Happy Thanksgiving, Asheville. Ali + Brook here. Earlier this month, we encouraged y’all to share your stories + photos of how you give back to Asheville, as a way to highlight and thank those who show love to our city. And that got us thinking… what are we here at Asheville thankful for?

Ali: I’m so thankful for the way that arts + culture in our city are interwoven with discussions about sustainability, equity, and the future of our community. I recently got to be a part of the unveiling of a new piece of public art – Hope Springs Forth Brightly – created by a team of artists including local writer Phyllis Utley, artist Joseph Pearson, and muralists/fabricators Art Ecologie. It’s also a beautiful work that’s going to stop people in their tracks! 🎉

Brook: I’m deeply thankful for the abundance of fresh, seasonal fruits + veggies and the vibrant farming community that makes them possible. I’m also thankful daily for the breathtakingly beautiful mountains we are so lucky to live in. Lastly, I am thankful to be able to share the most relevant news and cool happenings taking place here through AVLtoday! 🥦

Evan: I’m very thankful that this semester is coming to an end. Next semester will be my last before graduating from UNC Asheville, and I’m so thankful for my time there. 🎓

Whether it be volunteering at a particular organization, assisting those less fortunate in your neighborhood, or even just making sure your trash can lid is securely closed to keep our streets clean – here are a few ways y’all make Asheville a better place:

Aura Home Women Vets

"Whether it be volunteering at a particular organization, assisting those less fortunate in your neighborhood, or even just making sure your trash can lid is securely closed to keep our streets clean – here are a few ways y’all make Asheville a better place*:

"Who says one woman cannot move a mountain? Alyce Knaflich, founder of Aura Home Women Vets.org is a formerly homeless woman army veteran who tried to work within the existing Veterans Affairs structure to help other women veterans who were struggling.

Her volunteer work with the VA showed her the lack of services and outreach to women veterans in WNC and across the nation. She started helping women veterans on her own, using money she made by pet sitting to buy supplies for homeless women...from sleeping bags to feminine supplies. This evolved into the non-profit Aura Home for Women Vets.

Now there is a three-bedroom transitional apartment in Asheville for homeless women veterans that comes with guidance to establishing their benefits and gaining more stable housing. She has also begun the process of turning a former nursing home in Hendersonville into a 12-unit transitional house with counseling and education in life skills. This will be the first housing for women veterans of it's kind in the entire state of North Carolina, which has an estimated 6,000 homeless women veterans. " – Betty S

First Presbyterian Church of Asheville

"Volunteers at First Presbyterian Church of Asheville serving lunch to our homeless neighbors in downtown Asheville before Christmas last year (I’m in the Santa hat)/

Our program, Saturday Sanctuary, provides a warm, safe environment, hot food, clothing, friendship and acceptance every Saturday from October through March.

All are welcome." – Donna B.

Coffee at Pritchard Park

"I want to tell you about the wonderful people experiencing homelessness here in Asheville. I started my ‘project’ by just thinking about what I wanted first thing in the day: A CUP OF HOT COFFEE!

I looked out my window (I live downtown) and saw homeless people walking the streets or sitting on the benches. How about a ‘Good Morning’ ‘ Hello’??? And a cup of hot coffee??? So started my ‘project’…to serve coffee to the homeless from 7 to 8 every morning in the park, 7 days a week.

I got out a cart and a couple carafes I had. Made coffee and walked to the park at 7:OO AM. I started asking folks if they would like a cup. Their appreciation has kept me going and expanded what I do. I added Honey Buns, cracker packs, fruit. There are now 50+/- people every morning, served as many cups of coffee as they want or until it runs out. (I make 16 pots of coffee every morning)

I had other ‘projects’ in mind: 1) Keep trash picked up in the park and 2) Be nice to each other. The trash issue has seen amazing results. We are still working on always ‘being nice’ and trying to eliminating loud shouting.

I have been inspired by their sharing. If someone mentions they need something, another homeless person offers theirs, or tells them where they can get one.

Today, the first ‘code purple’ for this winter, I wondered if anyone would be in the park or all staying in a warm shelter. But I got the coffee cart ready. Yes, even with ‘a code purple’: 7:00 o’clock at the park, a line was waiting for me. (The ‘line’ starts on a crack where I align the cart wheels so it doesn’t roll away!)

The group is varied, from a 10-month old baby, to a 73-year-old man. (I always set aside a banana for the baby. She loves them!). Some people have a hard time walking, some have mental issues, all have issues of poverty.

One issue makes everyone angry and powerless: some of the laws we have passed or failed to object to. Just before the end of a month (I assume quota time), police ‘sweep’ the city for folks sleeping with a blanket, or using a sleeping bag, or in a storefront out of the rain, or on a park bench. Yes, summer or winter. Did you know doing any of these things is ILLEGAL in our fair city? No, we do not have room for all to sleep indoors. Yes, some have mental issues that ‘keep’ them from staying indoors, perhaps they were confined as children. But now they are arrested for ‘surviving’ as best they can? How do we reconcile that? Is this the ‘barn’ we worship every December?

