Our mission is to strengthen community by eliminating the race-based opportunity and achievement gap for students through education.

We believe…

Education is the prow of our ship and our students are our highest priority. Bolstering students, kindergarten through college, means much more than helping them get better grades.

Using a whole-child methodology, we partner with parents and schools to ensure that all students have the stability, resource, access to opportunity, equity, and inclusion that they need to thrive and reach their goals.

Whether the student is a quiet creative or an outspoken leader, our goal is to empower them to be the captain of their own ship.

We address…

INEQUITABLE SYSTEMS

“3.6% of Asheville’s population lives in public housing, but of that group, 72% are Black. In comparison, 11% of Asheville’s population is Black.”

— State of Black Asheville

IMPEDED ACCESS

“The stresses of poverty — such as crowded conditions, financial worry, and lack of adequate child care — lead to impaired learning ability in children from impoverished backgrounds.”

— National Institute of Health

PROXIMITY TO OPPORTUNITY

“Bachelor’s degree holders have lower rates of unemployment and earn nearly double what those with only a high school degree.”

— Bureau of Labor Statistics

We invest…

In Students-

We support students in strengthening their academics and accessing interests outside of the classroom so they can become active and empowered adults and one day invest back in their communities.

In Parents-

We advocate and make connections with parents so that they feel more resourced and can provide their children opportunities to prosper. Confident parents offer a strong foundation so that children can thrive.

In Communities-

We build relationships and connections between individuals, families, neighborhoods, organizations, and local businesses. Equity and inclusion are the center of our work.

Interested in learning more about our financials and program outcomes?

Want to open some doors?

  • Donors are individuals that donate to OpenDoors without recognition for a business or organization.

    Read more about our individual levels of giving here.

  • Sponsors are businesses or organizations that donate to OpenDoors. We recognize our sponsors by name and/or logo on our website and at our events.

  • Community partners are businesses and organizations that donate services and resources in-kind to OpenDoors. They also collaborate with OpenDoors to support students.