• Emily's Story: Neighbor & Volunteer

IAM is honored to be the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce 2021 Nonprofit of the Year!

This prestigious award is the direct result of the incredible dedication and hard work of our staff, volunteers and board members, as well as the outpouring of support we receive from our donors, faith congregations, community partners and literally thousands of caring individuals who make our mission of serving local children and adults in crisis possible.

The fact that IAM was chosen for this special recognition is even more meaningful given that we work alongside so many wonderful nonprofits in our community. In accepting this award, we celebrate our nonprofit partners and each of you, too, with our heartfelt appreciation.

With soaring food, gas and housing costs, the needs of individuals and families in crisis in Henderson County have never been greater. IAM is working every day to find new and better ways to meet this new rising tide of need. You, our vital supporters, answer the desperate prayers of the families and seniors IAM serves who are barely surviving, living at and beneath the federal poverty line - who represent 95% of those IAM assisted in 2021.

Please consider making a contribution that IAM can use where most needed today. With your support, we will continue helping senior citizens, disabled neighbors, struggling parents and young children by ensuring they are fed, healthy and safe in their homes. Every gift will make a significant impact in the life of a child, a low-wage worker or a grandparent living on a meager fixed income in Henderson County.

Thank you kindly for your compassionate support.

Elizabeth Willson Moss

Executive Director

Together, we are their hope for a better future.

Mail your donations to:

Interfaith Assistance Ministry is excited to welcome several new staff members to our team.

Gayle Siggs will be our new Co-Social Services Manager along with Betsy Logan. In our Food Pantry, Pam Schou and Tom Stark will share duties as Co-Food Pantry Managers, replacing Karol Murray who has been named our new Chief Operating Officer. Amy Lewis has also joined our IAM team as our Volunteer Manager.

Our IAM Thrift Store also has new team members joining Kathy Yaw, Thrift Store Manager. Cindy Thorpe and Angela Vaughan are serving as our Assistant Store Managers and Bill Thomas is our Store Driver.

Please help us welcome our newest team members!

IAM’s new Thrift Store is a hit!

Shoppers to our new store have been excited about the quality of our merchandise and the amazing deals they get at our Thrift Store. Best of all, every dollar spent at the IAM Thrift Store goes to help our neighbors in need. Great values and a great way to make a difference in someone’s life.

IAM's Thrift Store now has its own Facebook page. Like and Follow the page to keep up with the latest news, offerings, and updates on this exciting new venture.

Follow at this link: www.facebook.com/IAMThriftStore

Each Monday, we send an update on special sales, new exciting merchandise, and occasionally coupons for additional discounts. Click on the button below to sign up and be the first to know what's happening at IAM Thrift Store. Shop. Save. Serve your neighbors.

A valued way of supporting IAM for the long-term future, without impacting a donor's immediate cash flow, is to include IAM in your will or to name IAM as a beneficiary on a life insurance policy that is no longer needed.

Other methods of Planned Giving include Charitable Gift Annuities such as Charitable Remainder Trusts and Charitable Lead Trusts.

Consult your Attorney, Estate Planner or the Community Foundation of Henderson County regarding these and other related options.

IAM needs volunteers!

The start of a new season is a great time to think about different ways you can contribute to the health, safety, and happiness of your community. One great way to make a real difference is by volunteering at IAM.

We are busier than ever and we desperately need your help. We have openings in Clothing Assistance, the Food Pantry, Social Services and our new Thrift Store. You can volunteer as little as 4 hours one day a week or, better yet, sign up for multiple shifts! Learn how you can join our team here at www.iam-hc.org/volunteer.

Make 2022 the best possible year for you ... and for our neighbors in need by volunteering at IAM. Thank you!

On Mondays, Emily shows up at the IAM offices to volunteer her time working with our Clothing Assistance Department. A student at Blue Ridge Community College, she spends four hours each week helping to sort the mounds of clothes donated to IAM.

Then on most Tuesdays, Emily and her mom are in the long line of cars attending our Drive-Thru Tuesday food distribution event. They are greeted by the same staff Emily sees on her volunteer Mondays and the back seat of her family's car is filled with enough groceries for a week for her parents, her, and her three siblings.

Emily is grateful for the help provided by IAM - so much so that she contacted our offices to find out how she could give something back. There is always a room full of donated clothing that needs to be sorted and she is happy to spend her Monday afternoon doing what she can to help IAM's mission to help our neighbors in need.

"I was curious about being a volunteer and my mom encouraged me to ask what I could do to help," Emily explains. "Knowing that I am actually doing something to help others makes me feel good. It may not seem like a lot, but I know that what I do does make a difference for people."

Emily is hoping to expand her volunteer skills and perhaps find other ways to help out. In the meantime, IAM is grateful for her contributions - and grateful that we have the ability to make life for her family a little less stressful each week - definitely a win-win situation.

Thank you, Emily!

Last week, IAM friend Ruth saw our plea for bed linens, pillows, and towels for our Clothing Assistance Department. Because she lives in Georgia, she couldn't just drop by our offices to donate items. She was able, however, to link to IAM's Amazon Wish list and just a few days later we received a delivery of sheets, towels, and pillows - thanks to Ruth's generous spirit!

We keep our Amazon wish lists for our pantry and our clothing department updated and it is a fast and convenient way to donate to IAM without having to leave your home. Click on the buttons to see our current needs and order items today. Thank you for your donations!