WHEN: June 19th & 20th, 2020 WHERE: 100 miles beginning in Mills River, NC mostly on the Mountains To Sea Trail WHY: Connor’s goal is to raise $100k to help local students break the cycle of poverty through education. All funds raised will benefit OpenDoors’ To & Through College Access program. We are so excited […]
COVID-19 Update
OpenDoors students are especially fragile when faced with distance learning, as they no longer have the security and structure that schools and teachers provide each day. Starting off with the inherent disadvantages of poverty, many of our students are at a higher risk for language-based learning differences and are more profoundly impacted when faced with […]
2020 To & Through Scholarship Recipients
We are always excited to brag about the recipients of our To & Through College Scholarships. These two tenacious OpenDoors students will receive funding and support to attend four years of college! Congratulations Eric and JaZe’l! We are so proud of you and look forward to hearing about what you accomplish at college! Senior, Eric […]
Celebrating SoulKu, our 2020 Laureates of the Year
This year we are more than happy to honor local handcrafted inspirational gemstone jewelry business SoulKu, owned by Allison Blake and Elisa Van Arnam. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the organization upon a member of the community and is awarded for selfless service to eliminate child poverty. The award is presented once a […]
Everything You Need To Know… Art Affair: Look 2020
LOOK 2020, the magical, creative jewel of a team of OpenDoors volunteers, artists, craftsmen, and local visionaries, will take place on Leap Night, February 29th. Most certainly, this year will open your eyes, blow your minds, and offer you a clear vision of how ambitious our shared community can truly be. Seeing is believing. Exciting […]
Navante Johnson: An Outstanding OpenDoors Student Heads Off to College!
While in elementary school, Navante Johnson became involved with OpenDoors through friends and family. OpenDoors provided him with an assessment that identified undiagnosed learning differences, and then arranged specialized tutoring, after school care, and access to a variety of enrichment programs and opportunities. Navante has an amazing mom, and Nicole and Matt Baker, who are […]
Jaheim Johnson: A Community Role Model and Advocate for Success
Asheville native Jaheim Johnson and his mom teamed-up with OpenDoors while he was in elementary school. That mutually-rewarding relationship continues while Jaheim attends the Gow School, a college prep boarding school near Buffalo, New York. All graduates of Gow attend college, and OpenDoors has sent three boys there plus more kids for Gow’s summer programs. […]
Hayden Wilson Makes Molten Glass that Melts Human Barriers
WNC native and 2nd generation glass artist Hayden Wilson manages the nonprofit public access studio at the Asheville Glass Center. He also volunteers with OpenDoors students, mentoring them with hands-on training in the art of glassblowing. That exciting after-school initiative is possible thanks to OpenDoors’ unique One Neighborhood arts enrichment program. The program, run and […]
Live and Let Flourish
Ladies and gentlemen, hire a sitter, check the weather forecast, download your Uber app, and join us for an elegantly iconic evening as we break the cycle of poverty for children. Shocking, positively shocking! Art Affair 2019: Mission X. Celebrating 10 years of breaking the cycle of poverty. Join us at Ambrose West […]
Nicki Ingle: Spying the Sustained Value Behind Mission X
Asheville native Nicki Ingle brings business, marketing, and nonprofit experience ─ plus a deeply-felt love of Asheville ─ to her volunteer role as Co-Chair of Art Affair 2019: Mission X. We asked her about that, as part of the OpenDoors 10th Anniversary “10 Years10 People” series. Question: What’s your focus leading up to this […]
Larry Hopkins and OpenDoors of Asheville: A deliriously-rewarding relationship.
For its 10-year anniversary, we are highlighting a few special members of the OpenDoors community. Larry Hopkins, who moved to Asheville in the mid-1990s, owns and operates ananda hair studio (22 Broadway St., Asheville) and its offshoot, ananda west (37 Paynes Way in the River Arts District). An avid supporter of the arts in WNC, […]
The Struggle Bus
It was 12:30 in the afternoon, and with Shawntell as my guide, we struck out for our assignment, designed by OpenDoors Program Director Joseph Jamison. He titled it “The Struggle Bus.” Our mission was to start at the downtown public transit station and figure out how we’d get to work if we worked at the […]
Art Affair 2018 Featured Artist Spencer Herr
We are thrilled to have stalwart OpenDoors supporter Spencer Herr as this year’s featured artist for the Art Affair. Mr. Herr’s work received one of the highest bids in last year’s auction, and with growing momentum as a nationally renowned artist, we feel fortunate that he selected a piece for the Art Affair specifically with […]
5 Tips for Success at a Benefit Art Auction
Lauren Brunk of Brunk Auctions gives us the inside scoop on how to navigate a benefit auction, help a worthy cause, and have fun! We’re sold. Choosing the right piece for you. The most important thing someone should consider is their personal reaction to the artwork: does it make them feel something? The “why” […]
A Catamount for a Cause
Quanteria Sitton, our new Student Advocate for OpenDoors, graduated from Western Carolina University in May 2017 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Quan has many years of experience working with at-risk youth and youth with disabilities in the after-school and summer camp settings. She is a native of Asheville and offered to […]
The ABC’s of Eradicating Child Poverty
“Reading, writing, and arithmetic are the branches of the learning tree. But without the roots of love every day, your education is not complete.” Recognize that scholarly quote? If not, read on…all things are revealed in their own time. Aren’t you glad you CAN read? Many OpenDoors kids could not, until OpenDoors gave them some […]
2017 Car Raffle–Enter to Win!!
You might win a Volkwagen Jetta or Golf Sportwagen from OpenDoors of Asheville! Join us in investing in our community by purchasing a car raffle ticket. All proceeds directly fund programming to uplift our children and provide them with the opportunities they need for maximizing their potential. The drawing date will be on or […]
Making this Summer the Best One Ever!
Children are excited when school lets out for the long summer break. Images of families visiting beaches, waterfalls, historic places and museums are all over social media. This is not the case for all children…many are left behind. Kids growing up in Asheville’s poorest homes find summer hot, days long, and healthy food scarce. Even […]
ananda fashion show – Sunday, April 23
Join us on the patio and in the beautiful new Wedge event room for an early evening artistic inspiration, exploring the world of hair and fashion! This Sunday, at 6pm, the new Wedge Brewing @Foundation and ananda Hair Studio will be presenting the annual ananda fashion show. This collaborative event spotlights local talent while supporting […]
Behind the Curtain
The creative whizz-bang momentum of OpenDoors’ Art Affair usually starts around June, with visionary stylist Larry Hopkins, owner and founder of Asheville’s ananda hair studios, sketching concepts on a cocktail napkin with the OpenDoors creative team looking on. He’s saying something like, “I think the feel is… and the look could feature…” and from there, […]
