Ashley's Learning to Open Up

My story hasn’t been easy. Years ago, when I was a manager at a quick-service restaurant, I was working every hour I could to provide for my kids. While I was at work, a family member made a mistake that caused DSS to step in and take my kids away for almost six months. It broke me. I felt like I was being punished for trying to do the right thing. I learned the hard way that being a good mom isn’t just about working and providing—it’s about being present too.

When I had a chance to come back to Asheville and try to get things back in balance, I moved in with family, but taking in a mom and five kids is hard – even when you love someone. So, I had to move out and make some hard decisions.

It may not be easy for others to understand, but my sister agreed to care for my oldest girls so they wouldn’t have to change schools. Then I brought my youngest three with me across town to the mission. When I arrived at the parking lot of Western Carolina Rescue Ministries, I almost didn’t come into the building. I was afraid of the unknown, but when I walked through the door and asked if they had any space, they said yes. I couldn’t believe it.

A Christmas Banquet Filled with Hope, Dignity, and Community

This Christmas season, we had the honor of hosting our annual Christmas Banquet for our community and our hearts are truly full.

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and the dedication of our volunteers, we were able to level up hospitality in a new way this year. From hot, nourishing food to a joyful and welcoming atmosphere, every detail reflected love in action. Guests were invited to slow down, sit, rest, and enjoy a warm meal served with dignity and care.

One of the most meaningful parts of the evening was witnessing the genuine connections that took place. Volunteers prayed with and for our neighbors, offering encouragement, hope, and a reminder of each person’s worth and dignity. Those moments of prayer and presence mattered deeply and helped guests feel truly seen and valued.

We were also grateful for the support of the Asheville Police Department. Seeing officers sit down to eat and fellowship with the moms and children staying at the Mission was a beautiful picture of community and compassion in action and a highlight of the night for everyone involved.

Because of faithful donors like you, this banquet was about so much more than a meal. It was an opportunity to serve with excellence, compassion, and joy and to share the hope of Christmas in tangible ways.

Thank you for partnering with Western Carolina Rescue Ministries. Your generosity makes moments like these possible and continues to bring hope, dignity, and transformation to the lives of the men, women, and children we serve.

If you’re looking for another way to give this Christmas, we invite you to support Western Carolina Rescue Ministries through our Amazon Wishlist of most-needed items.

This list includes essential supplies that directly support the men, women, and children we serve every day, helping provide comfort, care, and stability during the winter season.

Each item purchased is a tangible way to meet immediate needs and share hope with our neighbors. Your generosity, in any form, makes a meaningful difference this Christmas.

A Community That Shows Up: Winter Support at WCRM

This winter, we have been deeply moved by the incredible outpouring of support for Western Carolina Rescue Ministries. Time and again, our community has reached out and stepped up to ensure the men, women, and children we serve are cared for during the coldest months of the year.

Through the generosity of Biltmore Church, more than 650 coats were donated to help keep our neighbors warm. We are also incredibly thankful for the Christmas gifts provided by Stockings with Love, New Life Community Church of Asheville, and many others. Additional financial support—including a grant for Abba’s House from the Walnut Cove Members Association and the Drive for a Difference donation from the Anderson Automotive Group—helped meet critical winter needs. Each contribution, whether goods, financial support, or encouragement, plays a vital role.

Support didn’t stop there. RYSE Construction went above and beyond, returning multiple times to assist with repairs throughout several areas of the Mission.

We are also grateful for new partnerships this season, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose generosity included restocking the kitchen at Abba’s House and providing Christmas for the moms and their children, as well as America Home Place, whose generosity has already made a meaningful impact.

There are so many individuals, churches, businesses, and organizations who have blessed the Rescue Mission this winter. While it’s impossible to name every person who gave, please know this: every donation, big or small, makes a real difference in the lives of those we serve.

Thank you for being part of a community that shows up with compassion, generosity, and love. Together, you are helping provide warmth, safety, and hope when it’s needed most.

A Message from our

Executive Director, Micheal Woods

God Is Able—Right Where You Are

If I could put one sentence at the top of our hearts this month, it would be this: God is able! Not someday when everything lines up, but today. When I was a kid, I wanted to invent a time machine. I thought If I could go back in time I would right wrongs, fix problems and save lives. I also would have won the lottery every time. Most of us have a private “time-machine list.” If we could go back, we’d fix that decision, take back those words, choose a different path. But a change in one moment wouldn’t just change one thing; it would change everything that f lowed from it — people you met, lessons you learned, passions you now carry. 

The enemy loves to keep us staring into that rear-view mirror (wanting to go backwards) until regret becomes a cage. God says, Look up. I can lead you forward from here.

Scripture anchors this hope:

• “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)

• “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world.” (1 John 5:4)

• “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think… according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20)

Merry Christmas from Western Carolina Rescue Ministries

This Christmas season, we want to pause and say thank you. Because of your generosity, compassion, and faithfulness, hope is being shared in powerful and tangible ways throughout our community.

As we celebrate the birth of Christ, we are reminded that Christmas is a season of love, humility, and hope and because of you, that hope is reaching men, women, and children who need it most. Your support makes it possible for our neighbors to experience warmth, dignity, care, and the reminder that they are not forgotten.

We are deeply grateful for each of you who pray, give, volunteer, and walk alongside Western Carolina Rescue Ministries. You are an essential part of this work, and your impact is felt far beyond what you may ever see.

From all of us at Western Carolina Rescue Ministries, we wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with peace, joy, and hope.

Physical Location:

225 Patton Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 909, Asheville, NC 28802

Phone Number:

828-254-0471