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Calendar of Events

Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

August 2020 Aug 2020
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Thursday, August 13, 2020
10th Annual Justice Forum Will Focus on Racial Justice ONLINE
Aug 13 @ 6:00 pm
Online

 

Tickets to the Pre-Event Virtual Reception are $25/person and will include a poetry reading by Clint Smith and a musical performance by local musician Kat Williams.

The Forum is free.

Advance registration is required.

Registration and ticket sales begin August 10th 

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Contact Ally Wilson: 210-3444.

WHERE: For the first time, the event will be held online via Zoom. Details will be shared with registered guests closer to the event.

WHO:  Clint Smith, Ph.D. is this year’s keynote speaker. Smith uses his experience as an award-winning poet and teacher to share personal stories of justice, community, and education. He illuminates how we can all find the courage to create change, overcome challenges, and unite ourselves through the power of the collective voice.

His two TED Talks, The Danger of Silence and How to Raise a Black Son in America have been viewed more than seven million times. He was named to the 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 list as well as Ebony Magazine’s 2017 Power 100 list.

 

Smith is a 2014 National Poetry Slam champion, an Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist, a Cave Canem Fellow, a Callaloo Fellow, and has served as a cultural ambassador for the U.S. Department of State.

 

His first full-length collection of poetry, Counting Descent, won the 2017 Literary Award for Best Poetry Book from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, and was a finalist for an NAACP Image Award. His other writing has been published in The New Yorker, The Guardian, Boston Review, American Poetry Review, Harvard Educational Review, and he has just joined The Atlantic as a staff writer.

Smith earned his Ph.D. in Education at Harvard University, a B.A. in English from Davidson College and is an alumnus of the New Orleans Public School System.

 

 

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Categories: Community
NC Arboretum’s “Arbor Evenings”
Aug 13 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

Relax and unwind at the Arboretum’s “ArborEvenings” after hours series. Held every Thursday, June – October, from 6 to 9 p.m., visitors will sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s beautiful gardens while enjoying live music amongst flowers and friends. Local beverages, including beer and wine, are available for purchase along with light food options.

Admission to ArborEvenings is free; however, standard parking fees apply to non-members.

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Categories: Food & Drink Garden Outdoors
ONLINE Spanish Conversation Group
Aug 13 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Online

ONLINE Spanish Conversation Group

For safety precautions, we are asking that you sign up to attend the conversation group

Looking to practice your Spanish Language skills? Come to the Spanish Conversation Group at Pack! The group meets once a week to practice their language skills and to help each other out when needed. Newcomers are always welcome.

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Categories: Education
Matt’s Class with Instructor: Matt Wegleitner
Aug 13 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Odyssey ClayWorks

Thursdays 6:30 – 9pm
July 9th – August 13th

Come experience the love of clay! Join instructor Matt Wegleitner and learn the skills needed to create decorative, hand-built, and functional pottery. Demonstrations will include pinch, coil, and slab techniques with a focus on creating interesting surfaces and unique forms. We’ll also cover the basics of glazing and firing your work. All skill levels welcome.

Level: All levels
Tuition: $245 + $45 Lab Fee

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Categories: Art & Craft
An Evening with Kala Farnham
Aug 13 @ 7:00 pm
Isis Music Hall

Award-winning New England songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kala Farnham celebrates the release of her 2020 album, “Your Spirit Is a Work of Art.”

Seated Lounge Show – Limited Tables Available with a Dinner Reservation :: All Other Seating is First Come First Serve General Admission :: Please Call Venue for Dinner Reservations

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Categories: Music
Mitch’s Totally Rad Trivia
Aug 13 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall

Scoop: Mitch's Totally Rad TRIVIA

Mitch Fortune brings you an irreverent and nostalgia filled night of pop culture trivia every Thursday night 7-9 pm at the One Stop in Downtown Asheville. A potpourri of movies, music, TV show trivia just for you!

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Categories: Food & Drink Trivia
PATIO SHOW: J.W. Carlson + Matt Smith
Aug 13 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Grey Eagle

PATIO SHOW: J.W. Carlson + Matt Smith

Catch J.W. Carlson and Matt Smith on The Grey Eagle patio Thursday, August13! A very limited number of tickets are available now.

  • ALL AGES
  • 7PM SHOW / 6PM DOORS
  • OUTDOOR PATIO SHOW (LIMITED CAPACITY, WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES IN PLACE. ADVANCE TICKETS ARE ENCOURAGED.)

