With the holidays around the corner, nonprofits are counting more than ever on turkey drives, financial contributions, dedicated volunteers going the extra mile — sometimes literally — and increased awareness and support from the community at large.

With the holidays around the corner, nonprofits are counting more than ever on turkey drives, financial contributions, dedicated volunteers going the extra mile — sometimes literally — and increased awareness and support from the community at large.
While most nonprofits must stay focused on their specific cause, suggests board member Caroline Avery, the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina’s adaptable structure helps it pivot quickly to meet new challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Fred in 2021. “The community foundation is a charitable Gumby,” she says.
Since COVID-19 emerged in early 2020, local nonprofits dedicated to meeting the needs of food insecure citizens have been engaged in what feels like an endless game of Whac-A-Mole, no sooner subduing one obstacle before another rears its menacing head.
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In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Fred, Gaining Ground Farm lost 85% of what was in the ground and about 30% of its gross revenue for the season. Despite the heavy hit, the farm bounced back thanks to the support from locally owned restaurants.
Thirsty Monk celebrates the reopening of its downtown location. Plus, Out of the Box competition kicks off, Old Europe Pastries announces plans to move and Well Seasoned Table tops the Taste 50 list.
Handmade skirts highlighting locally grown foods, a new homegrown delivery service from Nani’s Rotisserie Chicken, a class on country winemaking, local nonprofit news and more.
The directors of MANNA FoodBank, Bounty & Soul and Beacon of Hope say their organizations are persevering to meet the community’s ongoing need in an ever-shifting landscape.
MG Road kicks off the holiday season with a Christmas cocktail pop-up. Plus, a new food entrepreneurship center is planned for the WNC Farmers Market, Villagers announces its impending closure and more local food news.
The inaugural U Grow Community Dig Day kicks off Western North Carolina’s growing season with a plant sale, free workshops and other activities.
With one in six people in Western North Carolina lacking consistent access to food, MANNA FoodBank and its partner agencies are uniting to host hunger-awareness events and initiatives in September for national Hunger Action Month. MANNA also hopes to wrap up its Space to Erase Hunger capital campaign this month, allowing for crucial expansions to the organization’s capacity that will impact hungry families in 16 counties.
U Grow, a partnership between Bounty & Soul and Eat Smart Black Mountain, offers a hand-to-mouth approach to food security by encouraging families and individuals to grow their own food.
The USDA has identified several areas in WNC, and Asheville, as places without access to healthy, affordable food. But three different mobile food markets are aiming to launch this year — reducing the distance between healthy foods and communities in need.