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Eblen Charities recently announced plans for the Eblen Center for Social Enterprise (ECSE), an $11.6 million, 72,000 square foot, multi-use facility to be built on approximately three acres of land in Avery�s Creek. More than $3 million has already been raised for the facility, and a capital campaign is underway to raise the remaining $8.6 million, according to Eblen Charities.The announcement was made during a luncheon hosted by Bonefish Grill, with more than 100 Eblen supporters in attendance. Scheduled for groundbreaking later this year, the ECSE will provide two full floors of office space over an Events & Education Center capable of accommodating up to 1000. Eblen Charities founder Joe Eblen donated the land, which borders on Henderson and Transylvania Counties and should have a positive impact there, as well as in Buncombe County, according to Eblen Charities. �The mission of Eblen Charities will not change. All money generated by the Center�s operation will go to help Eblen purchase more medication, heating assistance, food and other emergency needs. The project will add significantly to Eblen Charities� capacity to assist families in need,� said Rick Guthy, co-chair of ECSE.
�The Eblen Center for Social Enterprise is designed to bring together the best practices of the public and private sector in establishing programs and outreach to better serve and enhance the communities we serve. It will enhance the way Eblen Charities accomplishes its mission, and will be a major step forward for the charities, its beneficiaries, partners, and all of Western North Carolina,� Joe Eblen said. ECSE office space will house Eblen Charities and other non-profit and/or for-profit organizations interested in community development and assistance. A prospective non-profit tenant has already agreed to lease the 2nd floor space, according to Tim Gwennap, ECSE co-chair. The Events & Education Center ~ which can be sectioned off to accommodate smaller groups ~ will be a state-of-the-art facility, with all multi-media equipment. A feasibility study has been completed that validates the need for this type of facility, according to Murdock, who said the Events & Education Center will attract new overnight visitors to Western North Carolina and provide much-needed new meeting, conference and events space for local public and private organizations in three counties. For more information on the ECSE and Eblen Charities, visit eblencharities.org or call (828) 255-3066. (Images provided by Eblen Charities.)
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The Social Enterprise model on which the ECSE is based encourages community-oriented nonprofit organizations not only to distribute donated funds, but also to actively create new resources to help those in need. The revenue stream generated by the ECSE will enable Eblen Charities to lower its overhead and provide additional money for assistance programs. After the ECSE is completed, the Eblen Charities will maintain an Asheville office to make services more accessible to its clients.
