LaZoom

Volunteer

Support local organizations feeding the community for free
A group of people put cans into plastic bags at MANNA FoodBank
Many are making sure that local plates are filled for the holiday. | Photo via MANNA FoodBank
Happy Thanksgiving. Today is all about the food — at the same time, food insecurity is incredibly common this time of the year. Here are a few nonprofits you can support this holiday season if you want to help feed others.

Food Connection
Since its launch in 2014, Food Connection has delivered over 409,000 fresh meals and kept 150 tons of food out of landfills. To support Food Connection, you can donate food or make a contribution — or even volunteer as a delivery driver.

BeLoved Asheville
While this organization mainly provides support for those experiencing homelessness, BeLoved Asheville has recently expanded with a brand new food truck. Mama’s Kitchen will serve hot meals to communities in need. Donate or volunteer to help with one of its many projects.

MANNA FoodBank
A member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, MANNA FoodBank started in 1983. To support, you can donate money, a vehicle, or food. You can also volunteer or put together a food drive.

Pro tip: Check out MANNA’s annual event Ingle’s Giving Tree, which opened this Monday, Nov. 21, to help raise awareness about food insecurity in NC.

Bounty & Soul
This Black Mountain organization’s mission is to help share nutritious food, education, and community. Get involved with produce sorting, gardening, and prepping and filming cooking demonstrations. You can also donate online.
The Biltmore

Click here to have your event featured.

Thursday, Nov. 24
  • East Fork Holiday Makers Market | Thursday, Nov. 24-Sunday, Dec. 11 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | East Fork Asheville, 15 W. Walnut St., Asheville | Free | Shop one-of-a-kind creations at this annual market, which showcases the artistic wares of East Fork employees, including ceramics and textiles.
  • World Cup Soccer on the Movie Screen! | Thursday, Nov. 24-Sunday, Dec. 18 | 2 p.m. | Asheville Pizza & Brewing, 675 Merrimon Ave., Asheville | Free | Watch all USA World Cup Games on the largest screens in town.*
Friday, Nov. 25
Saturday, Nov. 26
  • Frost Moon Bazaar | Saturday, Nov. 26 | 12-8 p.m. | Catawba Brewing Co., 32 Banks Ave., Asheville | Free | Celebrate hygge season and shop from a selection of local artists, makers + other vendors.
Sunday, Nov. 27
  • Make & Take | Sunday, Nov. 27 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Local Cloth, 408 Depot St., Asheville | Free | This family-friendly crafting event features indigo dyeing, felting, embroidery, tie dyeing, and more.
Wednesday, Nov. 30
  • Odyssey School’s Open House | Wednesday, Nov. 30 | 6:30 p.m. | Odyssey School, 90 Zillicoa St., Asheville | Free | Take a tour of Odyssey and meet with teachers to learn about the school’s unique approach to education from Pre-K to 12th grade — don’t forget to RSVP.*
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS
6AM City In-house

Weather
  • 57º | Partly cloudy | 0% chance of rain
Eat
  • Interested in fried calamari or a meatpall parm hoagie for lunch? Enter: Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian’s new lunch food truck. Catch it in the original Vinnie’s parking lot (641 Merrimon Ave.) every Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Browse the menu. (Mountain Xpress)
Health
  • A new hospital will be built in Buncombe County. AdventHealth secured the bid from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, beating out competing bids from Mission Health and Novant Health. AdventHealth’s initial proposal detailed a $254 million facility at Enka Center with 67 hospital beds. 🏥 (ABC 13)
  • Stacie Saunders, the Buncombe County Public Health Director who helped lead the local COVID-19 response, has accepted a position at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. As Deputy Director of local and community support, she’ll work with the state’s 86 local health departments, including Buncombe. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Sports
  • McCormick Field is seeking $30 million in funding by April 1, 2023 in order to meet Minor League Baseball standards — aka requirements around stadium lighting, changing rooms, and team personnel — and keep the Tourists in Asheville. The City of Asheville owns the property — read its statement. ⚾ (ABC 13)
Announced
  • If you love this newsletter (and supporting local) as much as we love strolls in Hominy Creek Park, morning lattes from Farewell Coffee + Saturdays spent sampling empanadas at Bomba (which is a lot) — we’ve got something for you: AVLtoday just launched a membership program. Learn more + sign up. 🎉
Eat
  • It’s time to get fired up, Asheville. Enter: The Lobster Trap’s new specialty hot sauce, bringing a delicious cayenne kick to any crab, lobster, oyster, or shrimp dish. Pro tip: It makes a great gift. Learn more + feel the heat. 🔥 *
Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Swap politics for pickleball

6 Asheville-themed table topics for the holiday season
asheville-ranked-no-15-city-us-avltoday
Asheville has more than enough niche, bizarre, and fascinating factoids to keep the dinner table entertained. | Photo by @ashevillepictures
Reminder: We’ve come up with six locally inspired table topics to help spare you the debates and cringe questions that tend to take over holiday meals. You’re welcome.

Start a “pickleball vs. tennis” debate

Are you team tennis or pickleball? Over the last few years, as pickleball popularity has increased by 39.3%, there’s been much debate about how to fairly divide public courts. In Asheville, the latest solution has been to institute a shared use schedule for each sport — but nationwide, the tension remains. Curious where readers stand on the issue? We polled you last week, and apparently, 64% of y’all are Team Pickleball, 28% Team Tennis, with 8% voting “Other.” Ask your guests what they’d rather play — maybe it’ll lead to you duking it out on the court.

If you could visit just one of Asheville’s Sister Cities — which would it be?

Did you know our city has seven international pals, which span from Karpenisi, Greece to Osogbo, Nigeria? Check out the full list here and debate which place you most want to visit. When we polled y’all back in October, 40% of you voted Dunkeld & Birnam, Scotland, followed by 30% for Saumur, France.
FOUR MORE TABLE TOPICS
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Sarah.

Editor’s pick: The perfect post-Thanksgiving recovery just might involve my two favorite things: Taylor Swift and yoga. Down Dog dog bar + yoga studio is hosting a T Swift yoga class this Saturday, Nov. 26 at 10:30 a.m. It’s described as “Midnights vs. 1989 vs. Reputation” — sign me up.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Here’s 14 holiday gift ideas,all locally made.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Hackett, Brook Bolen, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Helen Purnell | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

ADVERTISE | SHOP | CAREERS | ETHICS

Did a friend forward this free newsletter to you?
SUBSCRIBE

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

Copyright © 2023 6AM City Inc, All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY