Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
To support local nonprofits during this holiday season, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County has compiled a list of volunteer and donation opportunities happening in our community in November and December.
If you are searching for ways to give to folks in need, by making a donation or giving some of your time to help out, please visit: 2023 Holiday Volunteer & Donation Opportunities for Buncombe County | Hands On Asheville-Buncombe, and we will get back to you with more information. Our response email will include a link which will give you access to a list with a variety of options you can choose from. Since new opportunities are being added every day, we encourage you to frequently check the list, especially if you did not find what you are looking for at the time.
We appreciate you and all that you do for our community. Please keep it up, especially for this holiday season.
Participating Organizations:
- ABCCM South
- Asheville High School/SILSA
- Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Erwin Middle School
- Montmorenci United Methodist Church
- United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County
*Note, this list will grow as new opportunities come in!
In order to receive details about these opportunities, simply
- Click the blue “respond” button above. visit this site: 2023 Holiday Volunteer & Donation Opportunities for Buncombe County | Hands On Asheville-Buncombe
- After responding, you will receive a confirmation email with more information and a link to access the list of opportunities.
- Remember, this list will be updated frequently, so make sure to check back frequently!
It’s November again and that can only mean one thing: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)!
NaNoWriMo began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel during the thirty days of November. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand-new novel.
If you are doing NaNoWriMo this year, the Buncombe County Public Libraries are here to help! Several branches will be hosting “Write-ins” throughout the month of November, offering quiet spaces for writers to come chip away at their word count. Each Write-in will have its own unique spin (snacks, ambient music, writing prompts, local author hosts, etc.), so please check the library event calendar for specific details.
In addition to the Write-Ins, a NaNoWriMo Wrap Party will be held at rEvolve Mercantile on Wednesday, December 6th from 6pm – 8pm. All NaNoWriMo participants are invited to join us for food, activities, prize raffles , and “micro mic” readings that will give each writer a chance to share a paragraph or two from their novel.
Any questions? Let us know.
OGS is looking for energetic, passionate people to:
- Build community networks
- Act as change catalysts in the community
- Serve as ambassadors for organic growing & Organic Growers School
As a member of our Board of Directors!
OGS’s mission is to inspire, educate, and support people to farm, garden, and live organically through hands-on training, workshops, conferences, and partnerships. OGS is the premier provider of practical and affordable organic education in the Southern Appalachians, building a vibrant food and farming community by boosting the success of our region’s organic home growers and farmers.
The board of directors plays a critical role in the Organic Growers School. Board members are involved in program and policy oversight, financial management, strategic direction, and fundraising.
Do you…
Live or work in Western NC, Upstate SC, Northern GA, Eastern TN, or Southwest VA?
Have experience in one or more of the following areas?
- Board development
- Business/Finance
- Fundraising
- Human resources
- Strategic Planning
- Organic/Sustainable Farming or Gardening
- Social Justice
If you believe in the value of organic growing and want to be part of OGS’s change agenda, we have a chair for you at our boardroom table!
We encourage Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to apply. However you identify and whatever background you bring with you, if you find alignment and excitement in what OGS is doing in the world, join us and help us build an organization where we’re all proud to belong.
If you are interested in joining our board, please fill out and submit the form linked below. We’re looking forward to meeting you!
If you have any questions about serving on the board or Organic Growers School, please don’t hesitate to call or email Cameron Farlow at 828-338-9465 or E: [email protected].
A Helping of Graditude
River lovers are encouraged to support RiverLink and other community nonprofits through Give!Local, the annual philanthropy program organized by MountainXpress. The first 10 donors of $100 or more to RiverLink will be entered into a drawing for a kayak tour on the French Broad River with Renee Fortner, RiverLink’s expert water resources manager. First Bank is waiving transaction fees, so 100 percent of your donation goes to the nonprofits you select.
Participate in Give!Local
RiverLink deeply appreciates the contributions this community makes directly to the organization — whether as gifts of stock, required IRA distributions, donor-advised funds, donations made in memory of others, and all the ways you give. Please reach out to Susan Andrew at [email protected] for assistance with any of these giving modes. And anyone can use the handy Donate button at the bottom of our newsletters. Thank you! Sincere gratitude to RiverLink’s recent business supporters — we are honored by your contributions:
- Astral
- Bottle Riot
- Burial Beer Co.
