Renee White Named Asheville Volunteer of the Year
When you see the list of volunteer activities Renée White is involved with, you may wonder how she has time for it all.
President of the East End/Valley Street Neighborhood Association for seven years, Ms. White received the Volunteer of the Year Award during Asheville City Council’s May 22 meeting.
She was nominated by fellow members of the neighborhood association.
“East End is a historically African American neighborhood that celebrates and clings to its roots in the ever-changing Asheville development boom,” said Amanda Broderick. “Renée leads the organization with inclusiveness and welcomes all residents, whether they are newcomers or have lived a lifetime in East End.”
When neighborhood discussions sometimes get heated, noted Helen Lindberg, “Renée has a way with people and conducts our monthly meetings with a boatload of poise.”
In addition to her leadership of the neighborhood association, Ms. White also serves or has served in numerous volunteer capacities, including:
- Democratic Precinct 1, First Vice Chair, former secretary
- NAACP member
- Steward board member, St. James AME Church
- President, St. James AME Church Lay Organization
- WNC District Coordinator for the Second District Lay Organization
- Consultant, Democracy NC Voter Registration Education
- (Former) member of the Stephens Lee Center Executive Committee
- Leadership person for ENGAGE Committee for Change Healthcare
- MANNA Food Bank, Asheville
- Salvation Army Rescue Mission
“Renée’s tenure has seen increased participation in neighborhood meetings,” said Carmen Ramos-Kennedy, president of the Asheville-Buncombe Branch NAACP. “She led a multi-month visioning process and promoted reclamation of Martin Luther King Jr. Park as a venue for events more suitable for a family neighborhood. She has one of the most important qualities of a community leader—the passion to help.”
Ms. White has also organized neighborhood clean-ups, a fall festival and yard sale, and a Neighborhood Watch program, and promoted cleanup of derelict properties in the East End/Valley Street neighborhood.
Renée is the daughter of Patricia and the late Richard White of Asheville, and sister to Richard III and Robert (deceased).
The Volunteer of the Year award, now in its second year, is bestowed by the City of Asheville. A panel appointed by the Neighborhood Advisory Committee reviews and evaluates nominations and selects the recipient.
