Insurance Service of Asheville, Inc. is holding its 5th annual blanket drive to help keep Asheville warm this winter, and has expanded the drive to include winter wearables such as coats, hats, scarves and gloves.
Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry Executive Director Scott Rogers notes, “In the first six months of this year, ABCCM gave away 10,416 blankets to about 3,863 households. Caring for our neighbors is as simple as a blanket, coat, hat, scarf or gloves…”
In a two-part outreach program, the local, independent insurance agency, in partnership with ABCCM and radio station 98.1FM The River, is:
- donating 288 brand new fleece blankets—enough to cover every bed in ABCCM’s network of residential facilities; and
- holding a blanket and winter wearables drive on Wednesday, November 19th from 7:00am-12:00 noon in the parking lot of its offices at Executive Park at the corner of College and Charlotte streets to collect new and clean, gently used blankets, coats, hats, scarves and gloves for ABCCM’s Crisis Ministry. The public is invited to stop by the drive the morning of November 19th, drop off a donation of one or more blankets or winter wearables, and enjoy coffee, donuts, and home-baked breakfast treats from the ISA staff. Staff from ABCCM, Insurance Service of Asheville, and 98.1FM The River’s live remote team will be on hand for the blanket drive.
According to Insurance Service of Asheville President Jim Stickney, “Our company’s annual blanket drive is a way for us to meet a tangible need in our community as we near the holiday season, and this year we wanted to expand our drive to include other winter clothing items that help those in need. Because we provide coverage for people and businesses in Asheville through our insurance work, the blanket drive is a natural fit. We want to engage the community in assisting ABCCM with these basic necessities. This is our fifth annual drive, in a season that is predicted to be especially cold.”
ABCCM is the primary non-profit organization addressing poverty, hunger, homelessness and access to health care for the under-served in Buncombe County.
For more information about Insurance Service of Asheville’s Winter 2014 Blanket Drive, visit www.isa-avl.com.