ARISE
In The SmokiesARISE in the Smokies is a project of Haywood Christian Ministry. We are working to build healthy, stable, and hunger-free communities where everyone can thrive through promoting Access, building Resilience, championing Inclusivity, advancing Sustainability, and working so that Everyone is part of our effort.
-
In order for our communities to thrive, everyone needs equitable access. Access to food, resources, money, jobs, market, housing, etc. In everything we do, we will be asking: What does this person, family, businesses, or community need access to?
-
Resiliency is the ability to face adversity and challenges and come out the better for it. Our families need resilience; our selves need resilience; our food system needs resilience; our communities need resilience. How can our programming build resilience, psychologically, physically, spiritually, economically, etc?
-
Our communities do not foster true community until they are inclusive. Every program we devise will seek to be radically inclusive: poor and rich, rural and urban, gay and straight, black and white, citizen and immigrant, farmer and consumer, housed and unhoused, etc.
-
Our programs, our communities, our practices, our finances, and our environment all need to be sustainable. We will continually ask, does this plan or proposal promise sustainability to all it touches?
-
In order to provide Access, promote Resilience, Include everyone, and be Sustainable, Every individual will need different supports, interventions, and solutions. We will work to make sure that Everyone is able to ARISE.
Our History
HCM has long been a presence in Haywood County, providing assistance to those in need. Over the past few years, we began investigating ways not only to help our neighbors in need, but to begin addressing root causes of poverty and hunger. That led us to develop the guiding philosophy of ARISE in the Smokies, which was formally launched in response to the catastrophic floods caused by hurricane Helene.
The Community Store
For decades, HCM has operated the HCM thrift store at 150 Branner Avenue. Far more than a way for us to provide funding for our work, the Community Store provides a huge service to the community. By intentionally keeping prices extremely low, we are striving to provide access for everyone to the resources they need. For just a few dollars people can purchase an entire outfit, get some flatware for their home, or purchase a small appliance. The store also processes free vouchers for anyone who still needs a little more help along the way!
Our Initiatives
ARISE in the Smokies has three distinct ways it is trying to address the symptoms and root causes of poverty.
Smoky Mountain Harvest Hub
Addresses the stability and effectiveness of our local food system realizing that to have food stable families we need a stable local food system. The hub also strives to not only support our local farms, but to ensure that EVERY resident of our region has access to locally produced, healthy food.
Haywood Christian Ministry
HCM has long been a presence in Haywood County that provides assistance to those experiencing the effects of poverty. Whether it is our Somers Community Resource Center’s which helps our neighbors navigate the local, financial resources available to those who need it, our Pop-Up Food pantry that serves hundreds of family every week with a wide assortment of fresh foods in a full-choice model, the Healthy Opportunities Program that serves medicaid members by addressing social determinants of health, or our bike program that takes and repairs bicycles for community use, we have been helping our neighbors for over 50 years.