Whatever it takes: Never lose hope

READY AS EVER: Despite the many challenges True Ridge has faced over the last 2 ½ years, its founder, Lori Garcia-McCammon, says the organization remains strong and determined to carry out its work. Photo courtesy of Garcia-McCammon

Editor’s note: For our fall Nonprofit issue, we invited local nonprofit leaders to reflect on the successes and challenges of operating a 501(c)(3) in Western North Carolina. 

Lori Garcia-McCammon is the founder of True Ridge. The nonprofit works primarily with local Latino communities to ensure they feel seen, safe, integrated, respected and valued.

Xpress: What about this year’s volunteer/staff work gives you hope about your nonprofit’s mission and its overall impact on the community? 

Garcia-McCammon: The dedication and selfless work of staff and volunteers is what has brought us through the tough times, not only this year but since the COVID pandemic started. Everyone in the organization came together to do what it takes to serve our community, which was disproportionately impacted over the years. True Ridge made its mark, and the impact was overwhelming. The number of people served directly and indirectly has tripled. We never lose hope — we hold onto it for dear life, and we are blessed in the process.

What has been the most challenging aspect of operating your nonprofit this year? 

There have been so many challenges this past year. I believe I can speak not only for our nonprofit, but others as well, when it comes to the challenges of multiyear funding opportunities for operations, mental health challenges, struggling to keep quality staff (bilingual and bicultural) and being able to pay a living wage due to the ever-present increase of inflation. Self-care has gone on the back burner, which has led to burnout. And of course, illness — especially the long-term effects of COVID-19, such as fatigue, brain fog, respiratory issues and other symptoms — has also been a major challenge.

How have the last 2 1/2 years reshaped the way your nonprofit operates, and do you see these changes as permanent?

I believe that the past 2 1/2 years have definitely reshaped the way we operate our nonprofit. Due to the population we serve, we made choices to accept funding and to expand our services in ways that best serve our community. We partnered with other local and statewide organizations (WNC Health Network, N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, N.C. Counts Coalition, our local health department, Hispanic Federation, United Way and others) to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate messaging to our Latino/Hispanic population.

Additionally, True Ridge staff delivered face coverings and sanitizer to our community; staff was also present at multiple events encouraging vaccinations, sharing information and other resources in the community that could help with emergency funds for rent, medical expenses, utilities, etc., for those affected by loss of work or illness.

I am not sure of the permanence of all of these changes as funding has started dwindling for those specific areas. But our core mission continues: advocacy in courts for victims of crime, immigration and always education.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

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.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.