- Cedar Rock Adventures
- Curtis Wright Outfitters
- East Fork Pottery
- Edgewater Resources
- Ferguson Waterworks
- Fresh Market
- Hellbender Paddleboards
- High Five Coffee
- Preserving a Picturesque America
- Whole Foods
- Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins
We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.
What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!
We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall! 
You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?
Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)
Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.
In early 2024, 50 organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.
Since 1982, the Youth Garden Grant has supported school and youth educational garden projects that enhance the quality of life for youth and their communities.
In early 2024, fifty organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.
¡Pueden aplicar a los programas en español! Para ver esta oportunidad de subvención en español, visite nuestra página web en español.
Eligibility
Any organization in the United States or US Territories planning a new or improving an existing garden program that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 0 and 18 is eligible to apply.
KidsGardening grantees from any 2022 or 2023 grant program (Budding Botanist, GroMoreGood Grassroots, Lots of Compassion, and Little Seeds Pollinator Pals) and previous Youth Garden winners from any year are not eligible.
Organizations must:
- Support, work with, or serve communities with a majority of individuals that are under-resourced (systematically denied resources and opportunities based on race, gender, ethnicity, income level, abilities, geographic location, etc., or currently experiencing hardship such as a natural disaster, etc.)
- Have fifteen or more youth participate in the garden program.
- Have received less than $10,000 in grants for the garden program during 2022 and 2023 combined.
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To support local nonprofits during this holiday season, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County has compiled a list of volunteer and donation opportunities happening in our community in November and December.
If you are searching for ways to give to folks in need, by making a donation or giving some of your time to help out, please visit: 2023 Holiday Volunteer & Donation Opportunities for Buncombe County | Hands On Asheville-Buncombe, and we will get back to you with more information. Our response email will include a link which will give you access to a list with a variety of options you can choose from. Since new opportunities are being added every day, we encourage you to frequently check the list, especially if you did not find what you are looking for at the time.
We appreciate you and all that you do for our community. Please keep it up, especially for this holiday season.
Participating Organizations:
- ABCCM South
- Asheville High School/SILSA
- Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Erwin Middle School
- Montmorenci United Methodist Church
- United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County
*Note, this list will grow as new opportunities come in!
In order to receive details about these opportunities, simply
- Click the blue “respond” button above. visit this site: 2023 Holiday Volunteer & Donation Opportunities for Buncombe County | Hands On Asheville-Buncombe
- After responding, you will receive a confirmation email with more information and a link to access the list of opportunities.
- Remember, this list will be updated frequently, so make sure to check back frequently!
It’s November again and that can only mean one thing: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)!
NaNoWriMo began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel during the thirty days of November. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand-new novel.
If you are doing NaNoWriMo this year, the Buncombe County Public Libraries are here to help! Several branches will be hosting “Write-ins” throughout the month of November, offering quiet spaces for writers to come chip away at their word count. Each Write-in will have its own unique spin (snacks, ambient music, writing prompts, local author hosts, etc.), so please check the library event calendar for specific details.
In addition to the Write-Ins, a NaNoWriMo Wrap Party will be held at rEvolve Mercantile on Wednesday, December 6th from 6pm – 8pm. All NaNoWriMo participants are invited to join us for food, activities, prize raffles , and “micro mic” readings that will give each writer a chance to share a paragraph or two from their novel.
Any questions? Let us know.
Every year Buncombe County honors community volunteers through the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award program.
The Governor’s Volunteer Service Award honors the true spirit of volunteerism by recognizing individuals, groups, and businesses that make significant contributions to their community through volunteer service. The awards program, created by the Office of the Governor in 1979, recognizes North Carolina’s most dedicated volunteers. Through the years, the award honors thousands who have shown concern and compassion for their neighbors by volunteering in their local community.
