On December 6, 2005, Elaine F. Marshall, the Secretary of State of the State of North Carolina, registered Asheville Homeless Network as a Non-Profit Corporation under the laws of this State. We were granted IRS status as a non-profit corporation under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) corporation in October 2007 (back-dated to our incorporation date, December 6, 2005).All donations to Asheville Homeless Network are tax-deductible. Please give what you can.
AHN Meeting Times
Asheville Homeless Network
meets at 2 pm Thursdays
at The Perch
inside Grove Corner Market
at the Grove Arcade
call 552-0505 (cell) or email Moss for information.
Membership Updates
Membership for 2005-6 Year = 80
2006-7 Membership - 137
2007-8 Membership - currently stands at 227
This section contains old news for historical purposes only. For current events and reports, go to Our Blog.
We finished the 2005-6 fiscal year with around $82 in the bank, and Moss sent out fundraising letters to all major area banks and our previous contributors. This is the first time we have asked for corporate sponsorship, and I'd love ideas on what other major local corporations we might contact. All money MUST be string-free; we will not sell the homeless. I don't know what we'd do if we had a budget of $6,000 instead of $600, but I'm sure you all have ideas.
We finished 2006-7 fiscal year with around $140 in the bank, having raised over $1,200 in donations. Among other successes were the distribution of 136 pair of socks, and our official filing for IRS 501(c)(3) status.
August 2007: If wishes were horses -- We received a donation August 10 for $15,000. Now we have to restructure our budget. Come help us!
October 18, 2007: See our wonderful new Press Release!Return to Top
This year Project Connect and the V.A. Stand Down will be held together. The date is September 14, 2007 at First Baptist Church, from 9 am to 1:30 pm. All homeless people are welcome. Planning meetings are Fridays at 1:30 pm at First Baptist Church, leading up to the event.
Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Coalition - meets First Tuesday of each month, 12:30 pm at the Social Services Building on Coxe St.
Asheville Radical Mental Health Collective - meets Mondays 7:00 pm at Aston Park in the Pavilion. All people with mental health issues, with or without diagnosis (no judgment!), with or without medication (no judgment!), as well as family and close friends, are welcome. Call 251-4699 for more information.
Open Mic - every Thursday, at The Courtyard , in the basement @ 9 Walnut St., signup at 7:30 pm. Poets and Musicians welcome! Refreshments available on a free or donation basis.
Wold Cinema - Every Friday, at The Courtyard, in the basement @ 9 Walnut St., Starts at 8 pm. Everyone welcome, refreshments available on a donation basis.
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Why do we come?
What do we want/need from AHN?
What would we like to do?
We need to be a network! A network is people who are connected to each other, who support and help each other. We need to have a way to share with each other and not just be a business meeting. We need to also be a network of mutual support that is holistic (material, mental, and spiritual matters).
We need both new ideas and people willing to take on responsibilities so that not just a few people are too stretched.
Perhaps we could have different types of meetings on different weeks (business, support, working/action meetings).
[Note: The group paused here to decide that on the 2nd and 4th weeks we would have very abbreviated business updates and move immediately into support/networking meetings.]
Support group time will respect all religious views.
Network = connection between people not just one hour a week but in the real world beyond here. Getting together between meetings.
We also need to reach out to other members who haven't been attending meetings to check on them and update them on what's going on with AHN.
Have a printed materials about services available in the Asheville area (just a print out of what we already have on our website).
Camaraderie—having fun together. Picnics and other events out in nature.
Offer food once a month in the park and do outreach to build up membership
Go step-by-step, get donations and then do a project
Could have a meeting where we break up into teams and use meeting time to work on various projects
Need a shepherd for the Adopt program (pair an AHN member with a student intern from one of the local colleges)—Melanie and Carol said they would consider it
Car wash fundraiser (see if a business will donate H20 and other equipment)
Add bottled water and candy bars to the cart as items to sell
Do a "mile" of pennies as a fundraiser
We could build the cart on one of our "picnic" days, make it a fun group project