Western North Carolina AIDS Project is dedicated to helping people affected by HIV/AIDS to achieve the best possible quality of life.
Social Services
The Literacy Council of Buncombe County is a nonprofit organization that teaches basic reading, writing, and English language skills to adults and children through individual and small group instruction. We are currently recruiting new volunteer tutors to work with out Adult Education and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs. To learn more about how to become a volunteer tutor, please email Niki Paganelli at [email protected] or visit our website at litcouncil.com.
Eliminating racism, empowering women — it’s what the YWCA is about and what it intends to do. The YWCA of Asheville offers programs in Aquatics, including swim lessons, lap and open swims, water aerobics, lifeguard training, and more.
Asheville.com is proud to be an Advocate of the YWCA of Asheville.
Helpmate provides short-term, emergency shelter for battered women and their children, counseling services for victims of domestic violence, including a 24-hour crisis line, individual counseling, and support groups. Also offers professional training and public education in recognizing, treating, and preventing domestic violence.
Salvation Army Boys & Girls Camp hosts sessions for summer day camp for kids 6-12. Day sessions are held from 7am-6pm, Monday – Friday , offering a variety of recreational, educational, and spiritual enrichment for youngsters.
For over 30 years Asheville Humane Society has been saving homeless Buncombe County animals. Today we operate both our own state-of-the-art Adoption and Education Center and the County’s only open door shelter where no local animal is ever turned away. We rescue, reunite, rehabilitate and re-home abandoned, abused, injured and lost animals. We provide education, training and support to keep pets in their homes. Our nationally recognized innovative programs and partnerships are steadily moving Buncombe County toward a no-kill community.
Goodwill Industries provides vocational development and support for disadvantaged and disabled individuals. Services include vocational assessment, work skills development, job placement, job coaching and career training. Clients develop work skills while doing work for local industries and work toward non-subsidized job placements.
The American Red Cross Western North Carolina Chapter of the Greater Carolinas Region consists of 6 chapters, 5 in North Carolina and 1 in South Carolina. Together, the 6 chapters proudly serve more than 5.5 million people across 51 counties, 47 in North Carolina and 4 counties in South Carolina. You can help the community by donating blood at a local blood drive, volunteering within the community, or providing financial assistance.
United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County allocates Community Fund dollars to 85 local health and human service programs, impacting the lives of more than 60,000 people in our community.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC matches youths ages 6 to 15 who are primarily from single-parent families with an adult mentor who can help develop positive personal growth by enabling the youth to develop a long-term, consistent friendship with an adult role model.
Warrior Canine Connection is a national nonprofit that engages recovering Warriors in the therapeutic mission of training service dogs for fellow Veterans. Service dogs undergo two years of training to assist Veterans with mobility issues, PTSD and TBI. Since 2011, WCC has supported the recovery of 10,000 Veterans and placed 145 assistance dogs, offering all programs and services, including dog placement, at no cost to Veterans and Military Families. For a glimpse of future service dogs, visit WCC’s 24-hour Puppy Cam.
Asheville GreenWorks is a volunteer-based organization working to achieve a clean and green Asheville and Buncombe County through community organizing, educating and environmental stewardship.
Buncombe County Friends for Animals operates an animal shelter which is run as an adoption center for animals; their focus is humane care and population control. Check out their photos of “animals seeking humans” and consider adoption.
Eliada Home is a non-profit agency dedicated to helping children succeed. Located on a historic 200-acre campus in the mountains of Western North Carolina, Eliada serves children and families through a diverse spectrum of programs and services, including residential care, child development services, foster care, community support services, therapeutic recreation, and many others.
The Guardian ad Litem Program of Buncombe County seeks dedicated community volunteers to serve as advocates for abused and neglected children whose cases are going through the court system. Volunteers investigate each child’s case and make independent recommendations to the Court for services, focusing on the best interests of the child. Program staff provides the necessary training for all volunteers. Please call us today at 251-6130 if interested. You will be glad you called!
Asheville Area Habitat seeks qualified applicants for its affordable single family homes being built in West Asheville. Houses are sold to families at no-profit and are financed with a zero interest loan. Applications are always being accepted.
If you’re interested in starting a neighborhood organization or improving the one you’re involved in, contact these folks for info and resources.
Girls on the Run is a life-changing, experiential learning programs for girls age eight to thirteen years old. The programs combine training for a 3.1 mile running event with self-esteem enhancing, uplifting workouts. The goals of the programs are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development.
2-1-1 is a nationally accredited information and referral service. 2-1-1 uses a comprehensive database of local, state, and national resources to link callers to community resources. Services include needs assessment, referral to health and human services, assistance in accessing services, advocacy, and follow up. Callers can be linked directly to volunteer opportunities through the Volunteer Center by calling 2-1-1. A 24-hour service, 2-1-1 provides after-hours coverage for several key agencies: Western Highlands, Buncombe County Department of Social Services – Adult and Child Protective Services, Helpmate, and Our VOICE. The 2-1-1 Call Center is a partnership among United Way, Ingles Markets and Buncombe County.
ABCCM is a local nonprofit in Asheville, NC. We are committed to serving those who are in need in Buncombe County. We offer a variety of services through our Crisis Ministry which has four locations throughout the county, Homeless Ministry which offers transitional housing for men and women, Medical Ministry (medical, dental, and pharmacy needs), Jail Ministry, and Donations Ministry.
This is a wonderful program administered by the Asheville Housing Authority; it assists families in creating and acting upon a plan that leads them to economic independence.
MANNA FoodBank provides food to more than 347 member agencies throughout Western North Carolina who serve 9,000 meals each day, 365 days per year. Please volunteer or donate today!
Our Voice is a non-profit crisis intervention and prevention agency which serves victims of sexual violence, age 13 through adult, in Buncombe County. The agency was founded in 1974 as an all-volunteer grassroots organization. The agency remained underground until August 1983 when we received our 501(c)(3) status as a non-profit agency and the first employee was hired. Now, 40 years and considerable growth later, Our Voice employs six paid staff and over 50 volunteers, working both to support the healing of survivors of sexual violence and to prevent future acts of sexual violence.
Mountains Housing Opportunities provides safety-related home repairs for low-income homeowners, including elderly, disabled, and families with children. MHO also works to move homeless members of our community into permanent housing and links them with the services, training, education, and employment opportunities that will help them succeed in permanent housing.
Three Streams Family Health Centeris a faith-based family practice which serves both insured and uninsured people in Western North Carolina. For those without insurance, we work on a sliding scale based on income and household size. We believe in excellent patient care with an emphasis on whole health, body, mind, and spirit. We offer extended hours and interpretation services, 828-285-9725; Para español, deje su mensaje en la extension telefónico 509.
Hands On Asheville-Buncombe, the volunteer center of United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, makes it easy to lend a hand and help others in our community by volunteering with local nonprofits, schools and government entities. Our service area is Buncombe County. If you have questions regarding volunteer opportunities, please contact Erika Goffin at [email protected] or visit our website for over 200 opportunities to serve.
Buncombe County Partnership for Children (SmartStart) encourages local partnerships which set goals that benefit our community’s families and children.
The Arc of Buncombe County provides support and advocacy for individuals with developmental disabilities.