Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity is seeing more out of town volunteer groups than ever before thanks to Thrivent, with a record 16 teams scheduled to volunteer in Asheville this year.

Seeing my friends here is the best. You're all like my second family. And knowing I can keep things organized, alphabetized, so people know exactly where stuff is supposed to go. I love what I do here.

Volunteerism with Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity experienced a spike in 2025 on the heels of Hurricane Helene. A significant increase in out-of-town groups contributed, as did an increase in the number of local Home Repair core volunteers…

This mission began with a phone call to Habitat’s Executive Director at the time, Lew Kraus. A local donor, inspired by Pope Francis’ message of compassion and service, wanted to build a Habitat house in the Pope’s honor.

Evan feels one can sit around and complain, or get involved, volunteer, and do things that make you feel good. His positivity radiates as he talks about his life, his family, and his interests.

At Habitat, we see this community come together to put love into action every day. In 2024 alone, more than 43,500 hours of service was provided by 1,341 individuals. We're celebrating them during National Volunteer Appreciation Week.

Following their recent trip to Washington D.C. for Habitat on the Hill, Asheville Habitat staff Maddy Alewine, Communications Specialist, and Cassidy Moore, Government Relations and Grant Manager, sit down to discuss and reflect on the experience.

If you’re struggling with the process of giving this year, consider stopping by the ReStore to try an idea from this guide. The ReStore makes for a reliable source of secondhand gifts that support safe, affordable housing with every purchase. No matter what you buy, your patronage allows us to help more families spend the holidays in the comfort of their own home. How’s that for a gift?

Meet Sherry and Wendy, two best friends who worked together as educators and continue to work together as volunteers. Sherry introduced Wendy to the ReStore, and together they turn customers into new volunteers and volunteers into new friends.…

While not as visible as swinging hammers on a jobsite or processing ReStore donations, Habitat’s office volunteers play an essential role in the organization. These dedicated folks handle behind-the-scenes work including volunteer data input, answering phones, printing materials, and more. Rhoda is an admin office core volunteer, helping in Homeowner Services.

From thrift to consignment and antique to vintage, the Asheville area is full of places selling second-hand items. See what makes the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity ReStores unique.

Having an above-expectations experience, Jessie is quick to recommend AmeriCorps service as an excellent opportunity to explore career paths, learn and grow, or travel and live somewhere new.

Congratulations to the winners of our 12th annual ReStore ReUse Contest! Thanks to all entrants for sharing your creativity and talent for a chance to win.

Most people who support affordable housing make a financial donation, volunteer with a non-profit working in that space, or advocate for policy change. A donor we’ll call Sarah took a different approach, we hope her story inspires others to think creatively to support affordable housing and programs that increase equitable access to housing in our community.

Now through September 30, residents can show off their creativity and talent for a chance to win in the 12th annual ReStore ReUse Contest contest. Fabulous furniture make-overs, remarkable renovations, or unique yard art…if you recently took on a DIY project using predominantly reused building materials, we want to know.

Asheville Habitat’s volunteer program has grown over the years, alongside its programs. In addition to utilizing volunteers on new home construction, community volunteers work on home repair, deconstruction, in the ReStores, and in administrative capacities including office support and committee work. “Cores”- those who volunteer weekly and bi-monthly volunteers- are the foundation of Asheville Habitat’s volunteer program.

Four decades of life-changing work is punctuated with impressive statistics and heart-warming stories. For Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity on its 40th Anniversary, those statistics and stories speak to the enduring power of partnership.

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity hit a Tithe milestone recently - $1M in lifetime tithe - a mark that only six of 62 North Carolina Habitat affiliates have reached. Asheville is the 65th affiliate in the United States, out of 1,085, to reach this milestone.

Chef and owner of Tastee Diner Steven Goff shares why supporting nonprofits is so important to him.

Learn all things Women Build- what it's all about, the history and how to get involved to help us build another energy-efficient, affordable home in West Asheville.

Hundreds of Asheville Habitat volunteers were celebrated and thanked at Highland Brewing on April 20th during a National Volunteer Appreciation Week event.

Part-time volunteers and full-time friends, together Anne Justice and Lou Towson sort, curate, and price the enormous volume of jewelry that passes through the ReStore.

In The Sum of Us, author Heather McGhee uses public swimming pools as a metaphor for her thesis that zero-sum thinking about race creates policies that hurt the whole community. In this blog post, learn the history of Asheville's Recreation Park and how the same zero-sum thinking that led us to "drain the pool” shows up in housing, too.

The holiday season is upon us!  And after rethinking how we do almost everything this past year, many of us now find ourselves rethinking how to do the holidays.  Whether you are staying at home for the first time ever and wondering how to celebrate without gathering, or whether your values no longer align with the traditional consumption and spending-centric holiday model- the ReStore has a few re-thought ideas on how to do the holidays this year... maybe with a little more reuse and home time, and a little less spending and gathering.

