Conscious Party: Bids & Blues

HOME SWEET HOME: Thanks to the efforts of Hendersonville-based nonprofit Thrive, families like the Robinsons are able to achieve housing stability. Thrive's annual fundraiser, Bids & Blues, is set for Oct. 16 at Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown. Photo courtesy of Thrive

WHAT: A concert and auction to benefit Thrive

WHEN: Monday, Oct. 16, 6-9 p.m.

WHERE: Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown, 125 S. Main St., Hendersonville

WHY: For Hendersonville-based mental health nonprofit Thrive’s sixth annual Bids & Blues benefit, Executive Director Kristen Martin says the organization wanted to “get as local as we possibly could and showcase some fun acts that Henderson County knows and loves.”

Partnering with performers who believe in Thrive’s programs, the Monday, Oct. 16, event at the Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown features sets by The Carburetors, The Stipe Brothers & Dan Ruiz, Eric Congdon and Izzi Hughes — all of whom Martin notes have members of their groups who have personally been touched by mental illness and/or housing instability.

The evening also features heavy hors d’oeuvres from Saluda Grade Café, beer from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and wine from Crate Wine Market, plus over a dozen auction baskets to bid on, including a Yeti Roadie, a Jaguar or Land Rover weekend experience and passes to Green River Adventure and Gorge Zipline.

Proceeds will support Thrive’s mission to address the gap in mental health services in Henderson County along with its newest programs that help individuals and families experiencing housing instability.

Among those whose have benefited from Thrive’s efforts are the Robinsons, who in 2015 lost a yearlong legal battle and were evicted from their home. Unable to obtain new housing, the family of three soon also found itself without an income source when the company that employed Mr. Robinson closed. Local agencies provided temporary housing in a motel in Hendersonville, and the Robinsons were soon referred to the Permanent Supportive Housing Program now managed by Thrive for assistance with long-term housing.

Moved to the safety and security of a small garage apartment, Mr. Robinson was able to find a new job and has since been promoted twice, currently to the manager of his department. Mrs. Robinson has been able to obtain health care to get her mental and physical health concerns back under control, and their son has excelled at school, where he consistently earns A-B honor roll, engages with extracurricular activities and volunteers with a local ecological group.

“They have recently moved to a larger, nicer apartment and are starting to build their community support network by making new friends and engaging in new activities together as a family,” Martin says. “Without the Permanent Supportive Housing Program, families like the Robinsons would be stuck in a cycle of housing instability, negatively impacting other issues like mental and physical health concerns, as well as family stability and the growth and development of a child.”

Bids & Blues takes place from 6-9 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 16, at Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown in Hendersonville. $40. thrive4health.org

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About Edwin Arnaudin
Edwin Arnaudin is a staff writer for Mountain Xpress. He also reviews films for ashevillemovies.com and is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) and North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA). Follow me @EdwinArnaudin

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