J.W. CARLSON

J.W. Carlson is a unique voice in American music. With pockets full of admiration for the introspective, heart-tugging songwriting of Hank Williams, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, J.W Carlson digs at the well of Americana music with one foot stuck in the mud of tradition, and the other digging into the shore of contemporary folk-country music.

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Categories: Music Outdoors
West Side Story POSTPONED until 2021 Season
Aug 13 @ 7:30 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

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Categories: Theatre
ArborEvenings
Aug 13 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

The Arboretum’s popular ArborEvenings summer after hours series will return this season with a special LEGO twist. Held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July through September, from 8 to 11 …

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Categories: Outdoors Parks & Recreation
Rotating Local Shuffle
Aug 13 @ 10:00 pm – Aug 14 @ 2:00 am
The One Stop at Asheville Music Hall

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Categories: Music
Friday, August 14, 2020
100 Days and 100 Ways to Get Ready for Election Day
Aug 14 all-day
Online

100 Days and 100 Ways to Get Ready for Election Day

FIND INFO AT:  https://www.lwv.org/blog/100-days-and-100-ways-get-ready-election-day?utm_source=MonthlyHighlights&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=July2020

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Categories: Community Other
7th Annual Business Plan Contest
Aug 14 all-day
Online

The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the 7th Annual Business Plan Contest. A well-written business plan lays the foundation for a financially successful business. A well prepared and executed business plan will grow sales, employment, and improve the bottom line. The business – start-up or existing – with the winning business plan will receive business services including advertising, tax, legal, and marketing for free, a value of over $5,000!

Please email your plan to Hoyle Adams at the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce
204 Kanuga Road, Hendersonville, NC 28739 • [email protected] (828) 692-1413
The 7th Annual Business Plan Contest is open to start-ups as well as existing businesses. You DO NOT have to be a Chamber member to participate. Electronic submissions are due to the Chamber by Friday, August 21, 2020. A panel of judges will select the winner and present the award at a reception on Monday, September 14 – part of Henderson County’s Small Business Week.
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Categories: Community
Anti-Racisim: Resources Literacy Council
Aug 14 all-day
Online

Recognizing and understanding racism, and actively unlearning the everyday, built-in mechanisms of systemic racism is an ongoing effort that must be made by every single one of us. It can be difficult to navigate issues, origins, and solutions surrounding systemic racism, especially with so many different angles portrayed by the media.
There are countless truthful resources to help us find our way to social justice and equity. Here are just a few educational resources and ways to help our Black communities:
Educational reading:
The above photo has an excellent list of books!
Community:
Media:
Follow Black activists and voices on social media! Please reach out to us if you’d like suggestions on whom to follow.
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Categories: Bookclubs Community Education
Apply for the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council
Aug 14 all-day
Online

From Justice Services:

The Buncombe County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council aims to prevent youth who are at from becoming delinquent and develop community-based delinquency. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s Division of Juvenile Justice partners with Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils in each county to galvanize community leaders, locally and statewide, to reduce and prevent juvenile crime. Juvenile Crime Prevention Council board members are appointed by the county Board of Commissioners and meet bi-monthly in each county. The meetings are open to the public, and all business is considered public information. NC DPS Division of Juvenile Justice allocates approximately $23 million dollars to these councils annually—funding is used to subsidize local programs and services.

The primary intent of the JCPC is to develop community-based alternatives to youth development centers and to provide community-based delinquency, substance abuse, and gang prevention strategies and programs.  The JCPC provides opportunity for noninstitutional dispositional alternatives that will protect the community and the juveniles.
JCPC meets the 3rd Thursday of every other month (August, October, December, February, April, and June) from 8:30 to 10:00am.

We are currently in need of the following members:

  • Two Youth (Ages 16-17)
  • One Substance Abuse Professional
  • One Business Community
  • Two Member-At-Large

How to apply: If you would like to be a part of this council, please apply online by Aug. 14. Click here to apply.

Application are due by Aug. 14, 2020

If you have any questions, please contact Aisha Shepherd at (828) 250-6523 or via email at [email protected].

