10+ Ways to Give Back in Asheville This Holiday Season

As the holiday season approaches we are reminded of all the things we are grateful for and all the ways we keep our community strong. In Asheville, there are so many opportunities both at home and in person to support our neighbors and friends.

Check out these awesome opportunities happening throughout this month and beyond. And don't forget, Sat. Nov 20, 2021 is National Family Volunteer Day!

United Way of Buncombe County has a plethora of options for each and every kind of volunteer project, check out their giving event calendar here.

Some highlights include:

Project Linus: At Home Blanket Making
If you love being cozy in the winter time, you know the feeling of snuggling up in a warm blanket. The WNC chapter of Project Linus provides cozy blankets, handmade by volunteers to comfort children through various channels of distribution this winter.

We Give a Share: Food Prep and Packaging Support at Southside Kitchen
We Give a Share is a local nonprofit connecting farmers with community members on a mission to provide nutrient dense food. Volunteer shifts are comprised of everything from prepping veggies, following recipes, and packing up prepared meals for distribution.

UWABC: Baked Goods and Thank You Notes for BCS Staff
We want to thank Buncombe County School staff for everything they do for students. Volunteers prepare bundles of 25 thank you cards and 50 single serve portions of a baked good (cookies, cupcakes, slices of cake) and drop them off the the UWABC offices to be distributed to schools.

Build a Kit for Students:
If you want to play a part in brightening a day but would rather volunteer from home, consider building a kit for a student. These kits are made up of different items depending on the time and capacity you have to make them. Respond to the opportunity below for more information.

Bounty & Soul: Produce Sorting and Box Prep
​Bounty & Soul are providing fresh produce from local markets in their food boxes for weekly drive thru distribution. This opportunity is every Thursday from 4-6 and is open to the whole family!

Bounty & Soul: Gardening/Gleaning - Dr. John Wilson Garden
If you have a green thumb or want to learn more about the world of gardening, the Dr. John Wilson community garden needs your support! Check out this opportunity to get your hands dirty every Wednesday.

Four Seasons: Sewing Cloth Face Masks:
Clinicians and health care workers continue to shepherd us through this pandemic and deserve all the extra care and support we can muster. Four Seasons provides fabric, templates, elastic, and patterns to sew face masks at home as a token of appreciation for their hard- working staff.

Riverlink Crew Workday:
Riverlink is in the process of clearing the way for the new Karen Cragdolin Park. Two Saturdays each month a crew of volunteers participates in clearing invasive species, planting new life, and removing debris. All equipment is provided to volunteers, grab your water bottle and you’re ready to go!

Conserving Carolina Workdays:
Conserving Carolina hosts a wide range of volunteer events including trail clearing and non-native species removal (plus super fun ways to involve ecology lessons into your outdoor adventures with guided trail walks). Check out everything they’re doing to keep WNC beautiful.

Shop the Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive:
Nov 1 - Dec 5, 2021, shop at Barnes & Noble Biltmore Town Square and purchase books to donate to Read to Succeed. All books will be shared with families in our community, given out at family reading events, used in our early childhood and K-3 literacy programming, and more!

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Thank you to Panashe Real Estate in Asheville, our R2S Sponsor of the Month! Panashe's dedication to the Asheville community inspired this month's blog article on giving back.