Click on each program/ strategy below to find and review updates in the "Progress in 2022-2023" note tabs. 

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Priorities

•   New Freedom Life: Reentry Intensive Program (Mental Health and Substance Use)

•   Avery County Drug Crisis Roundtable

•   Avery Youth Coalition

Food and Nutrition Priority

•  Food Distribution Center Friday Markets

• New Program to help Avery seniors stay in their homes

• Healthy Opportunities Pilot   

• Avery Mentoring Program 

Mental Health

Mental health issues in Avery County, North Carolina include anxiety, depression, self-inflicted injury, and suicidal ideation. The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to a significant increase in mental health conditions. Factors that contribute to mental health issues are stress, socioeconomic level, and gender.

As of 2023, the Appalachian Regional Mental Health Center, also known as Appalachian Regional Behavioral Health Hospital, has a new, independent, freestanding facility in Linville, North Carolina. This facility provides expanded inpatient mental health services with 27 beds and focuses on community-based care for patients in the region. This facility boasts a high patient/family satisfaction rate, demonstrating its commitment to quality care. The facility focuses on positive patient outcomes with a reported 96% patient/family satisfaction rate.

Health is largely determined by social, economic, behavioral, and environmental factors, all of which affect health outcomes.  These factors, known as social determinants of health, can serve as a barometer for wellness and quality of life. 

21 social determinants of health were selected, as part of the Healthy 2030 initiative, to be a public health focus for the state’s next decade.  This initiative allows us to explore how Avery County is doing in comparison to the rest of the state for all indicators.  Some indicators that were more challenging for Avery County included Primary Care, Suicides, Poverty, Incarceration, Reading Levels, Tobacco Use, and Binge Drinking; while some of the stronger areas incorporated Prenatal Care, Infant Mortality, ACES, Exercise, Overdose Deaths, and HIV Diagnoses. 

Emergency departments do not always have a mental health specialist on-site, and patients are often left waiting to go somewhere more appropriate for care.  In addition, in a rural setting like ours, patients are often incredibly hesitant to go through an emergency department. Our communities are small and everyone knows each other.  Inside the new hospital, there is space for staff to assess up to five patients simultaneously. The goal is that no one is forced to wait.

Another unique feature of the new behavioral health hospital is a designated visitation space for visitors under the age of 12. In the past, small children were not allowed to visit psychiatric patients at Cannon Memorial for safety reasons.

Recruiting medical staff to a rural area can be challenging, and the new behavioral health hospital is in the process of hiring for about 50 new positions.

The hospital is also set up to accommodate the increasing number of patients who are admitted under involuntary commitment, a court order that mandates treatment when a patient is considered a risk of harm to themselves or others.

It should be noted that 50 percent of patients in the past were admitted under involuntary commitment, which typically means law enforcement officers bring them to the facility. The new psychiatric hospital includes a separate entrance and waiting area for patients brought in by law enforcement under this type of court order.

The hospital also has a courtroom inside, where the judge and other legal representatives can meet with the patient and their doctors — both in person or virtually — to determine the next steps of treatment for a patient under an involuntary commitment.

Substance Abuse

As Freedom Life Ministries prepares to open its doors in April 2023, the organization’s reentry coordinator in Avery is continuing to learn everything in order to help the community. Originally based in Marion, Freedom Life Ministries is a Christian nonprofit organization that focuses on helping people reintegrate to society after being incarcerated. The organization was founded in 2012 and was born out of McDowell Mission Ministries, a prison ministry. Though it is a faith-based organization, it offers both a spiritual track and a moral track, so individuals who are interested in the program but are not interested in the religious aspect can still participate. Ten years after it started, Freedom Life has helped thousands of people, both those who are currently incarcerated and those who have recently been released, in the McDowell community.

The program includes interviewing and assessing them to connecting them with whatever community resources they may need and helps clients work through their day-to-day lives and, in some ways, acts as a life coach for clients.

McDowell is starting to see big changes thanks to Freedom Life, which is what Avery hopes to see in their county as well. The hope is that this organization will have the biggest impact on the community because if you can help people who are struggling, you can also help their families, loved ones and the community as a whole.

Part of the plan is for people who are getting clean to be able to reach back in and help other people get clean.  The people that Freedom Life aims to help are still members of the community and part of our obligation is to encourage people in Avery County to show love toward those who are in jail, just coming out of jail or are struggling with substance abuse. Freedom Life does not explicitly work with people who are struggling with addiction, but 85% of justice-involved people struggle with addiction, so there is a huge overlap.  People coming out of jail face many barriers and challenges, she explained, but if the community came together to support their reintegration, it would make a world of difference.

Food and Nutrition

Feeding Avery Families:  Non-profit Food Pantry in Avery County

• As always dedicated to eliminating hunger by providing supplemental food assistance to those in need with a mission achieved through monetary and food donations, and a committed group of volunteers.  The non-profit serves residents of Avery County and surrounding areas including Newland, Banner Elk, Elk Park, Beech Mountain, Crossnore, Linville, and more providing supplemental food assistance to 500+ families (1,100+ individuals each month).  They distributed more than 450,000 pounds of food in 2023, enough for 375,000 individual meals.