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Categories: Community Volunteers
Artists Collective | Spartanburg 2020 Juried Exhibition Calling Artists
Aug 14 all-day
Online
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Artists Collective | Spartanburg 2020 Juried Exhibition

4 state exhibit – SC, NC, TN, GA

We have struggled with whether to cancel this exhibit or not. We know that artists need this type of exhibit more than ever so we are continuing as planned. The dates are Sept. 15 – Oct. 17. There will not be an awards reception this year, but we will make the awards announcements online at a given time. The exhibit can be viewed during normal business hours. Last year this was a very successful event and prizes totaled $4500. We plan the same this year.
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Categories: Art & Craft
Arts Business Buncombe County, please fill out Survey
Aug 14 all-day
Online
Arts organizations were among the first to have to close their doors, and many have suffered substantial losses. Americans for the Arts Impact Dashboard shows over $5.2 million in lost revenue so far from the 89 arts organizations in Buncombe County that have responded. For perspective, there are (were) almost 500 arts organizations and close to 10,000 creative jobs in Buncombe County before the pandemic.

If you are an arts business in Buncombe County, please take a few minutes to fill out this survey! This data is vital to our advocacy efforts on behalf of the Buncombe County arts sector. Help us, help you!
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Categories: Art & Craft
Asheville Art Museum Family Program Survey
Aug 14 all-day
Online

 

 

 

 

Calling all families! If you visit the Museum with children and/or participate in the Museum’s family programs (or might in the future!), we want to hear from you. As we transition family programs to virtual or small-group in-person formats, we need your feedback to create a model that will work for you this fall. We’re giving away a FREE guest pass to one of the first 50 people to fill out the survey.

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Categories: Art & Craft Community Family Fun
Beyond the Bag Challenge: $1 Million in Funding for Innovative Solutions
Aug 14 all-day
Online
The Challenge aims to identify innovative new design solutions that serve the function of today’s single-use plastic retail bag, delivering ease and convenience for consumers while striving to lessen the impact on the environment.
The Challenge is a part of the Beyond the Bag Initiative, a global initiative launched by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy with Founding Partners CVS Health, Target, and Walmart. Kroger joins as Grocery Sector Lead Partner and Walgreens as a Supporting Partner, alongside Conservation International and Ocean Conservancy as Environmental Advisory Partners.
Solutions can be submitted from August 3 to September 10, 2020. Selected winners are eligible to receive a portion of $1 million in funding, participate in a Circular Accelerator to receive further assistance in scaling their solutions, and potential access to testing and piloting opportunities.

 

More Info at: https://www.openideo.com/challenge-briefs/beyond-the-bag-challenge?utm_source=oi-direct-outreach&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=beyond-the-bag&utm_source=July+2020+Newsletter&utm_campaign=june+2020&utm_medium=email

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Categories: Community
BMC Jewelry Raffle going on now!
Aug 14 all-day
Online

A rare double blister pearl wrapped in a 14 karat gold wire gallery on a strand of Czechoslovakian glass beads, this dazzling treasure is sure to make waves for the wearer
at any special occasion.

This is your chance to become the owner of a beautiful necklace with a handcrafted pendant valued at over $3,000. Created by Jeweler Charlie Wharton of Starfire Designs, this piece was generously donated by both Biltmore Lamp and Shade Gallery and the designer.

Tickets are $50 each, and only 100 tickets will be sold. If a minimum of 75 tickets is not sold, all ticket holders will receive a full refund and the raffle will not occur.

https://one.bidpal.net/preludetogether2020/browse/fixedPrice(details:item/5)?utm_source=Brevard%2BMusic%2BCenter&utm_campaign=7c2d140ff3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_1_31_2018_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b154873bc5-7c2d140ff3-131688489

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Categories: Raffle
Brevard Music Center 2020 Car Raffle
Aug 14 all-day
Online

Audi

https://secure.brevardmusic.org/online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=675AE1B4-86F1-415C-A143-14C5CF72B47E&_ga=2.241774155.834414944.1593434306-1167664433.1585669593&_gac=1.238887476.1589811935.EAIaIQobChMIwrfu-8696QIViZ-zCh0qEQQPEAAYASAAEgKAs_D_BwE&utm_source=Brevard+Music+Center&utm_campaign=38bda965b2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_1_31_2018_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b154873bc5-38bda965b2-131688489

Our 2020 Raffle is happening now! We are proud to partner with Hunter Automotive Group in Hendersonville, NC, in this year’s raffle! Only 1,500 tickets will be sold, so get yours online today! You may also call 828-862-2100 to order tickets over the phone.

Our winner will have ultimate flexibility in choice of model: ANY New 2020 Volvo or Subaru from Hunter Automotive Group with a MSRP up to $50,000!