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and Blue Ridge Hiking Company are excited to announce the fall version of Hike for Habitat: presented by Jennifer Pharr Davis-- in-person guided hikes September 15-18 that will raise funds for Women Build.

The epitome of a "when life gives you lemons" story, Asheville Habitat volunteer, Diane Bryson shares about how volunteering with Asheville Habitat has helped make lemonade out of some lemons that life has thrown at her. Her attitude is an inspiration, and her power tools skills aren't too shabby either!

Skyrocketing building material prices, supply chain issues, and a building boom has created a challenging environment in which to build affordable housing. Unlike other builders, Asheville Habitat can’t pass on to homebuyers increased costs.

During a year when ReStore truck crews were not been able to enter homes to remove large furniture items or appliances, it's not a surprise that Construction and Building Materials became the top selling merchandise category at the Asheville…

While we wait for our shots, I’ve been reflecting on how this experience provides a new way to think about the goal of building a community where all of our neighbors have a healthy and stable home. At a 2019 fundraising event, I quoted Dr. Megan Sandal comparing housing to a vaccine.

Working on the 15th Woman Build house has been a very different experience. When the house was started no volunteers were working due to Covid.  By the time core volunteers were brought in most of the framing and roof work had been done. I…

Carolyn knew it was time to do something about her floor when she had to move heavy furniture off of it and avoid walking on it altogether. Fearful she would fall through and injure herself, she turned to Asheville Habitat's Home Repair program. She was no stranger to Habitat because Carolyn served as a ReStore volunteer for four years.

For Tikisha and Terrell, their Habitat house has served as a foundation for a better future, a refuge in challenging times, and a place to always and forever call HOME.

We are thrilled to welcome back two AmeriCorps members for a second year of service - Chris and Jeannie, and three new members - Lilian, Amanda and MaryKent.

I was hooked on the Home Store after my first shift and committed to several Saturdays each month. Two years later, a new staff position had been created and it was suggested that I apply. I wasn’t looking to make a move, I enjoyed teaching and loved the high school environment, but the opportunity to be a part of this mission was far too strong of a pull. My time in the Home Store, now the ReStore, yielded far more than I ever expected.

As an organization that condemns structural racism in our housing system, Asheville Habitat will not transfer this deed to another owner with this abhorrent language. We took the time to learn from the Register of Deeds and work with Pisgah Legal Services to draft new deed language that nullifies the racist restrictions. This is a small step in the right direction and we hope it inspires other property owners to do the same.

When Emily Stevens began her first year of service with Asheville Habitat, she wasn't sure what to expect. Now, five years later, Emily is about to independently supervise the construction of a Habitat house for the first time. In the years between, she found her own dream team, and a career that keeps her active, learning, and always on her toes. But it all started with a year of service. Enjoy this blog post for the full story!

Asheville Habitat works every day to close the racial homeownership gap and expand access to stable and healthy homes. For 37 years, Asheville Habitat has built dozens of thriving diverse neighborhoods defying the lies behind residential segregation. Successful Habitat mortgages disprove the myths that justify "redlining" and predatory lending. Most important, we have empowered families to build a shelter against other forms of disparity.

Our client had cerebral palsy and had been living independently for about ten years. He unfortunately was not able to keep up with the house and in turn the framing had sunk in and it was not healthy for him to live there. It was one of the toughest projects to date, but also the most gratifying.

By Maddy Alewine, Communications Specialist A home is more than a roof and four walls. Homeownership is the primary way Americans accumulate wealth. This is true for Victor, a retired forklift driver and Asheville High graduate, who inherited…

The routine of showing up to swing a hammer or lay flooring alongside a community of volunteers, staff, and future homeowners is for many Habitat volunteers as ingrained in their daily life as their weekly trip to the grocery.  As if the cancellation of all volunteer participation on jobsites wasn't interruption enough for our volunteers, there was another meaningful tradition within this weekly routine that was interrupted as well.

How we engage with you is going to look different for awhile, but we can still be united in spirit and in individual action that has collective impact. Please read below for ways you can support us and the community during this unprecedented time. Thank you and be well.

My Anthropology degree and seemingly-unrelated career as a non-profit marketing professional intersect in this quote by American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”  The innovative idea of "partnership housing" developed in the mid 1970's by farmer Clarence Jordan and eventual Habitat for Humanity founders Millard & Linda Fuller, epitomizes Mead’s theory.

The social justice arena can be an intimidating one to enter. The intricacies of policy can feel out of our grasp, and the feeling that the battle is always fought up-hill can be a deterrent to rolling up our sleeves and joining the effort. These apprehensions are more easily overcome when we hear the experiences and perspectives of a long-time social justice veteran; someone like Cassie Dillon.

