Community Health Workers (CHWs) are the heart of public health—trusted community members who serve as vital links between individuals and the healthcare system. Their work is especially critical in underserved areas, where they help people access care, understand their health, and navigate complex systems.
Ella and her husband, Arbor, work hard to provide their family with a safe and supportive home.
Smart Start of Transylvania County (SSTC) is more than just an early childhood education program.
Safe Shelter has been in search of a permanent location since it opened its doors in 2019. In many ways, their story mirrors the journeys of the community members it has served for the past six years.
As we approach the four-month mark since Hurricane Helene, the journey toward long-term recovery is just getting started. Addressing the catastrophic damage to Western North Carolina (WNC) will require significant coordinated efforts for many years to come.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Burke County’s C2Life Foundation, like thousands in the region, lost power at all three of their locations. Foreseeing the storm’s potential impact, C2Life proactively positioned four refrigerated trucks on standby.
Founded by the local faith community four decades ago, IAM began as a crisis services resource hub for those in crisis. In their first year, they served around 1,000 neighbors. This year, they will reach 20,000 individuals, or 1 in 11 households, in Henderson County and have grown to become the third-largest food pantry in Western North Carolina.
In North Carolina, 35% of women and 30% of men have experienced physical violence or abuse by an intimate partner. The impact of domestic violence extends far beyond physical harm. Survivors often face ongoing trauma, financial dependence, and barriers to securing stable housing or work. These challenges are part of the reason why interpersonal violence (IPV) services were included in Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP).
Putting Clients First
Located in Madison County, Beacon of Hope provides healthy food boxes and fruit and vegetable prescriptions to HOP participants. Their unique store setup encourages clients to socialize and select the items that best meet their individual and family needs.
Anna relies on her car daily to take her to and from work, pick up her children from school, get groceries, and many other errands. When her car broke down, she didn’t know how she was going to support her family. The needed repairs cost too much money. Anna was relieved to discover she could get help through the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP), a program she qualified for through her Medicaid insurance.