Proceeds

This raffle is a fundraising event, and all net proceeds benefit the Brevard Music Center (BMC). Brevard Music Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Drawing

The drawing will take place on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 3:00pm EST. All mail, phone, and internet orders must be received by 11:59pm EST on Monday, November 30.

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Categories: Raffle
Brevard Music Center Bach’s Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in d minor
Aug 14 all-day
Online

From our home to yours: students and faculty share new concerts, living room recitals, and masterclasses.

Enjoy this special video by BMC guest artist Augustin Hadelich and 13 additional violinists performing Bach’s Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in d minor, BWV 1004. Recorded in April 2020, each violinist performs a section of the work, compiled and edited by Hadelich.

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Categories: Music
Brevard Music Center@Home
Aug 14 all-day
Online

From our home to yours: students and faculty share new concerts, living room recitals, and masterclasses.

BMC cello faculty member Jonathan Spitz joins with fellow Orpheus Chamber Orchestra cellists Eric Bartlett, James Wilson, and Melissa Meell for this special arrangement of the Sarabande from Bach’s Suite for Solo Cello No. 6 in D Major. Orpheus shared this at-home performance in honor of World Health Day on April 7.

BMC favorite Gil Shaham shares this special episode of “Gilharmonic,” featuring past BMC guest artist Kelly Hall-Tompkins. Sponsored by Violinist.com, this one-hour violin chat includes performances by Kelly as well as student guests Jasmine Li, 13, and Samantha Washecka, 15.

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Categories: Music
Buncombe County Area Meal Sites
Aug 14 all-day
Buncombe County

Find locations around Buncombe County working hard to feed our community.

FOR STUDENTS: text FOODNC to 877-877 to locate nearby free meal sites. The texting service is also available in Spanish by texting COMIDA to 877-877.

View meal sites by geographical area, day of the week, and/or service type offered.

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Categories: Community Health & Wellness
Cades Cove Loop Lope
Aug 14 all-day
Cades Cove Loop Lope
Carpooling is essential to maximizing participation in this race. Only 100 vehicle passes will be available for purchase for an additional fee when registration opens. Registrants who do not purchase a vehicle pass must either carpool with a passholder they know or utilize the group transportation option which will be provided by Friends of the Smokies.
Event Date: Sunday November 8, 2020
EVENT: VIRTUAL 5K – 10/25/20-11/8/20
Can’t join us in person? Participate virtually! A virtual race can be run (or walked!) anywhere, even indoors on a treadmill, and anytime. This is a great way to support Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a day, time, and place that works for your schedule. All virtual runners will receive a race t-shirt and undated finisher’s medallion via mail.
Price: $75.00 Race Fee + $4.50 SignUp Fee
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Categories: Outdoors Sports
Calling all local musicians! Get your tunes on the Dig Local Spotify playlist!
Aug 14 all-day
Online

Wow! Thanks to all those who have submitted tunes for the Dig Local Spotify playlist. If you’d like to be considered as an addition to our music compilation, we are still accepting submissions for our Spotify playlist now (check out the playlist here).

There are only three requirements to be considered:

  • You or your group must be regionally based in the Asheville area
  • Your song submissions must be all original compositions
  • The songs must be “family-friendly” (no profanity or obscenity or violence)

If selected, one or two of your songs will be featured in our Spotify playlist. There may also be opportunities to be featured in our Weekly Scoop email and on our social media platforms!

Submit your music by filling out the following info at the link below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5LCQovN51Y56SLuo7kB_hmeer33DsNhITEvz7TkF8O9ATqA/viewform?mc_cid=8ce4073971&mc_eid=258ba8532a

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Categories: Music
Chill with Carolina Hemp Company in the latest #digAVL Video
Aug 14 all-day
Online

Meet Brian Bullman of Carolina Hemp Company. What better way to kick back and relax and help keep your immune system up then with some local hemp. Brian tells us all about the newest additions to their lineup of immunity-boosting and anxiety-reducing hemp. Find out more by checking out the video.

See the video interview here!
While we’ve all had to adjust to the “new normal” (whatever that is), our local business owners and managers each have their own story to tell about how they’ve been affected and what they are doing during these unprecedented times. Dig Local is proud to partner with our friend, Ann Smith, at Leap Frog Tours to interview some of the awesome folks who make Asheville, Asheville.
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Categories: Community Health & Wellness
Cold Mountain Music Festival Rescheduled August 14-15
Aug 14 all-day
Cold Mountain Music Festival at Lake Logan 25 Wormy Chestnut Lane

A message from the founders of Cold Mountain Music Festival:

To our Cold Mountain Music Festival, Lake Logan, and Camp Henry families,

In recent weeks, we have stood alongside our nationwide cohort of festival organizers to witness the unfolding of the COVID-19 pandemic and assess how it would impact our 2020 event schedule. While we originally hoped the situation would be subdued in time for our June gathering, we have also kept a watchful eye on the trajectory of this outbreak and have learned that the likelihood of this occurrence is slim.

