In This Month's Update

•Impact Report 2022

•IAM is Hiring!

•Rick Merrill Honored with Governor's Award

•Days of Caring Success!

•Our Current Pantry and Clothing Needs

•Volunteer Opportunities at IAM

•Our June Mobile Pantry Schedule

•Thank You Knights of Columbus

IAM 2022 Impact Report

Interfaith Assistance Ministry’s 2022 Impact Report tells an impactful story.

Total neighbors in need served:

4,578 unique households and 16,080 individuals.

These numbers mean IAM served 1 in 11 households in Henderson County in 2022. IAM's assistance addressed the most basic of needs:

• Hunger. Food insecurity. 1 in 5 children in Henderson County is hungry.
• Preventing new homelessness. Henderson and Buncombe counties have the highest rents in North Carolina.
• Providing heat, power, drinking water, gasoline vouchers
• Feminine hygiene products, baby diapers, and homeless supplies.
• Clothing for school children and working women and men so they can accept better jobs.

Sky-high food costs, soaring rents, gasoline prices, heating fuels, and other basic needs costs have continued into 2023. The stress felt by families trying to survive on one or two low-wage jobs continues to multiply. At IAM, we hear heart-breaking stories day in and day out as our new Mobile Food Pantry visits the poorest zip codes in our county each week with pop-up food markets.

Look at the 2022 expenditures on our annual report. The graph underscores how efficiently we, the largest provider of crisis services in Henderson County, operate. Fully 88% of funding is spent on providing crisis services while just 8% is spent on management and administration and just 4% is spent on fundraising.

When you give back to IAM, you are giving to a responsible, local good steward of your hard-earned resources. Please consider making a gift today. Thank you for caring about the less fortunate.

We are hiring! IAM is seeking a full-time Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) Coordinator/Development Director to work from our crisis services facility in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Working as part of IAM’s dynamic team, this position is responsible for meeting an annual fundraising goal to support IAM’s Human Services Organization (HSO) initiative and grant writing to support IAM’s crisis services and operations.

With a primary focus on increasing IAM’s annual campaign, corporate sponsorships and grant writing, the Development Officer/Director will have a hand in all aspects of our development work. Follow link for full job description and application instructions.

IAM is very proud to share that Rick Merrill, who served as the president of IAM's Board of Directors until his untimely death earlier this year, has been posthumously honored with the Governor's Medallion Award for Volunteer Service, the state’s highest volunteer recognition.

“Rick’s servant leadership mentality began at a young age when he volunteered for VISTA, Volunteers in Service to America (now AmeriCorps), while in college,” says Elizabeth. “That service led him to Henderson County, where Rick and his wife JoAnne, put down roots. Rick built a career in the real estate field and used his talents and knowledge to promote land conservation and lend a hand with many community organizations over his decades in Henderson County.”

At IAM, Rick filled in a variety of volunteer roles from 2016 until his death in February of this year, including board president and project manager overseeing the construction of IAM’s thrift shop.

Everyone at IAM misses Rick's leadership, commitment to our mission, and his inspiring example of giving back to our community. We are all better for having known him.

(Pictured: JoAnne Merrill with Governor Roy Cooper)

Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who came out to IAM during United Way's Days of Caring to help with landscaping, sorting clothing, and painting! 

We are so grateful for all your wonderful help. Thank you United Way of Henderson County, AdventHealth Hendersonville, Women United, WestRock, Mayor Barbara Volk and the GFWC Forest Women's Club!

Would you or someone you know like to volunteer at IAM? We currently have more than 200 volunteers who generously give their time and expertise to help others. Our ability to help so many residents of Henderson County is all because of the incredible contributions of our volunteers.

Our Current Volunteer Needs

Pantry Department:

Need a volunteer on Monday mornings to help neighbors with selecting food in the pantry.

Pantry Drivers

Need volunteers who can drive to pick up food from area grocery stores and drivers to take food boxes to those who are unable to come to our facility.

Substitute Volunteers

We need substitute volunteers - especially during the summer vacation months to help cover for volunteers who are traveling. Scheduled on an as-needed basis.

Bilingual Volunteers

We greatly need volunteers who can assist our Latino neighbors with translations.

If you would like to learn more, click on the link below or contact Amy Lewis, Volunteer Manager, at 828-697-7029.

IAM's Mobile Pantry truck continues to significantly enhance IAM’s ability to reach communities in Henderson County that are most at risk for food insecurity. The food distributed is free and includes nutrient-dense food items including fresh produce, meat, and dairy products.

Our June schedule includes locations throughout Henderson County to better reach our local neighbors who are dealing with food insecurity.

A big thank you to the Knights of Columbus Council #7184 for delivering 3,658 pounds of food donated by parishioners at Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church!   

We are blessed to receive the compassionate support of the Knights and Immaculate Conception and to partner with them in all our efforts to help neighbors facing financial hardships. Thank you!

IAM Thrift Store mascot, Blackberry, enjoying one of the many books on sale at the thrift store this week. Stop by to find great deals soon - and while you are there, say hello to Blackberry!