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond? Governor’s Volunteer Service Award nominations can be submitted for volunteers who have provided service in a variety of different areas, including:
- Veteran/Military: providing volunteer services to military families and/or veterans
- Serving Youth: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to mentoring or educating youth
- Disaster: providing volunteer service in disaster preparedness, response, recovery, or mitigation
- Animals: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to volunteering with or for animals
- Environmental: providing an exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship
- Historically Marginalized Populations: providing a noteworthy dedication to assisting members of marginalized populations
- North Carolina Preservation: demonstrating a remarkable devotion to restoring or preserving the state’s history, culture, or the arts
- Health and Human Services: showing a remarkable dedication to individuals or groups in need
- Lifetime Achievement: exhibiting a lifelong commitment of 20-plus years to volunteerism and community service
Nominators can also select one of several different categories for the type of volunteer being nominated, including family, youth, senior, Latino, faith-based entity, corporate/business, group/team, national service member, director of volunteers (paid staff) and perseverance in volunteerism (an individual or team who has overcome significant personal obstacles and/or a mental or physical disability).
Nominees can be nominated for more than one category, and nominators are encouraged to check all categories that apply to their nominees. However, only one individual and/or one company/group/team/family should be nominated. Self-nominations are not permitted, and previous award winners from the past 10 years are not eligible.
Each county will select up to ten individuals, businesses, groups/teams, and one paid Director of Volunteers to be recognized for their outstanding contributions to their communities. Buncombe County is seeking nominations from the public through Feb. 15, 2024. Any person, group, or entity from the public, nonprofit, and private sector may be nominated for an award, and one of the nominees will be nominated for the Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer service, awarded to the top 20 volunteers in the state.
If you would like to nominate a deserving volunteer, group, or organization there are two ways. Find a link to the online submission or download a form below. If using the form attached below, please email your nomination forms to [email protected] by Feb. 15, 2024.
In 2023 Asheville-Area Habitat for Humanity volunteers Tricia and Charlie Franck were recognized with a Medallion Award. The pair have been volunteering with the local nonprofit for more than 15 years. During that time, they helped develop and implement the Student Build program. Over six years, this initiative has grown to include six schools that have collectively helped raise $55,000 to sponsor a Habitat home with the students helping build it. Charlie has also helped with building homes, working in Habitat’s Restore, and more. Tricia has also been instrumental working with the Women Build program and serves on the Board of Directors.
Congratulations to the 2023 Governor’s Service Award recipients for Buncombe County:
- Land of the Sky REALTORS Association
- Medallion Award winners Tricia & Charlie Franck
OGS is looking for energetic, passionate people to:
- Build community networks
- Act as change catalysts in the community
- Serve as ambassadors for organic growing & Organic Growers School
As a member of our Board of Directors!
OGS’s mission is to inspire, educate, and support people to farm, garden, and live organically through hands-on training, workshops, conferences, and partnerships. OGS is the premier provider of practical and affordable organic education in the Southern Appalachians, building a vibrant food and farming community by boosting the success of our region’s organic home growers and farmers.
The board of directors plays a critical role in the Organic Growers School. Board members are involved in program and policy oversight, financial management, strategic direction, and fundraising.
Do you…
Live or work in Western NC, Upstate SC, Northern GA, Eastern TN, or Southwest VA?
Have experience in one or more of the following areas?
- Board development
- Business/Finance
- Fundraising
- Human resources
- Strategic Planning
- Organic/Sustainable Farming or Gardening
- Social Justice
If you believe in the value of organic growing and want to be part of OGS’s change agenda, we have a chair for you at our boardroom table!
We encourage Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to apply. However you identify and whatever background you bring with you, if you find alignment and excitement in what OGS is doing in the world, join us and help us build an organization where we’re all proud to belong.
If you are interested in joining our board, please fill out and submit the form linked below. We’re looking forward to meeting you!
If you have any questions about serving on the board or Organic Growers School, please don’t hesitate to call or email Cameron Farlow at 828-338-9465 or E: [email protected].
Buncombe County students interested in entering the field of conservation, agriculture or another natural resource program can win a $1,000 scholarship from The Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District.
The William Hamilton Memorial Scholarship will provide a student with money to go towards their studies. Eligible students must attend or plan to attend an accredited college or university and must submit a proposal for a volunteer conservation project in Buncombe County.
One winner will be selected by a committee of Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District staff and Supervisors and the funds will be dispersed directly to the institution upon completion of the volunteer project.
Scholarship Timeline:
February 28, 2024 – Deadline to apply
April 11, 2024 – Winning applicant announced
June 30, 2024 – Deadline to complete volunteer project
July 11, 2024 – Presentation to the Board, award dispersed
The winner is also expected to attend a Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting to present the results of their project and accept their scholarship.
