A Message From Our
Executive Director
There’s nothing like fall in Western North Carolina, but I especially enjoy the month of November — as the Thanksgiving season brings a time when we’re inclined to greater openness and intentionality in expressing feelings of gratitude. 
As we look back on the last few years at CareReach I can’t help but feel thankful. CareReach has continued to grow and expand and we are now supporting programs in six mountain counties. We are excited for the future of this organization, and we’re extremely pleased at the opportunity of being able to serve so many of our neighboring communities.
This edition of the CareReach newsletter will highlight just a few of the things for which we’re grateful: a generous grant recently awarded to CareReach by Dogwood Health Trust, McDowell Impact’s participation in the Blue Ridge Recovery Rally, and a Staff Appreciation Day that gave us an opportunity to celebrate our incredible CareReach team.
Finally, we’re grateful for you. If you’re taking a few moments to read this brief update, it shows you’re concerned about making Western North Carolina a better and healthier place for all.

May this season find you with a grateful heart.
 
Peggy Williams, MBA
Executive Director, CareReach
CareReach Awarded Funding from
Dogwood Health Trust
CareReach is grateful to be the recipient of a generous two-year award funded by Dogwood Health Trust.
Funding to Support and Expand MATCH and TRPA Programs 
The award will be used to support the McDowell Access to Care and Health (MATCH) and Toe River Project Access (TRPA) programs as they continue their work of helping individuals and families access care and services that enable them to maintain and improve their health and well-being. From helping individuals navigate the ACA marketplace, to service linkage, medications and medical care, the MATCH and TRPA programs each play a vital role in addressing the social determinants of health for those in their respective communities.
Expanding Free VITA Tax Services for Mountain Communities
“We are very pleased to partner with Dogwood Health Trust again,” said CareReach Program Director Joseph Jones. “We appreciate their continued commitment to serving individuals who are experiencing difficulty accessing important medical care. In particular, this award will help us expand our VITA tax preparation services—which in turn will help more people obtain important tax credits and qualify them for health insurance on the ACA Marketplace.”
The new Dogwood Health Trust grant will allow these CareReach programs to continue the existing support they are already providing to the community, as well as to allow MATCH to expand its VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) services and enable TRPA to begin offering VITA services in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties for the first time this coming tax season. 
These free tax preparation services can make a significant difference in the lives of individuals and families, aiding them in accessing tax credits for which they qualify and helping them to maximize their refunds. CareReach is pleased that the MATCH and TRPA teams can provide these essential services that can result in significant economic benefit for many in our mountain communities.
This is the second award CareReach has received to support MATCH and TRPA, and CareReach is honored that Dogwood Health Trust has again entrusted us with funding that enables us to maintain and grow these programs. We share Dogwood Health Trust’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of individuals throughout Western North Carolina.
Dogwood Health Trust is a private foundation based in Asheville, North Carolina with the sole purpose of dramatically improving the health and wellbeing of all people and communities of 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary in Western North Carolina. Dogwood Health Trust focuses on innovative and equitable ways to address the many factors that contribute to overall health and wellbeing, with a focus on housing, education, economic opportunity, and health and wellness. Dogwood Health Trust works to create a Western North Carolina where every generation can live, learn, earn and thrive, with dignity and opportunity for all, no exceptions. To learn more, please visit www.dht.org.
McDowell Impact Team Participates in
Blue Ridge Recovery Rally
Peer Support Specialists from the McDowell Impact program were on hand for the Blue Ridge Recovery Rally held Saturday, September 24, on Main Street in downtown Marion.
The rally, sponsored by the McDowell Substance Use Task Force and its partners, was well-attended, bringing more than 700 people to Main Street to show support for those in recovery and to hear inspiring stories and receive important resources.
“The best part was that a lot of people stopped and listened,” said CareReach Peer Support Specialist Julie McAllister. A member of the McDowell Substance Use Task Force, Julie helped to coordinate this year’s rally, the first to be held in McDowell County since 2019 (due to COVID-19).