In the interest of public safety, the 4th Annual Cold Mountain Music Festival will be postponed until August 14-15, 2020. While we can not yet reveal the exact lineup details, rest assured that we have been able to preserve the majority of originally scheduled artists. The talent team is working diligently to put the finishing touches on the new bill and will be ready to announce next week.

All previously-reserved tickets will be valid for the new festival date. In the event that you are unable to attend this August, you may contact ([email protected]) to secure a refund on your ticket purchase. All refund requests must be made before May 15.
Cold Mountain Music Festival is proud to announce the lineup for its 4th annual event happening June 5-6, 2020 at the picturesque Lake Logan Conference Center in Canton, NC. GRAMMY-winning newgrass pioneer Sam Bush Band will headline the weekend-long retreat, with additional appearances by fast-rising alt-country sensation Charley Crockett, West Coast folk-rock outfit Blitzen Trapper, critically acclaimed troubadour Amythyst Kiah, plus regional powerhouses Futurebirds, Sierra Ferrell, and more.

With less than half a decade of programming under its belt, Cold Mountain Music Festival has already been recognized as one of the Southeast’s best goldmines for live music, outdoor recreation, and family-oriented activities. Located just outside of Asheville in one of Western North Carolina’s most pristine stretches of land, Cold Mountain utilizes the vibrant Pisgah National Forest as its playground, and encourages exploration throughout the two-day immersive experience. At the heart of the festival site is the glistening Lake Logan, which boasts plenty of swimming, paddle-boarding, and fishing. Paired with performances by some of live music’s leading forces on the scene and plenty of kid-friendly offerings, the upcoming Cold Mountain Music Festival will offer the trifecta of rustic summer experiences.

Weekend passes are on sale now on the Cold Mountain Music website. General admission passes are available for $75, and youth passes for those aged 12-17 can be purchased for $40 apiece. Overnight camping spots and catered breakfast meal tickets are also available for $75 (per site) and $12-$15 (per person), respectively. Group discounts may be applied for parties of 15 or more. Enter the code DioWNC at checkout to purchase each pass (minimum 15) for $60 each. Cold Mountain Music Festival is presented by Ingles Markets, with partners iHeartMedia and Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. For more information, visit www.coldmountainmusic.org. A complete lineup can be found below.

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Categories: Festivals Music
Completing the Census is Safe, Easy and Important! Make NC Count!
Aug 14 all-day
Online

Completing the survey is quick and easy to do. You can complete your Census questionnaire online, by phone or on paper. By using your phone, tablet or computer, or simply grabbing a pencil or pen, you can complete the questionnaire, spending less than 10 minutes on what can impact your community in the next 10 years.

The process is safe, easy and important and you can respond in one of three ways:

  • Online by visiting my2020census.gov.
  • By phone by calling 1-800-923-8282. For information on language support, click here for a listing of telephone numbers.
  • Via mail

Help Make NC Count! View and download resource materials by clicking on the button below.

NC Census Outreach & Engagement Toolkit

 

diverse group of people holding hands together in the park

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Categories: Community
COVID-19 Business Resources
Aug 14 all-day
Online

As our community responds to COVID-19, our staff are monitoring the situation and working to bring you information and resources. Please watch this page for news updates and emerging resources.

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Categories: Community Health & Wellness
COVID-19 Relief: NC Help Keep Your Recycling Program Going
Aug 14 all-day
 
The NC Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) recently a new grant funding opportunity available to North Carolina local governments and private recycling businesses through the COVID-19 Recycling Relief Grant Program.
Proposals are now being accepted for projects to purchase equipment and/or resources to support residential recycling programs that have been stopped or impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. DEACS is seeking grant projects that support or improve an existing recycling program operated by a local government or a private recycling business.  There is no deadline for grant proposals.  Proposals will be continuously accepted, and awards will be made for the winning proposals on a rolling basis while funding is available.
For more information, contact:
Matt James at (919) 707-8133, [email protected]
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Categories: Community