Coming Together to Help Our Neighbors
By Kathey Avery RN, BSN, and Jane Hatley, Self-Help Credit Union –
On the one hand, COVID-19 is a horrible, hidden enemy that is ripping into our communities and tearing them apart.
On the other hand, there has been a groundswell of local efforts by individuals and organizations that are fighting the effects of this dreaded virus. The Health Equity Coalition, comprising more than 18 organizations working for greater equity in healthcare in western North Carolina, wants to draw attention to some of these great grassroots efforts, so that people can contact them about their own needs or support them through donations. This is only an overview of ongoing programs, not a complete list.
Personal Protective Equipment
Block by Block, Orthodog, Masks for Love, and Kitsbow are all busy making masks. Opportunity Threads in Burke County has converted its cut-and-sew operation into a factory for making masks. The WNC Medical Society is creating an inventory of masks in medical, construction, furniture, and artist communities, while Yancey County Emergency Management is providing and coordinating diverse emergency responses. Also, ABIPA is available to distribute Personal Protective Equipment through its community health workers.
Education
BeLoved Asheville is informing our homeless population about personal protection, and has translated information on the virus into Spanish and distributed it to local tiendas to make sure it reaches a wider audience. They have been delivering food to elderly folks who cannot risk going out to buy food.
HELP/ABIPA has been taking gift bags of emergency resources like hand sanitizer, masks, etc., along with education about Covid-19 virus prevention, into subsidized housing areas where people have limited resources and are seniors, disabled, and may have other chronic health issues.
Transportation
Asheville Rapid Transit (ART) is operating its bus system to riders at no cost but limiting the number of riders on each bus. Yancey Transportation Authority is providing local transportation for access to food, medication, other needs. ABIPA offers transportation services for doctor’s appointments, errands, through its Everyday Details worker-owned coop.
Food
Buncombe County Schools are providing breakfast and lunch for local school children.
ABIPA offers home delivery of food boxes upon request.
Asheville Food Connections is connecting delivery services to unused food from caterers and food pantries.
Bountiful Cities is focusing on emergency food preparedness, helping people plant food in container gardens, especially elderly and people with chronic illness.
Bounty and Soul has curbside pickup food distribution two days per week.
Patchwork Urban Farms and Mother Earth Food are working on on-line farmers’ markets and at-home delivery of fresh produce.
Southside Kitchen is preparing meals for community.
Reconciliation House is distributing emergency food boxes to community members in need in Yancey County, and offers heating funds assistance.
Yancey Community Center offers meals on wheels.
Yancey County Schools provide week-day delivery of breakfast and lunch.
See “Food Resources for Families” for free take-out meals provided by ABCCM, 12 Baskets, Haywood St. Congregation, WNC Rescue Mission, and other organizations.
Spanish Language Services
JMPRO has a rapid-response media team, working to bring the most up-to-date information to the Latinx community.
WNC Workers’ Center is exploring the best ways to support workers in this crisis.
Also see BeLoved Asheville.
Business Assistance
Mountain BizWorks is the central lender for Buncombe County’s emergency loan fund, the One Buncombe Fund. To apply, go to www.mountainbizworks.org/coronavirus/covid-19-loans/one-buncombe-fund.
SBTDC offers information on SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans and emergency grants of $10,000, both of which you can apply for online at covid19relief.sba.gov.
Watch out for websites that don’t include sba.gov in the address, as there are a lot of people putting up scams online. If the website asks you for fees in order to apply, that is not the right site.
There are also loans available to help you keep paying your employees, even if they are at home, and they will be forgivable in the future, as long as you use the majority of the money for your workers/employees. These PPP loans can be applied for only through a lender and are first-come, first-served, so contact your bank today.
Local SBA-certified lenders include Self-Help Credit Union, BB&T, First Citizens Bank, and others. Eagle Market Streets Development Corp. offers individual development accounts.
For more information on any of this, go to the organization’s website, or send an email to [email protected], and she can connect you.
