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot

30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville

• • Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.

Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot

749 Fairview Road, Asheville

• • Dawn – Dusk

West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building

942 Haywood Road, Asheville

Library open hours

Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander

• • • • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
      • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm

Help local families in need this holiday season at the annual WNC Toys for Tots drive featuring 99.9 KISS Country’s Eddie Foxx Morning Show. Tables will be set up in a tent outside the Asheville Outlets to collect monetary donations and new, unwrapped toys worth $10 or more for Toys for Tots. Visit Thursday, November 16, and Friday, November 17, 2023, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, November 18, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. For more information, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.

Whether you start decorating for the holidays before Thanksgiving or well into December, now is the best time to get into the holiday spirit by sponsoring a gift for kids or adults.

Being an adult without a support network, an adult with a disability, or a kid in foster care can be tough over the holidays; this is a great opportunity to let them know that the community cares for them.

Every year, Buncombe County hosts an Adult Wish Tree and a Foster Care Wish Tree that allows members of the community to sponsor a gift for someone this holiday.

Foster Care Wish Tree

Each year, children in foster care in Buncombe County submit a list of wishes they would like for the holidays.

To sign up to sponsor a child, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.

A note from Health and Human Services:

Hello and thank you for your generosity this holiday season. We are grateful for your unwavering support for our foster youth. Here at Buncombe County Health and Human Services, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of our foster youth, and having your support means so much to us and our kids. You are not just providing gifts this holiday season; you are telling someone that they matter and that they are important! That is something to celebrate! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!

If you have any questions about your sponsorship, please call Amber Cook at 828-772-5553 or email [email protected] during business hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.

Adult Wish Tree

When you can’t drive a car or don’t have someone to bring you the things you might need, like a new nightgown or socks, it can be tough. The Adult Wish Tree is a Buncombe County program that works with agencies throughout the county to identify adults and adults with disabilities who don’t have access to a support network to help with these basic needs. The program also identifies young adults in our extended foster care program who will likely not receive a gift this year. Please consider selecting an adult to sponsor this holiday season.

To sign up to sponsor an adult, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.

A note from Health and Human Services:

This holiday season we hope you will choose one of the many names that are submitted by Health and Human Services and our partner agencies for adults and adults with disabilities.  It is such a joy to see the smiles on the faces of adults who have their wishes fulfilled, as these are adults who are not expected to have anyone else to provide them with a gift this year.

If you have questions, please email us at [email protected].

Happy Holidays and thank you for supporting those who need a little extra care this upcoming season.

Each year, one week before Thanksgiving, the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness partner together to sponsor National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Occurring this year during the week of Nov. 11-18 more than 700 colleges, high schools, and community groups across the country will come together to provide education, draw attention to the issues of hunger and homelessness, and recruit volunteers and supporters for local agencies supporting those experiencing food insecurity and homelessness. Our community will also be holding a variety of events to highlight partnerships between agencies working to address these issues, as well as provide education and opportunities to support these organizations and the individuals they serve.

Why is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week important? The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to determine that homelessness has been on the rise since 2017, increasing overall by 6% since then. In 2022, counts of individuals experiencing homelessness reached record highs, with HUD counting around 582,000 Americans experiencing homelessness last year. HUD’s definition of homelessness includes both sheltered and unsheltered individuals. Sheltered homelessness includes people who are living in domestic violence shelters, transitional shelters, safe havens that serve homeless individuals with severe mental illness, or hotels/motels. Unsheltered individuals may be living outdoors, in cars, abandoned buildings, or in other places not meant for human habitation. Concerningly, rates of unsheltered homelessness across the nation are also trending upward, with most racial, ethnic, and gender subgroups disproportionately impacted. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that an estimated 17 million families, or 1 in 8 U.S. Households, experienced food insecurity at some point in 2022 and here too, data demonstrates that rates of food insecurity are significantly higher for racial, ethnic, and gender subgroups. The American College of Physicians reported in 2022 that food insecurity has become a threat to public health in America.

In our community, the Point-In-Time (PIT) count is conducted annually to get a snapshot count of individuals experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness. Conducted on a single night in January each year, the PIT count is conducted by communities nationwide, and is intended to be an unduplicated count of people experiencing homelessness within the community. Our most recent PIT count was conducted on Jan. 31, 2023, and showed that there are around 402 sheltered and 171 unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness here.While this is slightly lower than last year’s count, this total of 573 unhoused individuals is still significantly higher than pre-pandemic counts. Additionally, in our area, more than 8 in 10 children experience poverty, and 1 in 4 children in Western North Carolina do not have access to three square meals daily.

National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week represents a time when we can come together as a community to share knowledge and identify resources to end hunger and homelessness. It invites us to consider joining efforts to help people in immediate need, and to take part in identifying and supporting long-term solutions. Haywood Street Congregation, a local urban ministry, will be highlighting collaboration between service agencies, faith communities, the County, and the City throughout the week of Nov. 11-18 with a variety of events ranging from the Homelessness Learning Series provided by the City of Asheville, volunteer trainings for Code Purple and ABCCM’s Transformation Village, and tours of the Haywood Street Congregation Campus and Homeward Bound’s Permanent Supportive Housing Project, Compass Point Village.