Find the application below. Completed applications and questions can be sent to [email protected].
The application can also be mailed to:
Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District
Attn: Jen Knight and Rose Wall
49 Mount Carmel Road
Asheville NC, 28806
SURPRISE – we’re also having a tree sale to clear out inventory that has gotten too large to be stored in the hoop houses over winter. These are species not typically given away at our adoption events, so here is your chance to add something unique to your home or business.
We need your help and the help of your network to make this holiday drive as successful as possible in putting new books into the hands of Buncombe County elementary and middle school students during the holiday break.
What better way to spread holiday cheer than by donating books? Imagine the joy on a child’s face when they receive a brand-new book. It’s like sprinkling a little bit of magic into their lives!
We’ve partnered with over a dozen local organizations serving K-12 students throughout the county. They’re eagerly waiting for book drop-offs like kids waiting for the first snowfall!
You can make a positive impact right now by donating directly using the button below, or why not turn giving back into an outing?
Holiday Book Drive 2023 (givebutter.com)
Visit the Barnes & Noble on Tunnel Road at the Asheville Mall to shop in-store and donate them on the spot.
In early 2024, 50 organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.
Since 1982, the Youth Garden Grant has supported school and youth educational garden projects that enhance the quality of life for youth and their communities.
In early 2024, fifty organizations will be awarded $500 in funding and a collection of gardening supplies for their youth garden program.
¡Pueden aplicar a los programas en español! Para ver esta oportunidad de subvención en español, visite nuestra página web en español.
Eligibility
Any organization in the United States or US Territories planning a new or improving an existing garden program that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 0 and 18 is eligible to apply.
KidsGardening grantees from any 2022 or 2023 grant program (Budding Botanist, GroMoreGood Grassroots, Lots of Compassion, and Little Seeds Pollinator Pals) and previous Youth Garden winners from any year are not eligible.
Organizations must:
- Support, work with, or serve communities with a majority of individuals that are under-resourced (systematically denied resources and opportunities based on race, gender, ethnicity, income level, abilities, geographic location, etc., or currently experiencing hardship such as a natural disaster, etc.)
- Have fifteen or more youth participate in the garden program.
- Have received less than $10,000 in grants for the garden program during 2022 and 2023 combined.
Food Scraps Drop Off
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in
two locations for all Buncombe County residents. This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Register for Food Scraps Drop Off
Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin? Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.
Locations
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot
30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville
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- Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.
Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot
749 Fairview Road, Asheville
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- Dawn – Dusk
West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building
942 Haywood Road, Asheville
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- Library open hours
- Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander
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- Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
-
Food Scraps Drop Off
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in two locations for all Buncombe County residents. This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Register for Food Scraps Drop Off
Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin? Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.
Locations Holidays call for hours
Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center
85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander
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- Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot
749 Fairview Road, Asheville
-
- Dawn – Dusk
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot
30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville
-
- Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.
West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building
942 Haywood Road, Asheville
-
- Library open hours
Included with admission
Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.
Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.
Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!
The Council on Aging for Henderson County (COAHC) wants to make sure all seniors receive a gift this holiday season, and they need your help. For the 25th year, the COAHC will be collecting shoebox gifts filled by community members, then deliver those gifts to Henderson County seniors. Last year they delivered more than 350 boxes to COAHC clients. This year all additional boxes will be donated to clients of Henderson County Department of Social Services Adult Services.
Participants fill a shoe box with small, useful items and gifts, such as hygiene items, gloves, large-print books and puzzles, notepads, calendars, flashlights, and any other small gifts a senior would appreciate. Then bring the wrapped shoebox to the Council on Aging office (105 King Creek Boulevard) during their business hours: Mon-Fri, between 9am and 4pm. Please mark if the box is for a male, female or either. Gift collection ends on Friday, December 8th.
This gift drive is in conjunction with a Meals on Wheels gift drive for requested items from their clients. Participants can choose a client, shop for their requested items, then bring the wrapped gift to the Council on Aging office, where volunteers will distribute the gifts to clients in late December.
Whether you start decorating for the holidays before Thanksgiving or well into December, now is the best time to get into the holiday spirit by sponsoring a gift for kids or adults.
Being an adult without a support network, an adult with a disability, or a kid in foster care can be tough over the holidays; this is a great opportunity to let them know that the community cares for them.
