Asheville City Schools Foundation embraces volunteerism

Here’s the press release from the Asheville City Schools Foundation:

COMPASSIONATE VOLUNTEERS EMBRACE CULTURE OF PHILANTHROPY IN ASHEVILLE

(Asheville, NC) What is the difference between charity and philanthropy? Noted educator and activist Yusef Mgeni defines charity as “an act of mercy or compassion, a spontaneous response to the less fortunate” and philanthropy as “a conscious effort to eliminate challenges in a community”. ACSF salutes the 850+ annual volunteers who directly support struggling students and enhance the classroom experience for teachers.

Last year, ACSF has recorded coordinating over 10,000 hours of volunteer support. These incredible volunteers have helped to elevate grades through homework help, coordinate food and holiday gift drives, and coached normally couch-bound students in a variety of afterschool activities. It is no secret that in the Asheville community put their time and intention to causes in which they believe thanks to recent findings.

A recent published study ranked Asheville as the 10th most charitable city in the nation with 32 percent of residents volunteering their time. The study, administered by California-based NerdWallet, a consumer finance website, reports that local volunteers give an average of 37.8 hours a year and donate an average of 6.4 percent of their income. The data from the study came from the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. –As reported by the Asheville Citizen Times

This culture of volunteerism has put Asheville on the map not only for the support of local students, but our community at large. At ACSF, a few volunteers have not only have dedicated their time improving learning for children, but have committed resources towards the cause. For the second year in a row, the ACSF has received a combination of two large gifts that total $150,000 from volunteers.

Two individuals, who wish to remain anonymous, have given $100,000 to the Foundation to enhance existing programs and to serve as matching gifts for the next three years. This couple learned about ACSF after moving to Asheville from out of state and was seeking volunteer opportunities in this community. “We are enthusiastic supporters of the Foundation’s initiatives in teacher development, parental involvement, pre-school opportunities and art and music enrichment.”

The second gift of $50,000 was donated this year by a dedicated ACSF volunteer who is passionate about quality teaching, after school programming, and the arts. This person opened up to us recently saying: “I contribute to ACSF because it is student and teacher focused. The foundation’s emphasis on improving local, public education through a variety of successful programs is ever more important in this time of limited government support. Asheville must have great public schools in order to have a great community.”

ACSF is asking the community to join in the culture of philanthropy this season, whether it is through volunteerism or by making an annual donation to increase both student achievement and student engagement in Asheville City Schools. “ACSF needs to raise $20,000 from the community to fund our IRL after school program, our TAPAS artists’ residency program, and our teacher grant program. With community support, you are ensuring that the voice for children and for public schools will thrive for many years to come.” says Executive Director, Kate Pett.

#GivingTuesday Partner
In celebration of the spirit of giving, ACSF volunteers will be participating in several activities as a part of the nation-wide #GivingTuesday campaign. #GivingTuesday™ is a campaign to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support non-profit organizations.

· Board volunteers will be calling friends of the foundation to update them on recent successes and seeking support for the annual campaign.
· ACSF will be featuring a social media campaign that highlights the personal stories of donors to the foundation during the week of December 3rd.
· ACSF will also be hosting a Day of Volunteering at Asheville Middle School on Tuesday, December 3rd. For more info on joining in this day of service or other specific volunteer opportunities, please contact Jay Lively jay@acsf.org

Individuals who are interested in making a donation, can make a one-time or recurring gift on the ACSF website. The recent major gifts will also serve as matching funds to encourage teachers, staff members, and community members to contribute to ACSF’s annual campaign.

Helpful Links:
ACSF Annual Report- http://acsf.org/about/annual-report.php
Volunteer Inquiries- Jay Lively, Jay@acsf.org
Donate- http://acsf.org/get-involved/honor-roll-for-local-schools.php
ACSF Facebook- www.facebook.com/avlcsfoundation

This year marks the 25th anniversary for Asheville City Schools Foundation (ACSF). The mission of the ACSF is to promote educational success for all students in Asheville City Schools by engaging the entire community to support enriching and innovative educational activities.