By Peggy Hammond 3/16/2018
ISS believes in doing its part to make its hometown of Asheville, NC, a strong community. One way we connect with our town is providing AHOPE Day Center items they need for clients’ daily living, items many of us might take for granted. AHOPE plays a critical role in Asheville; they support the homeless with a variety of relief measures. The Day Center provides clients a place to take showers, store personal items, have mail delivered, get phone service, coffee, and snacks. For many clients, help from AHOPE starts the important process of finding a permanent home.
Nicole Brown, Homeless Services Director, explained that AHOPE’s operating budget receives 50% of its needed funds from private donors and foundations. In addition, Brown shared the news that AHOPE is on the verge of undertaking improvements to their building: “we are also about to start a capital campaign to renovate AHOPE! We are very excited about the much needed changes to our building. It was originally built to see around 30-40 people a day and we are seeing 130-140 and even more some days!” Brown went on to say that items given to clients come 100% from private donations, so AHOPE always welcomes clothing and personal care items, and, of course, monetary donations. Currently they are low on toothbrushes, and there is always a steady need for socks. Brown underscored the importance of the basics: “[These supplies] are essential to the survival of our clients! If you have cold wet socks and are staying outside then you have a much higher chance of frost bite. It is essential that we are able to give the clients a clean/dry pair of socks.”
Brown pointed out that AHOPE provides care, too, for clients who do not come to the Center for help: “We also have an outreach team that works with our most vulnerable clients that typically don’t come in for services. We give those clients basic survival supplies such as hand warmers, emergency blankets, warm clothes, coats, socks, sleeping bags, tents, … camping supplies. Those are items we are always in need of.”
On March 7, 2018, ISS was pleased to donate coffee, men’s and women’s underclothing, socks, toothpaste, and toothbrushes in hopes of making people’s lives a little brighter. We are grateful for AHOPE’s presence in our community, and we are always happy to help make their job a little easier.
To learn more about contributing to AHOPE, call 828-258-1695 or visit their website at homewardboundwnc.org.