Every year, Buncombe County hosts an Adult Wish Tree and a Foster Care Wish Tree that allows members of the community to sponsor a gift for someone this holiday.
Foster Care Wish Tree
Each year, children in foster care in Buncombe County submit a list of wishes they would like for the holidays.
To sign up to sponsor a child, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.
A note from Health and Human Services:
Hello and thank you for your generosity this holiday season. We are grateful for your unwavering support for our foster youth. Here at Buncombe County Health and Human Services, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of our foster youth, and having your support means so much to us and our kids. You are not just providing gifts this holiday season; you are telling someone that they matter and that they are important! That is something to celebrate! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!
If you have any questions about your sponsorship, please call Amber Cook at 828-772-5553 or email [email protected] during business hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.
Adult Wish Tree
When you can’t drive a car or don’t have someone to bring you the things you might need, like a new nightgown or socks, it can be tough. The Adult Wish Tree is a Buncombe County program that works with agencies throughout the county to identify adults and adults with disabilities who don’t have access to a support network to help with these basic needs. The program also identifies young adults in our extended foster care program who will likely not receive a gift this year. Please consider selecting an adult to sponsor this holiday season.
To sign up to sponsor an adult, click this link and select the person you would like to sponsor. You will receive an email confirmation that provides a copy of the wish list and all the instructions for drop-off.
A note from Health and Human Services:
This holiday season we hope you will choose one of the many names that are submitted by Health and Human Services and our partner agencies for adults and adults with disabilities. It is such a joy to see the smiles on the faces of adults who have their wishes fulfilled, as these are adults who are not expected to have anyone else to provide them with a gift this year.
If you have questions, please email us at [email protected].
Happy Holidays and thank you for supporting those who need a little extra care this upcoming season.
Silent Films, Loud Music is a screening of silent short films, accompanied by local bands providing live music. This will be a night of silliness, collaboration, and expressions of queer joy! Proceeds will support Fierce Flix programs for 2024. Come listen to original music, enjoy films by awesome local filmmakers and show support trans queer and femme youth! Doors at 7:30, show at 8!
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To support local nonprofits during this holiday season, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County has compiled a list of volunteer and donation opportunities happening in our community in November and December.
If you are searching for ways to give to folks in need, by making a donation or giving some of your time to help out, please visit: 2023 Holiday Volunteer & Donation Opportunities for Buncombe County | Hands On Asheville-Buncombe, and we will get back to you with more information. Our response email will include a link which will give you access to a list with a variety of options you can choose from. Since new opportunities are being added every day, we encourage you to frequently check the list, especially if you did not find what you are looking for at the time.
We appreciate you and all that you do for our community. Please keep it up, especially for this holiday season.
Participating Organizations:
- ABCCM South
- Asheville High School/SILSA
- Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Erwin Middle School
- Montmorenci United Methodist Church
- United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County
*Note, this list will grow as new opportunities come in!
In order to receive details about these opportunities, simply
- Click the blue “respond” button above. visit this site: 2023 Holiday Volunteer & Donation Opportunities for Buncombe County | Hands On Asheville-Buncombe
- After responding, you will receive a confirmation email with more information and a link to access the list of opportunities.
- Remember, this list will be updated frequently, so make sure to check back frequently!
It’s November again and that can only mean one thing: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)!
NaNoWriMo began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel during the thirty days of November. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand-new novel.
If you are doing NaNoWriMo this year, the Buncombe County Public Libraries are here to help! Several branches will be hosting “Write-ins” throughout the month of November, offering quiet spaces for writers to come chip away at their word count. Each Write-in will have its own unique spin (snacks, ambient music, writing prompts, local author hosts, etc.), so please check the library event calendar for specific details.
In addition to the Write-Ins, a NaNoWriMo Wrap Party will be held at rEvolve Mercantile on Wednesday, December 6th from 6pm – 8pm. All NaNoWriMo participants are invited to join us for food, activities, prize raffles , and “micro mic” readings that will give each writer a chance to share a paragraph or two from their novel.
Any questions? Let us know.
Every year Buncombe County honors community volunteers through the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award program.