2023 was very busy and productive year at Feeding Avery Families (FAF), providing more than $700,000 worth of free food to the hungry in Avery County, North Carolina. Here are some highlights:

1. Began construction of the new $1.2 million FAF Operations Center, doubling the size of the current space. The 10,000 square foot building allows the return to client choice and many additional programs.
2. Received more than $400,000 in donations for the new building, including $100,000 from the Cannon Foundation, $90,000 from High Country Charitable Foundation and $75,000 from Arbor Dale Presbyterian Church. This is in addition to $500,000 previously raised.
3. Gave away 441,718 pounds of food in 2022, about 18% less than 2021 due to supply issues and higher food costs that affected our primary source of food, MANNA FoodBank. This was still enough food to create approximately 400,000 individual meals!
4. Served 5,486 families (13,425 individuals) on our 48 Distribution Fridays during 2023. This is an increase of 12% from 2021. Each family received an average of 50+ pounds of food – including boxes of groceries, frozen meats, produce, bread and more.
5. Distributed 70 tons of fresh produce to promote healthier eating habits. Received $10,000 in grants to purchase more from local farms, including TRACTOR Food and Farms Cooperative in Spruce Pine and Trosley Farm in Elk Park.
6. Secured 63% of the food for distribution at no cost, a value of $443,018. This is down from 88% last year due to less donated food and fewer opportunities to secure free food through government programs.
7. Benefited greatly from 10,000+ volunteer hours from 350 volunteers.
8. Provided 125 children in Avery County schools with a pack of groceries weekly for weekend meals.
9. Supplied 300 food packs weekly to YMCA Summer Camp.
10. Stocked pantries inside each of the nine Avery County schools with snacks for teachers to give to hungry students during the school day.
11. Served 125 families each second Thursday of the month at the Mobile Community Market in partnership with Avery County Schools and MANNA FoodBank.
12. Picked up donated food from Food Lion in Banner Elk 5 days a week, receiving 42,697 pounds of food, including fresh meats, deli and bakery.
13. Received 40,204 pounds of food from customers of Lowes Food in Banner Elk, donated through “Friends Feeding Friends” program.
14. Collaborated with Project Dignity in Asheville to offer free feminine hygiene products on distribution Fridays.
15. Distributed personal hygiene care items (toothpaste, soap etc.) thanks to $5,000 from Dogwood Health Trust and donations from local businesses.
16. Began partnership with the Community Association in the old Beech Mountain area to deliver food to residents unable to travel to the center.
17. Offered free dog and cat food to families at many weekly distributions.
18. Kept cost per meal to just 35 cents, due to FAF’s ability to secure top quality food at very low costs and using hundreds of volunteers to keep administrative costs low.
19. Celebrated two successful and unique fundraisers: received $2,026 from Linville River Pottery’s Clay for Community and $6,000 from Woolly Worm Festival parking by volunteers.
20. Received $70,000 in operation grants from Wee Kirk Presbyterian, All Saints Episcopal Church, Arthur Family Foundation, Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk, Avery County Rotary Club and others.

Feeding Avery Families needs additional volunteers and financial contributions for expanding programs in the new year:

1. Move into the new Operations Center by spring (189 Old Vale Road, Newland). The paving will be delayed until additional donations of $200,000 are received.
2. Work with Avery County Emergency Management to equip the Operations Center as an Emergency Disaster Relief Center for people forced to leave homes due to fires, natural disasters or power outages.
3. Begin a new outreach program for the Latino community, including hiring a Hispanic Outreach Coordinator to build relationships with 600+ families living in Avery County.
4. Begin the Community Health Initiative, collaborating with many sister agencies to improve health and quality of life for citizens through improved nutrition, access to other resources, and health follow-up. Thank you to Arbor Dale Church for their $25,000 donation.
5. Expand Mobile Distributions to additional communities and locations for Avery County citizens unable to come to Friday distributions at the Operations Center.
6. Collect final funds to cover building cost, with the aid of a $100,000 matching gift for donations through June.

Reaching Avery Ministry (RAM)s RACK:

This past Christmas, Reaching Avery Ministry was able to provide food and presents to more than 400 children in Avery County with the help of the High Country Charitable Foundation.  As the cost of living continues to climb, some families may have trouble finding a way to pay for utilities and necessities, such as electricity and groceries, making the holidays especially stressful.  This year, even more than most, we have seen so many families struggling on a daily basis (a counselor at Newland Elementary School). These hard-working, deserving families often do not have the means for necessities, let alone toys and extras for Christmas.  RAM has stepped in for more than 20 years to help families through Avery Project Christmas, purchasing Christmas presents for children who otherwise may not get any.  It is a rewarding day for many, always amazed at the humbleness of the children as they create and turn in their wish lists. So many items on their lists are items that many families might be blessed enough to purchase for their child any day of the week. For these children and families, these items are special Christmas treasures.

