Asheville Jewish Community Center announces $8 Million capital campaign

PRESS RELEASE:

Just over a year ago, the Asheville Jewish Community Center kicked off its capital campaign to support the expansion and renovation of its campus on Charlotte Street.  The campaign is under the direction of co-chairs Bob Deutsch, Tom Oreck and Debbie Adams with the assistance of David Valinsky Associates. The JCC has raised $7 million towards the project goal of $8 million needed to fund improvements that will allow the center to serve the Asheville community well into the future. Since its founding more than 75 years ago, the JCC has grown from a small house on Charlotte Street, to a thriving community center that provides educational, recreational, wellness, and cultural programs that welcome people of every background and belief.

“Our successful fundraising has been achieved in large part due to a major challenge grant that will match the JCC’s own fundraising efforts,” explained Executive Director, Lael Gray. “This incredible gift will double what the community raises and will help to ensure that goals for the campaign are successfully achieved. We have seen an incredibly enthusiastic response from community members who want to support these exciting improvements.”

With this expansion, the JCC will be able to better meet the community’s growing need for its high quality programs. The JCC’s 5-star rated early childhood and summer camp programs currently have waiting lists, and the after school program has already begun enrolling students for the fall of 2016. After much study, the JCC has determined that offering year-round aquatics programming is also a priority.

The JCC has enlisted the services of architect firm, Clark Nexsen to design the expansion project. Plans include a new aquatics facility with a 6-lane, 25-yard, indoor/outdoor pool that will be located on Clyde Street; a new early childhood space designed to better meet the needs of young children, including those with learning challenges; renovated space for after school and summer camp; improved outdoor play and learning areas for all of its children’s programs, including an outdoor pavilion and educational gardens; dedicated space for adult and community programs; group fitness; increased security; greater energy efficiency; and additional parking.

For more information and to make a donation, please contact lael@jcc-asheville.org or visitjcc-asheville.org/tomorrows-jcc.

 

 

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About Thomas Calder
Thomas Calder received his MFA in Fiction from the University of Houston's Creative Writing Program. His writing has appeared in Gulf Coast, the Miracle Monocle, Juked and elsewhere. His debut novel, The Wind Under the Door, is now available.

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