The Governor’s Volunteer Service Award honors the true spirit of volunteerism by recognizing individuals, groups, and businesses that make significant contributions to their community through volunteer service. The awards program, created by the Office of the Governor in 1979, recognizes North Carolina’s most dedicated volunteers. Through the years, the award honors thousands who have shown concern and compassion for their neighbors by volunteering in their local community.
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond? Governor’s Volunteer Service Award nominations can be submitted for volunteers who have provided service in a variety of different areas, including:
- Veteran/Military: providing volunteer services to military families and/or veterans
- Serving Youth: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to mentoring or educating youth
- Disaster: providing volunteer service in disaster preparedness, response, recovery, or mitigation
- Animals: demonstrating an outstanding commitment to volunteering with or for animals
- Environmental: providing an exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship
- Historically Marginalized Populations: providing a noteworthy dedication to assisting members of marginalized populations
- North Carolina Preservation: demonstrating a remarkable devotion to restoring or preserving the state’s history, culture, or the arts
- Health and Human Services: showing a remarkable dedication to individuals or groups in need
- Lifetime Achievement: exhibiting a lifelong commitment of 20-plus years to volunteerism and community service
Nominators can also select one of several different categories for the type of volunteer being nominated, including family, youth, senior, Latino, faith-based entity, corporate/business, group/team, national service member, director of volunteers (paid staff) and perseverance in volunteerism (an individual or team who has overcome significant personal obstacles and/or a mental or physical disability).
Nominees can be nominated for more than one category, and nominators are encouraged to check all categories that apply to their nominees. However, only one individual and/or one company/group/team/family should be nominated. Self-nominations are not permitted, and previous award winners from the past 10 years are not eligible.
Each county will select up to ten individuals, businesses, groups/teams, and one paid Director of Volunteers to be recognized for their outstanding contributions to their communities. Buncombe County is seeking nominations from the public through Feb. 15, 2024. Any person, group, or entity from the public, nonprofit, and private sector may be nominated for an award, and one of the nominees will be nominated for the Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer service, awarded to the top 20 volunteers in the state.
If you would like to nominate a deserving volunteer, group, or organization there are two ways. Find a link to the online submission or download a form below. If using the form attached below, please email your nomination forms to [email protected] by Feb. 15, 2024.
In 2023 Asheville-Area Habitat for Humanity volunteers Tricia and Charlie Franck were recognized with a Medallion Award. The pair have been volunteering with the local nonprofit for more than 15 years. During that time, they helped develop and implement the Student Build program. Over six years, this initiative has grown to include six schools that have collectively helped raise $55,000 to sponsor a Habitat home with the students helping build it. Charlie has also helped with building homes, working in Habitat’s Restore, and more. Tricia has also been instrumental working with the Women Build program and serves on the Board of Directors.
Congratulations to the 2023 Governor’s Service Award recipients for Buncombe County:
- Land of the Sky REALTORS Association
- Medallion Award winners Tricia & Charlie Franck
OGS is looking for energetic, passionate people to:
- Build community networks
- Act as change catalysts in the community
- Serve as ambassadors for organic growing & Organic Growers School
As a member of our Board of Directors!
OGS’s mission is to inspire, educate, and support people to farm, garden, and live organically through hands-on training, workshops, conferences, and partnerships. OGS is the premier provider of practical and affordable organic education in the Southern Appalachians, building a vibrant food and farming community by boosting the success of our region’s organic home growers and farmers.
The board of directors plays a critical role in the Organic Growers School. Board members are involved in program and policy oversight, financial management, strategic direction, and fundraising.
Do you…
Live or work in Western NC, Upstate SC, Northern GA, Eastern TN, or Southwest VA?
Have experience in one or more of the following areas?
- Board development
- Business/Finance
- Fundraising
- Human resources
- Strategic Planning
- Organic/Sustainable Farming or Gardening
- Social Justice
If you believe in the value of organic growing and want to be part of OGS’s change agenda, we have a chair for you at our boardroom table!
We encourage Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to apply. However you identify and whatever background you bring with you, if you find alignment and excitement in what OGS is doing in the world, join us and help us build an organization where we’re all proud to belong.
If you are interested in joining our board, please fill out and submit the form linked below. We’re looking forward to meeting you!
If you have any questions about serving on the board or Organic Growers School, please don’t hesitate to call or email Cameron Farlow at 828-338-9465 or E: [email protected].