Sense of shared humanity shines on in West Asheville

Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) volunteers have helped build four new homes and have repaired 29 more in West Asheville, North Carolina. Even as they shift their accommodations, they continue bringing hope and a sense of shared humanity to the community, devastated by Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

After rehabilitating a building owned by the Reparations Stakeholder Authority of Asheville (RSAA), with plans to house MDS volunteers, MDS also was ready to prepare a parking lot across the street as a location for mobile bunk units. But, facing local and state occupancy limitations and requirements, MDS made the decision to shift volunteer accommodations out of the RSAA building. Still, the volunteers left a still-shining light of hope: RSAA has an improved building that will enhance its ability to serve the community.

Materials for the improved building were funded by a Truist Foundation Western NC Recovery and Resiliency Fund grant from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

In the building, MDS volunteers installed more than 8,000 square feet of flooring and applied over 200 gallons of paint. Approximately 60 vintage light fixtures were updated with LED bulbs that produce more stable light and use much less electricity.

A local HVAC contractor was hired to install 16 mini-split HVAC units, replacing outdated electric baseboard heaters, resulting in even more energy savings.

The 70-year-old kitchen was completely renovated with a modern electrical system, new paint, flooring and all new appliances. To finish off the new look, oak kitchen cabinets from the MDS Cabinet Shop in Kansas were installed.

And MDS’s positive relationship with RSAA will continue, according to Lou Erb, MDS project coordinator. “RSAA hopes to have case workers who will vet potential clients for us,” she explained.

Even though MDS will not be using the space in the way intended, it will empower RSAA to better engage with the community in the future.

RSAA Executive Director Torre White-Garrison recalled when, in January 2025, MDS North Carolina response coordinator Rick Augsburger reached out to her via email.

“I initially thought: Who is this man and what is this organization?” she said.

She was still willing to learn more about MDS—and that was the start of what she now feels is a trusted partnership.

“I’m brought to tears on a regular basis—because I have this level of support from people who don’t know me, who don’t look like me, who come from different walks of life than me, but respond with mutual respect and understanding,” said White-Garrison. “It’s absolutely the people—not just the property.”

White-Garrison has enjoyed hearing stories from the volunteers about what calls them to do this work. “It gives some hope for humanity,” she said. “When I think of reparation, when I think of repair, this is the world I imagine for us.”

She believes that, ultimately, the work that RSAA and MDS are doing together will help everyone in the community—and beyond.

“Shared humanity is just something I needed so bad,” she said. “I didn’t realize I needed it—until it was right in front of me.”