Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity is seeking
AmeriCorps members to work as Construction Crew Leaders for New Home
Construction and Home Repair. These year-long service opportunities are perfect for
people who possess a desire to serve others, have a passion for volunteerism and
group facilitation, and have strong team building skills. Members receive a living
allowance, a housing stipend of $700-800/month, and other benefits.

At Asheville Habitat, AmeriCorps members provide leadership on project sites, engage
volunteers to become champions for the mission, and create new tools and systems to
build capacity. They gain insight into a non-profit organization and receive hands-on
experience in leadership, team building, public speaking, and community development.
For some, AmeriCorps is an experiential gap year before college, grad school, or a
career; for others it is a stepping stone towards a job in the non-profit sector.

Asheville tops a lot of lists, and for good reason. The City is also newsworthy for
something else: an affordable housing crisis. The people who make Asheville what it is
are being priced out. Housing costs far outweigh local wages and affordable housing

options are scarce. Residents are forced to move elsewhere or make impossible
choices like paying more than 50% of their income towards rent, or living in
overcrowded, substandard, or unsafe situations. Young people who want to help more
families thrive instead of just survive, learn and hone skills, and grow their confidence
and leadership abilities, are encouraged to visit ashevillehabitat.org/careers to learn
more about AmeriCorps with Asheville Habitat and apply.
About Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity
Founded in 1983, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity (AAHH) was the first Habitat affiliate in North
Carolina. Now serving Buncombe and Madison Counties, AAHH provides affordable homeownership and
home repair programs to qualified low-income residents seeking to build a better future on the foundation
of stable housing. A decent place to call home and an affordable mortgage enables Habitat homeowners
to save more, invest in education, pursue opportunities, and have greater financial stability. The home
repair program preserves the character, affordability, and diversity of local neighborhoods and enables
long-time residents to stay in their homes. Learn more about Asheville Area Habitat and how you can get
involved at ashevillehabitat.org.

Green Drinks lives on every Saturday as The Free & Open University of Eco-Sustainability on Facebook

Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteers will be staffing the Helpline as indicated in the schedule below. You may send an email or leave a voicemail at any time and an Extension Master Gardener volunteer will respond during Garden Helpline hours. When emailing, please include a photo if it helps describe your garden question. Soil test kits can be picked up at the Extension office, 24/7. The kits are located in a box outside the front door.

Three ways to contact the Garden Helpline

Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Visit the Extension Office at 49 Mt. Carmel Road during Helpline hours, listed below.

Garden Helpline Hours

March – (starts March 6)
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

April through September:
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Wednesday 12:00 Noon – 2:00 p.m.
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

October – (ends October 26th) 
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

We are here to help and support you! Please contact us. We look forward to answering your gardening questions.

Let’s get you registered for Outpace Hunger!

If you’re behind on your water bill or afraid your water might get cut off, a new resource might be able to help you. On Jan. 4, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved more than $450,000 in federal funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). The initiative is aimed at preventing water disconnections and helping reconnect drinking and wastewater services.

The LIHWAP will be administered by Buncombe County-based Eblen Charities. The nonprofit will make payments directly to utilities on behalf of qualifying households. The program is slated to run through Sept. 30, 2023 or until funds are exhausted.

Eligibility requirements

Households that currently receive Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Work First services, or those that received Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) services from Oct. 1, 2020-Sept. 30, 2021, are automatically eligible to receive this benefit if their water services have been cut off or are in danger of being cut off.

For additional eligibility information or to apply, please contact Eblen Charities at (828) 255-3066.

According to a study by Syracuse University, North Carolina ranks last in the country for people likely to have legal representation in their immigration cases. Here in Western North Carolina (WNC), nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) provides most of the free civil legal aid for area immigrants and is working to raise $100,000 by July 1^st to support this important work.

“Pisgah Legal Services provides life-changing – and sometimes life-saving – legal representation for immigrants and asylum seekers, and that help is scarce and very hard to come by,” says PLS Chief Development Officer Ally Wilson. “We only have three immigration attorneys to serve our entire 18-county region, and Pisgah Legal provides the majority of free legal aid for immigrants in WNC.”

She continued, “Thanks to generous supporters who have already come forward, we have raised $30,000 towards the $100,000 goal by July 1 for our Together We Dream Giving Challenge. We need additional charitable contributions to keep families together and educated about their rights, to secure legal immigration status and work authorizations and to stop the violence and abuse that many come to the United States to escape.”

Gifts made in the coming week will be matched! “A generous donor has stepped forward to help us build momentum to reach our goal,” says Wilson. “From now until Wednesday, June 21st, all gifts will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000. Give today and your gift will have double the impact!”

Want to Help?