Other notable events include Lunch at the Crossroads at First Baptist Church of Asheville on Thursday, Nov. 16, and an awareness gathering facilitated by the Buncombe County Homeless Coalition at New Belgium Brewing on Sunday, Nov. 19. To see the full calendar of events, visit Haywood Street Congregation’s Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week event schedule.

Tuesday, November 14th

Partner: Bounty and Soul

Event Title/Description: Community Market Tour

Time: 11:00-12:30 (with flexibility)

Location: 999 Old US 70 Highway, Black Mountain

Partner: Haywood Street Congregation

Event Title/Description: Campus Tour

Time: 12:00-12:45

Location: 297 Haywood Street. Meet in the Sanctuary.

Partner: Haywood Street Congregation

Event Title/Description: Conversation in front of the Haywood Street Fresco with Fresco model, James Blount; Founding Pastor, Rev. Brian Combs; and Principal artist, Christopher Holt.

Time: 1:00-2:00

Location: 297 Haywood Street, Asheville

Partner: ABCCM Transformation Village

Event Title/Description: Code Purple Volunteer Training

Time: 6:00 pm

Location: 30 Olin Haven Way, Asheville

Wednesday, November 15th

Partner: Haywood Street Congregation Downtown

Event Title/Description:  Downtown Welcome Table Lunch and/or Campus Tour

Time: 10:00-12:00

Location: 297 Haywood Street. For a tour, meet in the Sanctuary.

Partner: Buncombe County Public Health

Event Title/Description: Mobile Clinic offering vaccines and other services

Time: 9:00-2:00

Location: 297 Haywood Street, Asheville

Partner: ABCCM Transformation Village

Event Title/Description:  Volunteer Orientation

Time: 2:00 

Location: 30 Olin Haven Way, Asheville

Thursday, November 16th

Partner: City/Buncombe County

Event Title/Description: NAEH Work and Update Session at Harrah’s Cherokee Center, open to the public.

Time: 9:00-12:00 

Location: 87 Haywood Street, Asheville

Partner: First Baptist Church of Asheville

Event Title/Description: Lunch at the Crossroads

Time: 11:30-1:00

Location: 5 Oak Street, Asheville

Partner: Homeward Bound WNC

Event Title/Description: Tour de Ahope

Time: 1:00

Location: 19 North Ann Street, Asheville

Partner: Homeward Bound WNC

Event Title/Description: Tours of Compass Point Village

Time: 10:00-12:00

Location: 201 Tunnel Road, Asheville

Friday, November 17th

Partner: Bounty and Soul

Event Title/Description: Community Market Tour

Time: 3:00-5:30 (with flexibility)

Location: 999 Old US 70 Highway, Black Mountain

Saturday, November 18th

Partner: Food Connection and Bounty and Soul

Event Title/ Description: Food Connection and Bounty and Soul Collaboration

Time: 11:00-1:00

Location: In the parking lot next to Beacon Animal Hospital at 101 Whitson Ave., Swannanoa

Partner: First Presbyterian Church of Asheville

Event Title/Description: Free hot lunch in a warm and safe space (continues every Saturday through February)

Time: 11:00-2:00

Location: 40 Church Street, Asheville

Sunday, November 19th

Partner: Haywood Street Congregation Downtown

Event Title/Description:  Downtown Welcome Table Breakfast

Time: 10:00-12:00

Location: 297 Haywood Street. For a tour, meet in the Sanctuary.

Partner: Buncombe County Homeless Coalition

Event Title/Description: Awareness Gathering at New Belgium Brewing

Time: 1:00-4:00

Location: 21 Craven Street, Asheville

Monday, November 20th

Partner: Helpmate

Event Title/Description: Training for Service Providers. More information can be found here.

Time: 9:00-5:00

Location: Land of Sky Regional Council-339 New Leicester Highway #140 Asheville

Join us for our monthly meeting at BCDP HQ or on Zoom!

Food Scraps Drop Off

The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in

two locations for all Buncombe County residents.  This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Register for Food Scraps Drop Off

Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin?  Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.

Locations

West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building

942 Haywood Road, Asheville

Library open hours

Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot

30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville

• • Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.

Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot

749 Fairview Road, Asheville

• • Dawn – Dusk

Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander

• • • • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
      • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm

Start the holiday season by making our Leicester community cleaner and brighter! Gloves, grabbers, & safety vests provided by Asheville GreenWorks.

Who should attend: Everyone who loves Leicester is invited to this event.