This reflection was written by AmeriCorps Member Thomas Brennan. He works on Asheville Habitat's New Home Construction team. “This first quarter has been an amazing experience for me as I worked on all of the houses in our Candler neighborhood…

Members of PODER EMMA and staff from Asheville Habitat’s Home Repair team came together to protect manufactured home residents and build community by having a community safety day to install new door security plates and solar-powered, motion-activated lighting.

By Beth Russo Living in the 828 is great! Whether you’ve been here for generations, or just got here as quickly as you could, the Western NC area – particularly Asheville - is a warm, welcoming place with great places to eat, drink, recreate,…

by Greta Bush Do you ever look at your credit card bill and wonder how it got to be so high? You didn't make any major purchases. Then you look closely...$10 spent on a whim here, $6 spent there...it adds up! I, for one, can't be trusted…

By Ariane Kjellquist “Redistribution of dirt and water,” is not a phrase I expected to hear on my recent tour of Old Haywood, a future Asheville Habitat for Humanity neighborhood. But it’s one of the first things Director of Construction…

By Beth Russo A lot changes in 25 years. Back in 1994, we were watching OJ Simpson in a white Bronco on CNN. Highland Brewery had just opened up in the basement of Barley’s Pizza. And a group of women attorneys decided to sponsor…

We are thrilled to be one of nine non-profits to receive the Parsec Prize from Parsec Financial in 2019! Other winners were: OnTrack Financial Education & Counseling, Food Connection, Working Wheels, Asheville Art Museum, Susan G. Komen…

By Zoe Trout After spending “38 long hot years in Houston, Texas,” Jane Schwarz and her husband, who is an artist and musician, moved to Asheville. They were attracted to our City’s artistic community-- and because being a vegetarian…

By Ariane Kjellquist From rehabbing a 100+ year old house in Portugal and installing smokeless stoves in Guatemala, to teaching woodworking to “street kids” in Bolivia and building Habitat homes here in Asheville, Bernie Koesters (pictured front row, R) is driven by the belief that “we need to give back, especially those of us that have more. We have an obligation to give back.”

By Zoe Trout & Beth Russo We love our business community!Local businesses know that our entire community is stronger when residents – and employees - have decent and affordable housing. We see this throughout the year at Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, but never more so than when building the Business Bungalow.

By Betsy Warren Question: What time is it when power tools, social justice, hands-on activism, dancing, laughing, learning, and hundreds of Buncombe County women come together?Answer: It’s time for Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity’s WOMEN BUILD!!!

By Zoe Trout More than 100 Habitat friends and supporters recently gathered at Givens Estates for a 5-Home Dedication. Typically held on the jobsite, we take this celebratory event indoors in February and serve a warm chili lunch. Given’s graciously donated the space this year and their amazing culinary team prepared a delicious meal. We are grateful for their ongoing partnership and this new form of support. 

By Skip Helms, Asheville Habitat Legacy Builders Society Member, former Asheville Habitat Board Member, and President of Helms Wealth Management, LLC As the end of the year approaches, we want to proactively thank you for considering Asheville…

By Marty Steinberg A light bulb came on: it used less energy while helping to build affordable homes and it saved its purchasers a whole bunch of money. What a great idea! The Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity ReStore sells energy efficient…

We are thrilled to introduce our newest class of AmeriCorps members. We welcome Nora, Kaitlyn and Mackenzie to our team. Sydney and Janice were with us last year and have returned for a second term! My name is Nora Gilmer and I'm from Piney…

At age 93, Ms. Emma Aiken is a mother, a grandmother, a great grandmother, a great great grandmother and a great great great grandmother. Her daughter, Carol, explains that there are 165 family members -- which they believe is one the largest…

As we near the end of this year’s National Volunteer Appreciation Week, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity takes a look back to recognize all the amazing students and Collegiate Challenge groups who traveled to Asheville in March to volunteer…

It is common knowledge that volunteers help build Habitat houses. But did you know that volunteers are also imperative to the operation of the ReStore? There are nearly 140 volunteer shifts each week, many filled by folks who have been serving…

By Shannon Kauffmann I met Kelly Lucy (above R) about eight years ago when I was working as a childcare subsidy case worker. She was one of my clients. Kelly recalled, “I remember the very first time that I met you because I cried through…

Just about everyone in Asheville knows how serious of a problem affordable housing is, but probably no one understands it better than our local realtors. For the month of August volunteers from Town and Mountain Realty, Candy Whitt and Associates,…

    Recently, Wicked Weed Brewing’s co-founder Rick Guthy presented Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity with a $75,000 donation. “We are very grateful to the Guthy family and to Wicked Weed for their generous gift. We will…

By Alex Cox Since proceeds from ReStore sales cover administrative and fundraising costs, the 140 volunteers that serve every week are essential in enabling the store to remain a source of funding that allows Habitat to serve families in our…

