ABCCM is inviting family, friends, church partners/members, and residents across Buncombe County and the U.S. to go online and register at https://www.abccm.org/gala to attend this year’s annual Transformation Celebration Gala & Auction, an informative and entertaining evening, celebrating individuals whose lives have been transformed into self-sustaining lives of promise, stability and hope. The gala takes place August 28 at 7 pm.
The goal is to raise the $250K needed to fund six ABCCM Ministries (Crisis, Jail, Medical, Steadfast House, Veterans Restoration Quarters – VRQ, and Veterans Services of the Carolinas-VSC). ABCCM has been hit especially hard this year with additional needs 30%-70% across these Ministries due to Covid-19.
“AdventHealth is excited to be a sponsor of the ABCCM Transformation Celebration and this opportunity to explore how others can join us to help expand the programs that transform lives,” said Victoria Dunkle, AdventHealth Hendersonville. “AdventHealth’s mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ lines up so beautifully with the ministries of ABCCM that offer healing and hope to the most vulnerable members of our community. Not only do our two faith-based organizations share a similar mission, but we also share a commitment to so many of the whole-person aspects of health and wellness. We are honored to partner with ABCCM and invite you to join us for the 2020 Transformation Celebration Virtual Gala and Auction.”
About 75 items from vacation rentals to local restaurants, art from TPennington, Ann Vasilik and others, gift-laden baskets and more will be featured in the Silent Auction, beginning August 21, 7 pm and concluding the evening of the Gala, August 28th, 7 pm. The virtual Gala & Live Auction promises to be a life changing evening with real life stories of individual struggles and triumphs. There will be matching grant opportunities, interactive bidding on live auction items, compelling statistics about our county needs, and the positive impact we can have during this time of increased need on homeless women, children, Veterans, families and individuals in crisis.
Registration is free and you won’t have to worry about dinner that evening. For a contribution of $500 or more as a Champion Sponsor, two gourmet meals will be available for pick-up and you will be recognized as a “sponsor” of this event. For a contribution of $50, two barbeque dinners will be available for pick up. The time and place for each dinner will be sent after you are registered at one of these levels.
ABCCM Executive Director Reverend Scott Rogers said, “We are praying that all our volunteers, church leaders and friends will join us for an inspiring evening. Every gift from $5 to $50,000 will be an answer to prayers, not just ours, but for those 100 individuals and families who come to ABCCM every day asking for food, medicine, shelter, or HOPE. Will you help be that answer to prayer? We cannot have other fundraisers as planned…so please plan to join us where you will continue to change lives, each day and for life!”
More about ABCCM https://www.abccm.org/
ABCCM began as a collaboration of a small group of churches in 1969 to address food and clothing needs. ABCCM now has a significant role in meeting the emergency assistance needs of families, individuals and Veterans in crisis including hunger, homelessness and access to health care for the underserved and uninsured in Buncombe County. About 21,764 souls, or 1 in 12 persons were served in 2019. The numbers needing food and medicine due to Covid-19 are growing at a rate difficult to measure. Of every dollar donated to ABCCM, 93.1¢ goes directly to families in need.
ABCCM is owned by 300 churches and is volunteer-driven where a total of 6,084 provided $21 million in direct services to families in crisis, Veterans, homeless women and moms with children and the uninsured.
ABCCM has a great stewardship track record where 93.1% of every dollar donated goes directly to serve those in need, compared to the national average of 75%.
The work of 6,068 volunteers, giving over 144,000 hours to listen and care for every person led to effective short-term and long-term solutions of their needs
Thanks to the gifts of food, clothes, household items, furniture, medicine and time, every dollar given had an additional $2.77 impact in providing direct help and services.
ABCCM serves individuals and families in crisis regardless of race, religion, sex, or nationality throughout Buncombe County.
ABCCM provided employment training for over 300 Veterans with a 75% placement rate into living wage jobs.
ABCCM serves one in three uninsured with medical, dental and pharmacy services…giving away $5.5 million in health care in 2019.
ABCCM’s four Crisis Ministries helped 5,303 families assisted with emergency assistance in 2019.
ABCCM’s VRQ provided 443 Veterans with transitional housing while offering stability, life skills, work readiness, job placement that led to permanent housing for 8 out of 10.
ABCCM’s Steadfast House provided 107 homeless women plus 27 moms with 40 children with transitional housing while offering stability, life skills, work readiness, job placement that led to permanent housing for 8 out of 10.
Transformation Village will open in late summer to provide 100 transitional housing beds and up to 50 emergency shelter beds helping to reduce the waiting list of 300 women with 68 moms and 104 children.
ABCCM’s two pharmacies distributed $2,705,976 in medications to the uninsured in 2019.
