“The reason that we ask businesses to be involved is because [going to these places] is sometimes the only opportunity that people have to speak at all about what’s happening at home,” says Caitrin Doyle of Helpmate.
![The Porchlight Project](https://mountainx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/WELLNESS_1_porchlightproject-330x248.jpg)
“The reason that we ask businesses to be involved is because [going to these places] is sometimes the only opportunity that people have to speak at all about what’s happening at home,” says Caitrin Doyle of Helpmate.
Joining the Family Justice Center in the building would be tax collections, tax assessment, election services, permits and inspections, planning, air quality and environmental health.
Decreased funding from federal Victims of Crime Act, or VOCA, could be devastating to the local nonprofits serving survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved nearly $97,000 in new spending from the county’s fund balance to cover nine months of services that had previously been supported by the Governor’s Crime Commission.
The county planning department supports changing the roughly 6.4-acre property from its current residential zoning to commercial service. The Buncombe County Planning Board, however, recommended denial of the rezoning in a 6-1 decision on Oct. 21, citing concerns over resident displacement and steep slopes.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners heard about the success of the Family Justice Center helping abuse survivors while also learning those using the resources has seen a 50 percent increase in the last three months.