What to know before Asheville-area school starts: Supply costs, after-school programs

Asheville Citizen-Times July 31,2023

The nonprofit has held a school supply drive for 17 years. In that time, it's given out over 23,000 backpacks to students in the community, Audrey Blackburn, volunteer engagement manager at United Way told the Citizen-Times. "We work with teachers and school administrators, and we've got our own community school coordinators, and they helped us look at last year's supply list and through their best guess came up with what they think will be needed this year," Blackburn said.

kvenables Fri, 12/08/2023 - 11:09am
Interview with Audrey Blackburn

BlainesWorld Podcast 7/18/2023

Big thanks to Blaine Greenfield for taking the time to interview Audrey Blackburn, our Volunteer Engagement Manager. Audrey shares how United Way mobilizes the power of community through volunteerism and talks about some of our signature experiences. Also, Blaine is just wonderful - he believes in the power of good and people and positivity.  Watch them here on YouTube. 

kvenables Fri, 12/08/2023 - 11:04am

Teens Discuss Participation in the 'Hour of Hope' Podcast

Submitted by kvenables on Fri, 12/08/2023 - 11:00am

Mountain XPress--May 12

What started as a summer camp for youth, HOPE (Healing our Past Experiences) 4 the Future has evolved into a full-blown after-school program. Run by UMOJA Health, Wellness and Justice Collective, a United for Youth partner, the program incorporates a regular podcast whereby youth are empowered to unpack and discuss issues that are important to them. Youth-to-youth discussions range from individual accomplishments to bullying, and violence prevention.

We Must Unite Around our Youths to Ensure Their Success

Submitted by kvenables on Fri, 12/08/2023 - 10:53am

Asheville Citizen-Times-- March 12

A guest opinion piece by retired Buncombe County Schools Associate Superintendent and current United Way Board Chair, Susanne Swanger, and United Way President and CEO, Dan Leroy. Ensuring our youth graduate from high school college, career, and community ready will take all of us working together.

Increasing access to health care: School-Based Health Center to open at Asheville Middle

Submitted by kvenables on Fri, 12/08/2023 - 10:42am

WLOS-- March 11

Starting mid-April, 2022, Asheville Middle School will be the first of two schools within Buncombe County to implement what is known as a School-Based Health Center. Located directly on a school’s campus, the School-Based Health Centers (SBHC) are fully functioning health clinics that will provide a variety of behavioral, mental, and physical health care services.

Q&A with Jo Jamison, United Way Equity and Network specialist

Submitted by kvenables on Fri, 12/08/2023 - 10:39am

Mountain Xpress-- November 12

Ensuring students have a voice in determining their academic success is a key component of United Way's community school strategy. "Youth are speaking all the time, whether they're at the table or on social media or in the classroom or lunchroom. The question is really, how does it feel when adults actually listen to what youth are saying," said Jo Jamison, United Way's Equity and Network specialist in a recent interview with Mountain Xpress. 

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