Bargain Hendo Thrift Store will be permanently closing its doors on December 13th.
• WNCSource operates the small thrift store which is located on the corner of King Street
and 2nd Avenue in Hendersonville.
• Bargain Hendo first opened in December of 2020 and was meant to support the programs
and services WNCSource provides in 4 western North Carolina Counties. Unfortunately,
low sales and competition from other local thrift stores has made the store less than
profitable.
• But don’t worry, starting Thursday, November 2nd, Bargain Hendo will be open
Wednesdays through Fridays 10AM to 4PM and Saturdays from 10AM to 2PM with some
incredible bargains and sales to clear the shelves.
• Bargain Hendo’s last day is December 13th

Downtown Asheville (Biltmore and Patton Avenues)

FREE | All ages Onesie One Miler $25

Produced by Asheville Downtown Association in partnership with the City of Asheville, locals don festive outfits and line the streets of downtown as marching bands, jump ropers, martial artists, classic cars, professional floats, the APR parade entry, and more welcome the holiday season followed by free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus. This year, a downtown dash joins the fun in the form of the Onesie One Miler.

Onesie One Miler Info:

November 18, 2023 | Downtown Asheville | 10:30am

The Onesie One Miler is a festive downtown dash to the finish line that’s fun for the entire family! This race starts at 10:30AM, right before the beginning of the Asheville Holiday Parade. Get dressed up in your holiday best and join us for a run through Downtown Asheville! Onesies encouraged but not required. There will be special awards for the best Onesie. A commemorative beanie is included in registration!

ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 11/18 8:00AM.

11/18 9:30AM-10:15AM ONESITE REGISTRATION FOR UNTIMED FUN RUN 1 MILE INCLUDES BEANIE!

This is a chip timed point to point race that starts in front of Jan Davis Tires and finishes in the Galaxy Room parking lot. All roads will be closed in preparation for the Asheville Holiday Parade. Parking is available downtown. Runners will have a time limit of 30 minutes and must be off the course by 11AM, no exceptions. There will be no course aid for this race.

This race proudly benefits the Asheville Downtown Association Foundation!

Strollers and friendly dogs are welcome. We just ask that you start towards the back of the pack. Dogs must be friendly & leashed.

TFAC invites all artists: painters, sculptors, writers, performers & more — to a casual weekly drop-in gathering on Saturday mornings at 9 AM to share your works in progress, alert others, and chat about art and what’s happening in your community. The first weekly Coffee is Saturday, August 20 at 9 am. No RSVP needed, just drop by! Free parking available on Melrose Avenue, behind and alongside TFAC.

The 77th Asheville Holiday Parade, presented by Bojangles of WNC is back on November 18th from 11-1pm!

Before the parade there will be the Onesie One Miler hosted by Kick It Events. The Onesie One Miler is a festive downtown dash to the finish line that’s fun for the entire family! This race starts at 10:30AM, right before the beginning of the Asheville Holiday Parade. Get dressed up in your holiday best and join us for a run through Downtown Asheville! Onesies encouraged but not required. There will be special awards for the best Onesie. A commemorative beanie is included in registration! Registration link below:
https://kickitevents.com/onesie-one-miler/

The Parade itself with have 60 plus parade entries following the theme of Snow Globe.
The beginning of the parade will have the Grand Marshall Float sponsored by Telco Community Credit Union honoring the Volunteers of Asheville. This year’s Grand Marshall’s are Rosie Palmisano and Yvonne Cook-Riley, representing the amazing volunteers of Asheville and honoring their 35 plus years of service to all the local events that make Asheville special.
There will also be the traditional Veterans Float, sponsored by the Restoration Hotel, honoring the sacrifice our veterans have made for our Country. Other parade entries will be marching bands, jump ropers, martial arts, front line workers, classic cars, School of Rock, La Zoom, and many more fun community members showing their holiday spirit. The final float ,sponsored by NC Arboretum, will bring in the parade’s finale with Santa and Mrs. Claus!

Following the parade there will be pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Restoration Hotel from 2-4pm.

A big thank you to our sponsors: Bojangles of WNC, Ingles Markets, NC Arboretum, Telco Community Credit Union, Restoration Hotel Asheville, Sun Soo Martial Arts, Kudzu Brands, iHeart Radio, Aloft Hotel, A Look At Asheville, Asheville Color and Imaging, and more.

FREE | All ages, advance registration required

Gather for a delicious potluck meal and good company. Browse crafts from Burton Street’s Senior Elite Club to get one-of-a-kind gifts for special people in your life.

Once the Times Square ball drops, ringing in 2024, be ready for a fast-paced 9½ weeks in preparation for your Annual Precinct Meeting in February and the Primary Election on Tues., March 5th.

2024 is an Election Year. If you want to accomplish your goals, engage your volunteers, and get voters to the polls in November, create a well-organized plan of action now. Don’t wait until January. Start now to plan, design, and map your 2024 year.

Led by professional trainer Barrie Barton, this workshop leads you through Map Your Year, a step-by-step approach to plan the year ahead. To receive the greatest benefit from this 1.5-hr. workshop, we encourage all 3 officers and key volunteers from your precinct to attend. By the end of this workshop, your precinct team will leave with goals, strategies and actions to make 2024 a successful year.

Who should attend: All precinct officers and key volunteers