Reaching Avery Ministry has spent more than 40 years helping Avery County citizens. They operate a full-time, five-day-a-week food pantry, provide diapers and formula to those who need it and offer emergency financial assistance in extreme circumstances. Additionally, the nonprofit works closely with similar organizations in the area and helps the community through various projects, such as Avery Project Christmas.  Each year, RAM asks the Department of Social Services (DSS), the health department and the counselors at each school in the county to refer students with the most need to Avery Project Christmas. The school-aged children who are referred to RAM make a wish list of around five items that they wanted, and from there they went shopping to compile all the gifts.  The wish lists were not extravagant items.  They asked for things like pillows, hygiene items, coats, blankets and sometimes toys and stuff like that.  The number of high school students that were referred to Avery Project Christmas this year doubled, and the amount of children in the program overall doubled from 2022 to 2023. Once they started shopping, shoppers realized that it was going to be impossible to buy gifts for all the children in need with the budget RAM had, which is where High Country Charitable Foundation stepped in.  HCCF has supported RAM for many years, but once the organization was made aware of the funding shortage for Avery Project Christmas this year, it found grant money to buy presents for the remaining children. With how hard the economy has hit many families over the past year, RAM especially hoped to take a little burden off families through Avery Project Christmas.  

• In 2023, Avery County, NC had a population of 17.7k people with a median age of 46.5 and a median household income of $53,513. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Avery County, NC declined from 17,747 to 17,679, a −0.383% decrease and its median household income grew from $46,383 to $53,513, a 15.4% increase.
• The 5 largest ethnic groups in Avery County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (87.5%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.64%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.42%), Other (Hispanic) (2.08%), and White (Hispanic) (1.75%).
• None of the households in Avery County, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.
• 97.4% of the residents in Avery County, NC are U.S. citizens.
• The largest universities in Avery County, NC are Lees-McRae College (233 degrees awarded in 2022) and Mayland Community College (177 degrees).
• In 2023, the median property value in Avery County, NC was $215,900, and the homeownership rate was 78.6%.
• Most people in Avery County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Avery County, NC was 2 cars per household.
• The most common diseases in Avery County are chronic diseases, including heart disease, respiratory disease, Alzheimer's, and hypertension. 

• Heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are the leading causes of death in the United States. 
• In 2022, heart disease, cancer, and accidents were the leading causes of death in North Carolina, accounting for 45% of all deaths. 
• Lifestyle risk factors, such as tobacco use, diet, and physical inactivity, can play a role in the development of chronic diseases. 
• Suicide was also a leading cause of death in Avery County, though the mortality rate was based on a small number of cases.
• The mortality rate for UMVI in Avery County doubled between 2002–2006 and increased by 61% between 2012–2016.

• Residents in Avery County lack both animal control and an animal control officer. This has raised concerns about the potential for neglect and abuse cases to thrive in the area
• Avery County faces a number of issues, including health, education, poverty, and economic development
  • In 2020, 39.5% of Avery County residents were below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
• Drugs, academic success, citizenship, healthy living, and volunteerism are some of the issues facing youth in Avery County
• Scammers have been targeting Avery County residents with fraudulent texts claiming to be from the IRS, tolling agency, and other bill collecting agencies
• Substance abuse is a continuing issue in Avery County, including alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs, and illicit drugs
• Mental health services are an ongoing issue in Avery County.
• Avery County has a shortage of dentists
  • Avery Dental is one of the few dental offices in the area, and it offers sliding-scale fees and accepts Medicaid

•  The process for securing Broadband Internet service for many residences and businesses across Avery County is proceeding at a moderate pace, but still with the likely date of December 31, 2026, when it comes to total fruition.  The Avery County Commissioners have prioritized obtaining Broadband Internet service for all the county’s residents and businesses and have used large sums of county funds and grant money to achieve that goal

• Lees-McRae College has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Avery County High School that creates a more accessible pathway toward higher education for high school students in the county. Lees-McRae College is excited to offer new opportunities for the students at Avery County High School. This partnership will allow more of our local students the chance to afford a private college education, as well as prepare them for a wide variety of academic and career fields.  The increased connections between the students, faculty, and staff at both Lees-McRae and Avery County High School will be invaluable for the students who participate and enroll. We look forward to a long and successful partnership

• Avery County has a position for a firefighting leader who chases smoke from outdoor fires. It's called a "smoke chaser".  The new smoke chaser comes as a recent drought caused fires to pop up around Avery County

• The Beech Mountain Town Hall and Visitor Center buildings are set to be connected by a new two-story addition, creating more public space and staff offices. The project, which costs $1.9 million, began on Monday, May 1st, 2023

• Avery County Schools has introduced a brand new safety feature called RAPTOR for the upcoming 2023 school year

•  A plan is in progress to renovate Lake Coffey, which will serve as an additional water source for the town. Additionally, the project will include the development of a recreational area for the townspeople at the connected lakes

• A new terminal building and corporate hangar will be constructed at the airport. The existing terminal building and two hangars will be demolished

• The Avery County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution to pay CPL Architecture-Engineering-Planning to develop plans for a new parks and recreation center

• In 2023, Avery County, North Carolina, was renovating and building a new Department of Social Services (DSS) building and a Probation and Parole office. The county also planned to develop and build an animal shelter