What’s the best way for me to support people experiencing homelessness?

Resource: The City of Asheville

  • Be kind: remember that the person you’re interacting with is in a time of crisis and stress, has likely experienced severe trauma, and is struggling to meet their basic safety and survival needs.  Treat people like people, look them in the eye, smile and offer a hello.
  • Partner with a homeless services organization by donating money or items they need or by volunteering.
  • Housing ends homelessness, and people need units to be both affordable and meaningfully accessible to them.  If you own a short- or long-term rental property, consider renting through a supportive housing program, where your tenant will have rental assistance and case management services to help them stabilize.  Incentives and risk mitigation resources are often available to landlords as an added benefit for creating pathways out of homelessness.

Volunteer Opportunity Locations

  • Welcome Table Haywood St Congregation: Fresco project collaborator. Inviting all to the table of hospitality, the table of belonging. Eating together is a transformative act where stereotypes are subverted, where all are made equal in the giving and receiving,
  • 12 Baskets Café: transformation through community, and the food, while important in itself, is seen as a means to bringing people from all walks of life to the table.
  • Asheville Area Habitat For Humanity: Helping us to carry out our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
  • Aura Home for Women Vets – Asheville & Hendersonville: Our mission is to create a safe, caring environment where women veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness can find the resources needed to regain or maintain their independence.
  • Beacon of Hope: Beacon of Hope has been serving Madison and surrounding counties, by providing food assistance and assistance with clothing and household items, since June 1997.
  • BeLoved Asheville: We are bringing people together from all walks of life to create home, healthy, equity, and opportunity for all in our mountain home.  
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC: We are working to ensure every child in WNC has an enjoyable, long-term relationship with a caring adult who believes in them and sees their potential. 
  • Bounty & Soul: Creating communities where everyone has the right and opportunity to eat well, be nourished, and thrive.
  • Children First CIS of Buncombe County: A community where children and youth are highly valued and are provided the maximum opportunity to reach their full potential.
  • Eblen Charities: support our community in western North Carolina with help for housing, utilities, clothing, school supplies, transportation and for medications, and support for issues related to medical concerns.
  • Eliada: In partnership with families, we meet basic needs and provide positive child and youth development programming to all ages.
  • Homeward Bound of WNC: Offers numerous opportunities for volunteers to provide much-needed services to people transitioning into a home.
  • Manna Food Bank: Gather to sort and pack the food donations that come through our doors.
  • Meals on Wheels: standing weekly commitment, same day and same meal delivery route each week, for 2 hours or less, depending on the route, between 10 AM and 12 Noon. 
  • Read to Succeed: Help close the race-based opportunity gap through community-powered literacy programming that engages children, families, and community partners.
  • United Way: Bringing together the necessary people and resources needed to tackle crucial community issues and connect people to the support they need.
  • Volunteer Match: Find general volunteer opportunities in Asheville