I can’t solve these problems but my goal is to be ‘civil’, friendly, and to be concerned about a fellow human. They expressed concern when I told them I would miss a morning for an annual doctor’s appointment. When serving coffee the next day, everyone wanted to know if I was ok and how the appointment went. Funny comment: One man told me I’d better reserve a big church when I die because there would 300 people experiencing homelessness in attendance at the funeral!

Finally, how do you thank a man who hands you a nickel and 2 pennies to help pay for his cup of coffee? Then he gets back in line to donate another penny he found in his pocket. It’s ok to cry here. I do." – Jan Zehr

Asheville Independent Restaurant Association

"AIR—the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association is a trade organization founded in 2003 with four restaurants, numbering 162 restaurants today. Since its founding, AIR member restaurants have been the first contact for area non-profits for donations.

In a recent survey of the AIR membership, we verified that AIR Restaurants donated over $2 million in goods/services to non-profits—80% of which go to local non-profit organizations. Individual restaurants averaged over $19,000 in donations.

AIR restaurants have been notably major supporters of Downtown Welcome Table; WNCAP’s Dining Out for Life, MANNA FoodBank and many others.

Our local restaurants support our local community. – Jane Anderson, AIR Executive Director

"For some of us it is done under an organization, AIR. I wouldn't be surprised if AIR because of its members would be the largest contributors in town.

I know for the past nineteen years starting with The Grape Escape, Bouchon and now RendezVous along with Strada, Corner Kitchen, Vinnies just to name a few who are some of the oldest in town and that I see at about every event we participate with food and time donation.

Or auctioning home catered dinner party. One we just served this past Tuesday to twelve generous patrons of the symphony.

Last week we prepared and served 500+ attendees at Haywood Street Congregation. The week before was serving food for Meals on Wheels. Providing sandwiches to kids in school who would go hungry otherwise.

The list goes on month after month, year after year. Asheville is an unusually generous community and all of us are proud to be part of it! Citizens noticed and in return support our local restaurants. I always say, it takes two to tango!" – Michel Baudouin, Bouchon

Talloni Shoe Salon

"I wanted to take a moment to share with you what we are most thankful for at Talloni Shoe Salon – 13 years of business and the amazing support of our clients and community. This year, we wanted to do something different for our birthday celebration. When asked about the store, our owner, Connie, has always said, "I'm certainly not saving the world, or lives..." but for our birthday we did. We teamed up with the American Red Cross and hosted a blood drive this week. What better gift than to give the gift of life?! Connie was just telling me today that she cannot express into words the effect our 13th Birthday event had on her; it was the most meaningful event she's ever hosted. We made over 100 calls, sent personal invites and postcards, put a full page ad in the Biltmore Beacon, and sponsored social media ads.

It ended up pouring all day, but everyone came! There was even a waiting line in the store to get on the bus! We even had people in Biltmore Park, whether at work or just visiting, see the bus and stop to give blood! We ended up exceeding our donor goal! I would catch a glimpse of Connie throughout the day and she would have just tears of joy; she was so happy and touched.

We also had many 1st-time donors! In working with the American Red Cross, we learned that there is a huge need for blood. In fact, the moment one sits down and begins the process of donating, it's already been assigned to save another's life.

We are truly thankful that as a small business, we've made it 13 years and are so incredibly happy to be a part of this community who went out of their way to help us give back, and give the gift of life. – Anna Frank, Business Manager

Okie Dokie's BBQ

"Eleven years ago, with no real plans for Thanksgiving, we thought it was the perfect day to give back to others. Since we own a restaurant, Okie Dokie’s BBQ, we decided to open the doors on Thanksgiving and called churches and local shelters, ultimately inviting about 50 people to come eat a meal on us.

We realized on this day that many of the families coming to eat had to make special arrangements to get to our restaurant. To eliminate transportation issues, the following year we started delivering the food directly to the folks in need and a tradition was born. With the help of a couple of integral friends, we began working with both Buncombe County and the Asheville City school system homeless liaisons and school social workers to identify the homeless, displaced families, and kids who would not otherwise have a meal. We were astonished to learn of the number of homeless or not provided for kids in the school system.

We then rallied our friends and family to help us. Our “village” prepares a Thanksgiving meal from scratch, packages it up in to go containers, and delivers it to hotels, motels, tents, public housing, couches of friends, sheds, and homes. It takes over 70 volunteers to prepare and deliver up to 100 homes. In addition, our friends donate non perishable snacks and ready to eat foods that we box up and deliver to each home so they have something beyond just the one meal. We have many volunteers who have made helping this cause part of their own family tradition, afterwards leaving to celebrate their own Thanksgiving with renewed grateful hearts." – Steve and Jody Dunning