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Tucked behind Owen Middle School—one of our oldest Community Schools in the Swannanoa Valley—sits the Alan Campos neighborhood of tightly knit homes. For years, these homes stood in neat, peaceful rows extending toward the creek that borders the property. But when Hurricane Helene hit, that same creek turned into a forceful river, sweeping away homes and leaving behind a scene that looked more like a demolition zone than a vibrant community.
Still, the community spirit wasn’t so easily washed away. As is often the case in our mountain towns, the resilience and generosity of neighbors rose to meet the moment.
When disaster struck, organizations across the region mobilized. CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) stepped in to lead the rebuilding of this specific neighborhood. Given the proximity to Owen Middle School, UWABC naturally got involved. With generous donations from across the country and around the world, we helped fund CORE’s rebuilding efforts, providing $50,000 in initial support to get homes back on their foundations and families back on their feet.
Kristy, a lead organizer with CORE, worked closely with UWABC, AmeriCorps, and the community members to ensure quick and meaningful progress. She shared:
"The support AmeriCorps provided was invaluable and beyond that they were a positive addition to the community, showing respect and determination to do their best."
For five months, the CORE team worked tirelessly—rebuilding and furnishing homes from the inside out. But we know that funding is only part of the equation. We quickly recognized their need for people power, and knew we could bring the skills and resources of our volunteer center, Hands On Asheville-Buncombe, to bear.
That’s where our volunteer engagement team stepped in. Through a successful proposal, UWABC was selected to host a team of eight AmeriCorps members for a three-month deployment. This marked our second wave of AmeriCorps support since Hurricane Helene, and we worked to connect these motivated young people with local nonprofits that had expressed urgent recovery needs.
The AmeriCorps team quickly became an essential part of the effort, working alongside CORE and local residents. When we visited, they proudly gave us a tour of the progress: fresh laminate flooring, newly built walls, professional paint jobs, installed doors—evidence of real, tangible transformation. More than learning construction skills, these young people were part of something larger—rebuilding lives and restoring a sense of home.
Kristy reflected on the deep sense of connection and purpose that developed during the recovery efforts:
"Being in the Alan Campos community was unlike anything I had experienced before on disaster. We became a part of the community and completed more work than I ever thought possible in just six months."
Because this neighborhood is home to many families connected to Owen Middle, our work here was a natural extension of our community school strategy. At UWABC, we believe schools are not just centers of learning—they’re hubs of community. Our Community School Coordinators are embedded in nine schools across the county, building strong relationships with students, families, and partners. We bring wraparound supports into schools, and we extend those supports into the neighborhoods that surround them.
That’s why this work matters so much to us. When one part of our community is hurting, it’s all of our responsibility to show up. Whether we’re responding to a natural disaster, supporting students through our Community Schools and United for Youth initiative, or bringing partners together for long-term change, we know our impact is strongest when it’s collective.
In the last week of March, after six months of hard work, we joined CORE and the AmeriCorps team to celebrate the reopening of the rebuilt homes. It was a joyful day, filled with dancing, delicious food, laughter, and the smiling faces of families finally returning home. Kids played in the warm spring air while parents toured their new spaces, and representatives from across Buncombe County came together to celebrate what’s possible when we unite around a shared purpose. Two local ministers were also present to bless the homes, offering words of hope and renewal as families stepped into this new chapter or beginning.
None of this happened in a vacuum. CORE, AmeriCorps, UWABC, and so many local leaders and organizations were part of this effort. That’s what makes our work powerful—we build deep partnerships, align our strategies, and mobilize resources so that every effort contributes to a bigger impact.
Originally, the AmeriCorps team was scheduled to continue their work in Buncombe County—traveling next to support ABCCM and Appalachian Community Relief. But just days after celebrating the reopening of homes in Alan Campos, we received the news that their deployment was being cut short. Due to a sudden and unexpected loss of federal funding, the AmeriCorps program had to call all its members back to their home base in Mississippi. Their absence is deeply felt—not just in the unfinished work, but in the relationships they built and the hope they helped restore.
We are so grateful for every hour of work they gave and the spirit they brought—but we also know there is so much more to be done. That’s why we need your support. Whether you’re giving your time, your resources, or your voice, you help keep this work going. Together, we can ensure that communities like Alan Campos don’t face recovery alone—and that programs like AmeriCorps continue to uplift and empower those who need it most.
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