By Sammie Smith In the past 14 years, Bill Durant (above right), a core construction volunteer, has worked on more than 150 Habitat for Humanity houses between Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and Henderson County Habitat for Humanity! After…

By Alex Cox Every Tuesday, Susie Emerick arrives at the ReStore and begins organizing and preparing her work space. Susie works in the linens area of the store, a department that receives, cleans, and prices various fabrics that are available…

By Alex Cox Saturday in the ReStore brings crowds of customers browsing the showroom for unique furniture, appliances, and other home goods. The donation drop-off lane is an equally bustling place. On Monday, after the excitement has settled,…

By Andy Barnett, Executive Director Earlier this week, we observed the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. The holiday provides an opportunity to reflect on the legacy of Dr. King and to recommit to a vision of equity for our neighbors who face…

by Kristen Keefer Every Monday, Roger Gauthier and Stephanie Plemmons team up to assist people dropping off donations at the ReStore receiving dock. Their efforts help make the transition of items into the store efficient; while their kind…

By Kristen Keefer It was over twelve years ago that Cassie Dillon (above, R) began her service at the Asheville ReStore. At the time, she was traveling throughout the week for work but was still determined to find time to serve her community.…

By Kristen Keefer Carolyn McDonald and Jo Harvey, friends since childhood, meet every Tuesday to volunteer at the ReStore. The duo spends their time alongside core volunteer Susan Diehn at the checkout-counter. “Susan is great; she really…

Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, and while we’ve all been hearing about the Presidential race for months, there are many other important issues in this year’s election. We’ll be electing a Governor and a Senator in our state, for example.…

Isabel Arredondo does not come across as the nervous type. She is a confident, cheerful and very funny 16 year old. She hopes to be a physical therapist one day, but medical internships are hard to come by in Asheville. She was a little nervous…

By Kristen Keefer Retired pastor Jamie Dale has been an admirer of Habitat for Humanity’s mission since he first became acquainted with the organization in 1978. So naturally when he began volunteering at the Asheville Habitat ReStore in…

We were absolutely thrilled to be the non-profit partner of the Asheville Duathlon, 10K Trail Run and Gravel Grinder Bike Events this year! And we are equally excited to say that we raised $17,000 which will directly support our Shiloh: Let's…

Volunteers support Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity staff and homeowner families in every aspect of their work. Last year, 2,000 volunteers contributed more than 60,000 hours of service – at a value of more than $1.38 million, according…

Thanks to an anonymous donation through the Community Foundation of WNC, Asheville Area Habitat launched it first-ever Business Bungalow House last summer. All donations to the house by local businesses, were matched (up to $25,000) by that…

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (February 2, 2016) -- Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity today announced that Andy Barnett has been named as its new Executive Director. Barnett succeeds longtime Executive Director Lew Kraus, who has announced his retirement…

By Jonathan Dermid One of the first things that someone might notice upon entering the Asheville Area Habitat ReStore is the vast amount of building supplies and home furnishings that fill our showroom floors. From small love seats to mammoth…

By Jonathan Dermid Typically, when someone first enters the ReStore, some of the first items on display are our large appliances. A common question might be, “they look nice, but do they work?” Here at the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity…

by Jonathan Dermid Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity is a multi-year, multi-million dollar mission partnership between Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity International. Thrivent is the largest non-government partner and sponsor…

By Jonathan Dermid At Givens Estates, a significant number of residents actively and happily participate in community service, which vitalizes their community and gives it an identity of meaning and purpose. Their volunteer program has the…

By Jonathan Dermid At the Asheville Habitat ReStore, no single volunteer is an island unto themselves. They all work together in collaboration to effectively further the cause of Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, and for some, this team…

by Jonathan Dermid Last Saturday, September 12th, we celebrated the ongoing support of our wonderful community with the annual Fall Customer Appreciation Sale at the ReStore. The celebration was an all-day affair, with everything from a live…

By Jonathan Dermid If the Asheville Habitat ReStore has a hidden gem, it would be the used bookstore. Tucked away in the back of the upper showroom, it may seem to be just another thrifty book corner. But as soon as you enter, you feel how…

by Jonathan Dermid Some might consider “The American Dream” a bygone ambition, the idea of owning one’s own home a pipe dream. Thanks to perseverance, hard work, and a caring community, the Ender family will soon realize their dream and…

On Saturday, May 31st Habitat homeowner-to-be Rhonda Kensinger (right) worked her final 7 hours towards her 200 hours of required Sweat Equity. But for Rhonda, it's not over. She remarked, "We still have a whole neighborhood to finish!" and…

Affordable housing is one of the most pressing unmet needs in our region. A recently released report* indicated that the combination of a lack of affordable units, a critically low vacancy rate and a significant projected population growth will…