Looking back, moving forward

Dear partners,

MountainCare provides an essential service for seniors who need support to remain living in the community. It allows family members who care for a loved one to work or have a few hours of respite; it allows participants to engage in meaningful activities in a safe environment where they feel valued. Amazingly, with your support, we were able to offer even more moments of connection in 2022 by increasing our enrollment by over 4,000 days of care last year!

Our program has been a treasure in WNC since 1986 when we first opened our doors. Initially envisioned to care for people with dementia, MountainCare has served a variety of individuals, while also supporting their caregivers to ease the challenges of illness and aging. Over the years, we've grown and changed - expanding from caring for 16 participants each week to over 120 seniors pre-COVID in Buncombe County alone. In 1996, MountainCare became part of CarePartners, forming a wonderful partnership that lasted nearly 20 years. But nothing stays the same. CarePartners became part of the Mission Hospital system in 2015, and when HCA purchased Mission in 2019, Adult Day was not included in the sale.

MountainCare now exists as an independent agency outside of an umbrella organization. This status has created opportunities and challenges—made all the harder by the COVID-19 pandemic. Because our Buncombe Center is located at an HCA-owned facility, we now pay HCA's market rate for a lease that does not fit our non-profit business model. Thankfully, we've received substantial and essential support from the WNC Bridge Foundation, formally the foundation for CarePartners, which has provided funding for the cost of our Asheville lease during the last several years of transition.

Looking back on MountainCare's story, now more than ever we realize that our organization exists and flourishes because of all of us: dedicated staff, committed caregivers, generous donors and funders, and a supportive community that has worked together to make our mission a reality.

As we enter 2023, we wish to say Thank You to each of you for your past support, and to ask for your continued support in the days ahead. Here's to another exciting year!

Barbara St. Hilaire, Board Chair

Elizabeth Williams, Executive Director

MC Wish-List:

Any and all gifts are greatly appreciated! Thank you!

All Programs:

Gift cards to Hobby Lobby, JoAnn, Michael's, Target, and Walmart

Buncombe Adult Day:

Click to view our Amazon wishlist
We are in need of a new or used electric stove. Please call Sunny Larson at 828-277-3399 for more information.
Mason jars

Henderson Adult Day:

Simple fridge for beverage station
Patio Chairs
Patio Heater
(3) Storage Racks
Mulch & potting soil
(40) 16-quart stackable bins
9-cube storage organizer (black)
(12) Recliner headrest covers
Cordless hot glue guns
Handheld fabric steamer
Mexican Train Dominoes with Numbers

Mountain Explorers:

Annual Pass to the NC Arboretum

Questions? Please email development@mtncare.org.

Donate

All Programs Enrolling Now!

We are increasing our daily enrollment with part-time, full-time, half-day, and full-day options. Funding is available for those with financial need. Please help us to inform seniors and caregivers who might benefit by sharing this information widely. Thank you!

For more info: email connect@mtncare.org or call:

Buncombe Adult Day - Donna Nawrocki, Caregiver Support Coordinator, at 828-277-3399.

Henderson Adult Day - Kelly Kimbley, Program Manager, at 828-697-7070.

Mountain Explorers - Denise Southerland, Program Coordinator, at 828-277-4791.

Who's Who & Who's New

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

Brady Blackburn served as MountainCare's inaugural Board Chair from 2019 to 2022. His leadership and insight steered us through a major transition out of the larger healthcare system, and helped us to become a fully indepenedent organization.

William Lewin served as treasurer from 2019-2022, providing invaluable financial expertise and oversight.

We are extremely grateful to these outgoing board members for the gift of their time and their dedication to MC. Thank you!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWLY ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS:

Laura Baker-Seseika, award-winning healthcare marketing professional who is passionate about enhancing the health, safety, and quality of life for seniors in our community.

Kathleen Ballard, Asheville native, non-profit management consultant, and former Executive Director of Asheville City Schools Foundation. Kathleen is stepping into the role of Finance Committee Chair.

Laddie McMillan, current Adult Day participant and huge advocate of MountainCare. Laddie is a World War II and Korean War veteran and retired local business owner.

Melinda Raab, PhD, research scientist and retired professor specializing in Child and Family Studies. For fourteen years, she was a caregiver for her husband, Tom, who attended Buncombe Adult Day. Melinda will step into the role of Development Committee Chair after serving as a non-voting member of the committee since 2021.

STAFF UPDATES

Congratulations to Ruth Butler on her retirement after 18 years with MountainCare!

Please join us in welcoming our new part-time Buncombe Program Guide, Libby Davis.

Denise Southerland, our Mountain Explorers Program Coordinator, is now assisting Adult Day part-time with participant records. Denise will continue her work with Mountain Explorers on Mondays and Fridays.

Congratulations to Samantha Wharton, Buncombe Healthcare Coordinator, on the arrival of her beautiful baby boy, Warner!

MEET THE TEAM

We know it can be hard to match a face with a name - especially if that face is behind a mask! Our website has been updated to include photos of our team.

Sticking Together

We've been blessed by a strong community response to coronavirus. Despite serving a medically vulnerable population, only two Adult Day participants have been hospitalized due to COVID since 2020. This wouldn't have been possible without our caregivers, participants, and visitors doing their part to help keep our community healthy. Thank YOU for wearing masks when asked, staying home when necessary, and putting our community first.

It was the most wonderful time of the year!

Buncombe participants, caregivers, and staff celebrated the season together this year.

Henderson participants enjoyed the annual Christmas Tea Party, one of our favorite yearly traditions.

FUMC Charing Choir performed Christmas Carols during their monthly visit to Henderson Adult Day.

"Connections" with Generation Plus

Connections is a monthly meeting offered by Blue Ridge Pride for LGBTQ+ elders to socialize, educate and advocate.

Meetings occur the 3rd Saturday of each month, from 3PM – 5PM and will be facilitated by a member of the Generation Plus Committee. MountainCare is pleased to partner with Blue Ridge Pride by offering a meeting space for Connections at our Buncombe facility located at 68 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville NC 28803. More here.

MountainCare has been supporting

WNC seniors and their caregivers since 1986.

As a non-profit, our goal is to continue providing services for anyone who needs them, regardless of their circumstances. We rely on donations from community members like you to reduce our costs and keep our program affordable for all.

Through partnership with MountainCare, donors provide respite, social opportunities, nutritious meals, nursing support, personal care, caregiver guidance, support groups, and more to hundreds of families each year.

Please help us to enrich the lives of others and consider making a gift today:

Donate Now

If you prefer to give by check, please mail donations to:

MountainCare

PO Box 5956

Asheville, NC 28813

Thank you!

MountainCare is a 501(c)3 charitable organization and all contributions are tax deductible as determined by the Internal Revenue Service, ID number 56-20055198. Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 919-814-5400. The license is not an endorsement by the state.

Learn more:

About Us

p. (828) 277-3399

Adult Care

p. (828) 277-3399

Contact

(828) 820-2828

MountainCare, Inc.

P.O. Box 5956

Asheville, NC, 28813

mountaincareservices.org