☺ The Free Breakfast Program series at Hillcrest has been a great success so far, with more than 50 residents coming out each week to enjoy a delicious breakfast and interesting speakers, even in the rain and snow! A big thank you to Akeem Scott for his discussion of health and wellness this previous weekend! We look forward to the discussion with David Miles this coming Saturday!
☺ We began offering Homework Assistance and Tutoring last week Monday through Thursday from 3:30-4:30pm. So far the response has been a bit underwhelming, but I'm going to do some extra outreach and publicity around it within the neighborhood and see what happens. We'll keep you posted.
☺ Our second annual Community Meeting at Hillcrest will be held at the Carl E. Johnson Community Center on Saturday the 18th from 1pm-2:30pm, after the breakfast. This will be an opportunity for us to speak with the community about the Healthy Living Program at Hillcrest, how the residents feel about the progress thus far, and what they might like to see happening differently. It will be an opportunity also for us to re-emphasize that this program belongs to the community, and to encourage residents' involvement in the planning and facilitation of activities and events as well as participating in classes.
Volunteer Needs:
We need help with childcare on Fridays from 4-5:30 during the Women's Yoga class. We would like some assistance with the Community Meeting on this coming Saturday from 1-2;30pm. Our Jewelry Making class is going to go back to Wednesdays from 4:30-6pm starting next week, and we would love some assistance with the children's classes.
We are getting ready for the holidays here with some fun activities lined up these next two weeks!
*This Saturday we are holding a Winter Clothing Swap at the Hillcrest neighborhood (at 17A) from 1:00-3:00pm. If you have any gently-used winter clothing you'd like to donate please bring it by the office on Ravenscroft prior to 5pm on Friday. All sizes of apparel are greatly appreciated!
*We're cooking up a storm with homemade Candied Yams this week and Holiday Cookies next week during the Adults' and Children's Cooking Classes on Mondays and Tuesdays!
*Wednesday the 21st we are hosting an All Ages Holiday Card Making Party at 17A from 4:30-6:30pm! Materials and refreshments will be provided.
*We have recently received the donation of several children's bicycles, needing some minor repairs. We would love to donate them to children in the Hillcrest neighborhood this holiday season. If you are interested in helping us to fix up these bikes, or if you or someone you know may have an outgrown children's bicycle you'd like to donate for this purpose please call Nicole at the office!
*In addition to the classes, workshops, activities, and events that you see here, the Women's Wellbeing and Development Foundation is very excited to be actively involved in a number of important and exciting community-wide initiatives and collaborations. The Asheville-Buncombe Food Policy Council is one such initiative!
This collaboration is working to address the issue of food security at a local level. Food security can be defined as when every person always has access to enough safe and nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life. Many people living in our local community are experiencing food insecurity, perhaps even you or someone you know.
Please consider becoming part of the council or attending the Food Policy Council gatherings in order to share your experience and to work together with community members from every part of the food spectrum, from growers to retailers to consumers to policy-makers and beyond to identify and address the barriers to food security in Asheville and Buncombe County.
Food Policy Council gatherings are held monthly at the UNCA Wilma M. Sherrill Center. Check the website for more information and for upcoming meeting times and dates. MANNA Foodbank will be accepting donations of canned goods and nonperishable items at the gathering in January. Refreshments will be provided, and childcare is available apon request.
Please contact wncfoodpolicy@gmail.com for childcare needs. We hope to see you there!
Website: ashevillefoodsecurity.wordpress.com
We would like to thank everyone who came out to support Party for the People on November 18th! With over 150 people in attendance, the event raised valuable funding for our Healthy Living Program and also provided an opportunity for people from the Hillcrest neighborhood and the larger Asheville community to come together in celebration and enjoy each other’s company with dancing, lots of great local food, fabulous live music from the Secret B-Sides, an awards ceremony, silent auction, raffles, door-prizes, and more! We would also like to thank all of our amazing volunteers who helped to make the evening the smooth, robust, and fun-filled night that it was. We love you all!!!