Giving online is fast, easy and secure at https://www.pisgahlegal.org/dream or contact Chief Development Officer Ally Wilson by phone 828-210-3444 or via email: [email protected].  Checks may be mailed to Pisgah Legal Services, P.O. Box 2276, Asheville, N.C.  28802

The addition of preservation grants to our existing efforts in advocacy, technical support, preservation easements, and education, will allow us to reach a new and diverse audience.  This program will allow us to support both large and small projects from downtown Asheville to our rural and under-served communities.

Click here for the Grant Application

We look forward to helping with emergency stabilization projects and restorations of important places, to helping neighborhoods receive designations such as recognition on the National Register of Historic Places and to encouraging and supporting new and unique education and research opportunities.  We want to be surprised and humbled by the projects our community asks us to support!

As our city faces the inevitable challenges of growth, PSABC’s voice and reach must expand.  The important addition of this Preservation Grant Program comes in response to the needs of our community.

*Deadline to apply for the current grant round is Friday August 11th*

Preservation grants from $500 – $5000 will be offered to the public in three categories:

1. Bricks-And-Mortar

Rehabilitation, restoration and repair of structures that are 50 years of age or older

Some examples: Windows and doors • Exterior painting • Porches • Roofs and gutters • Electrical and plumbing • Hardscaping • Foundation • Original exterior or interior details

2. Public Education

Development of educational materials and programs that advance knowledge of our shared history

Some examples: Research and documentation • Oral histories • Installations specific to buildings, place history, and culture • Exhibitions • K–12 educational publications • Seminars and lectures • Documentary films

3. Planning, Survey and Designation

Planning and design for building rehabilitation and restoration projects, historic resource surveys and local or national designations

Some examples: Historic building condition reports • Engineering and rehabilitation plans • Feasibility studies • Historic resource surveys • Updates of previous surveys • Local and national historic designations

Read about our past winners here!

Enrollment is now open for Hendersonville Theatre (HT)’s summer performing arts camps. These one-week camps are designed for middle and high school students and will be taught by theatre professionals.

Performers Playground – Acting Class runs June 26-30 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 6th to 9th graders or 10 to 14-year-olds. During this week of laughter and creativity, campers will discover the exciting world of improvisation and learn how to think on their feet. The class will include playing theater games, learning how to create scenes from scratch and using body and voice to create dynamic and memorable characters. At the completion of the camp, campers will present a showcase performance for family and friends. Performers Playground – Acting Class is designed for all experience levels and is taught by Rugby Middle School theatre teacher Heather Denton. Denton has  over 24 years of experience teaching drama to middle school students. She has directed over 30 plays and musicals, and is known for her boundless energy and ability to work with a variety of grades and ability levels. Acting Camp for High Schoolers runs July 10-14 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is intended for rising 10th to 12th graders or 14 to 17-year-olds. This camp is designed for budding actors who are looking for a starting place to learn about acting. In this camp, campers will be introduced to many forms of acting including improvisation, character development and cold readings. Beginner Dance for Musical Theatre runs July 17-21 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 7th to 12th graders or 11 to 17-year- olds. This introductory dance course is for actors new to dance and looking to develop some musical theatre dance skills. In this camp, inspiring actors will learn how to survive a musical theatre dance call, focusing on musical theatre history, basic movement steps, and tips and tricks for picking up movement quickly. Intermediate Dance for Musical Theatre runs July 24-28 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 10th to 12th graders or 14 to 17-years olds. Designed for dancers who want to branch into musical theatre, the camp is created for students with an intermediate level of dance training. During this week, campers will cover an introduction to musical theatre history, popular Broadway dance numbers, and tips and tricks for picking up movement quickly in order to prepare for musical theatre auditions. Acting Camp for High Schoolers, Beginner Dance for Musical Theatre and Intermediate Dance for Musical Theatre is taught by Sage Albert, a recent graduate of Elon University with a degree in theatre, music and dance. Her most recent credits include Sherrie in Rock of Ages (upcoming) and Cathy in The Last Five Years.

Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.

“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”

Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) recently renovated fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers – and community members can enjoy use of cardio equipment, exercise machines, free weights, open gym time, and more through June 30, 2023. During this time, APR will waive membership and daily pass fees so more people can access the necessities for a regular fitness routine. Locals can sign up online or at either community center to receive a fitness center key fob that can be scanned at either location.

“Our team is committed to creating spaces in which everyone feels welcome,” according to D. Tyrell McGirt, APR Director. “We are in the community building business. The gyms and fitness rooms at these two locations are filled with everything you’d expect from other top-notch fitness facilities and dedicated to body positivity and accessible wellness. By waiving the cost to use them for the first six months of the year, we hope more friends and neighbors will be able to connect with each other and maintain healthy lifestyles.”