“There were a total of 55 vendors participating, and every table had free items to give away. Not only did we pass out free T-shirts and barbecue meals, but we also gave out Narcan and other helpful resources to those who are still struggling or to those who want to support them.”
A highlight of the rally was the impactful accounts of recovery that were shared from the main stage. A total of nine individuals took to the stage to share their personal recovery stories, offering hope and sharing the message that people do achieve a sustained recovery.
Julie McAllister and Joey Lunsford
Peer Support Specialists Julie McAllister and Joey Lunsford—both members of CareReach’s McDowell Impact team—were among those who shared stories.

 Each of the nine who spoke received a "Recovery Champion” plaque with their name and the words “Thank you for being a Recovery Champion and making a positive impact in our community.”
“The Recovery Rally is a unique way to bring the community together in support of recovery,” says McDowell Impact Peer Support Services Team Lead Jacqueline Fox, “and the nine Recovery Champion awards were given out as a way to celebrate and honor those in recovery.
“In addition to Julie and Joey sharing at the McDowell rally, another of our Peer Support Specialists, Ashley Phillips, was able to share her recovery story at the Burke County rally. It was such a blessing to celebrate folks making it out of a very hard and stigmatized struggle. The Recovery Rally is another small step in creating a strong community environment conducive to recovery.”
The rally achieved its goal of bringing together people from all areas of the community, including individuals in recovery, those who wish to support them, and those who are struggling and in need of resources, information, and assistance.
In addition to the community organizations and vendors who participated, the McDowell County Sheriff’s office was present, and McDowell County Schools were also represented with the winning entries of a Recovery Rally banner contest proudly on display. The colorful and creative banners reinforced positive and hopeful messages, with the winning entry stating the theme, “Recovery is for Everyone.”
CareReach is pleased to have provided support and a presence at this year’s Recovery Rally — a reminder of the power of “communities working together for the health of all.”
CareReach Hosts Staff Appreciation Day
On September 16 the CareReach staff came together at the Carson House pavilion in Marion for a Staff Appreciation picnic. It’s rare that our entire staff can be together at one location, as they are busy serving in locations throughout our mountain communities, but our annual Staff Appreciation event allows us to come together for connection, encouragement and relationship building. 
“CareReach could not exist without our incredible team, and this gives us an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate them,” said CareReach Executive Director Peggy Williams. “Their hard work, dedication, commitment and compassion are making a difference and changing lives, and it’s important for us to acknowledge their contribution to CareReach and the communities we serve.”
Staff and Interns Gather for an Afternoon of Fun
ACA Open Enrollment
Now is the time to look at health insurance plans on the Healthcare Marketplace.
The 2023 Open Enrollment period runs from November 1, 2022 through January 15, 2023, and both MATCH and TRPA are here to help you find a plan that works for you and your family.
#getcovered
IMPORTANT NOTES:
  • The “family glitch” has been fixed! There is more accessibility for health coverage for families in expensive employee-sponsored plans. Previously, if an employer offered affordable, minimum essential coverage to an employee but not to the rest of the family, the entire family would be ineligible for subsidies to offset the cost of Marketplace plans. This glitch has been reversed starting with 2023 coverage.
  • Our services are free and unbiased.
  • In McDowell, call 828-659-5289 to schedule an appointment.
  • In Avery, Mitchell and Yancey, call 828-766-1850.
Donate to CareReach
As a non-profit partner in the health and safety-net system of Western North Carolina, CareReach relies on the generous gifting of donors and supporters to sustain our vital work. While many in our community are faced with barriers and gaps in whole-person, coordinated health care, we work with these individuals to help them reach their health goals; through our collaboration with local partners, we help make clinical and community services more accessible to those who need them. 

Please consider making an investment in the health of our mountain communities. With your help we will reach our goal.
Communities working together for the health of all.
Your donation helps sustain our work across Western North Carolina.
 Integrity | Collaboration | Agility