$100,000 in 10 years: NC organization raises awareness, funds for homeless youths

By Hannah Mackenzie

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    HENDERSONVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — A local organization aims to decrease the number of homeless children across Western North Carolina.

$100,000 in 10 years: WNC organization raises awareness, funds for homeless youths

According to the Department of Education, in the 2019-20 school year, Henderson County reported more than 300 children within the district were homeless. In Buncombe County, 500 children were reported as being homeless.

Only Hope WNC president and CEO Michael Absher said he wants to help get those statistics down. For the last ten years, Absher has held a ‘sleepout’ to raise awareness and money for homeless youth.

“I don’t know what the solution is, but we’re trying to make the difference as best as we can,” Absher said. “We’re averaging between 200-300 kids in each Western North Carolina region that are homeless every year, and those are just the ones we know of.”

According to Absher, Only Hope WNC has seen a 30% increase in demand for help in 2021.

“If someone would step in at the beginning of homelessness, or even in the middle, and show them some support, stats show that 65-70% of them actually would get out of homelessness and don’t become chronic homeless,” Absher said.

This year’s sleepout event was held in front of downtown Hendersonville’s historic courthouse. Participants were asked to donate at least $25 to take part. Many brought sleeping bags, but some, like Reagan Govern, opted for a tent. The 15-year-old said it’s his third year participating in the sleepout because the cause is important to him.

“I have friends that do this – that don’t really have a choice and friends in the foster care system that do this rather than be in the foster care system,” Govern said. “We’re doing this for them.”

Absher said, recently, he’s seen the local homeless population increase drastically.

“There’s always negatives, but we just look at the positives: we’re saving lives,” Absher said. “Whether it’s giving them a toothbrush or helping them graduate high school, we’re saving lives.”

Homeless people are often victims of criminal attacks, said Amy Cantrell, co-director of BeLoved Asheville, a nonprofit group that advocates for the homeless community.

According to the Asheville Police Department, on Oct. 19, a homeless woman was shot in the face multiple times with an airsoft gun by two juveniles outside Champion Credit Union on Patton Avenue.

On Tuesday, Nov. 2, APD confirmed the suspects, both juveniles, had been identified and the case turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

“We’re just trying to help [the homeless],” Govern said. “And raise awareness for them.”

According to Absher, over the last 10 years, Only Hope WNC has raised more than $100,000 for homeless youths through their annual sleepout event.

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