News + Events
Wednesday February 8th: Providing Free Therapy Sessions at Haywood Street Congregation
Exciting Announcement!! One of our amazing therapists, Tim Bandell, is now onsite at The Haywood Street Congregation every Wednesday from 9:30am-1:30pm…the exact same time as their Welcome Table lunch ministry. There are so many incredible services offered during this time of “holy chaos”….free haircuts, acupuncture, health screenings, and an art therapy room. Thanks to a generous donor, we are thrilled to be able to provide a support therapist who will offer counseling services in a quiet, confidential room right across from the dining hall.
As a psychotherapist, he believes whole-heartedly in the importance of the therapeutic relationship and he strives to establish a sense of trust, connection, and shared understanding throughout the duration of treatment. His hope for his clients is that they can cultivate a deeper understanding of the issues that are bringing them into counseling while also finding practical and effective ways to confront and navigate the challenges that they are struggling with. He prefers to invite and guide rather than direct in the healing process, helping individuals to truly embrace their inner-wisdom and inner-healer along the way.
February 2nd: We’re New Members of the Asheville Chamber of Commerce!
We are beyond excited to now be Members of the Chamber and access a plethora of business resources, attend networking events, and receive development and educational support. Brendan and Victoria attended the Fresh Faces event to learn about all the membership perks, and Victoria and Meredith attended the February Business After-hours to network and chance to win prizes from other local businesses. Did you know that the Chamber of Commerce is celebrating 125 years? Cheers to that!
2022 Give!Local Campaign raffle winner: Matt Ryan!
Join us in congratulating our Give!Local Campaign raffle winner: Matt Ryan! 👏👏👏 This year our gift basket included a $50 gift card to Chestnut, a $50 gift card to Corner Kitchen, a $50 gift card to Taco Temple and two bottles of wine from Biltmore Wines.
From all of us at All Souls Counseling Center we want to thank everyone for their generous donations during the Give!Local Campaign and for supporting our mission of providing affordable counseling services to those who are uninsured in WNC. We also want to thank all of our gift basket sponsors for their incredible generosity!
Saturday, January 14th: 42nd Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast
“Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Our staff, therapists and board members were excited to be apart of the 42nd annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer breakfast this past weekend. Many community members, organizations and elected officials gathered together in a sold out room to honor and celebrate Dr.King and all that he stood for, while the Just Us Unity Choir lifted the room with their beautiful voices and songs.
We heard a profound message from one of the keynote speakers and Mayor of Fletcher, Preston Blakely, about taking audacious action during uncertain times. “There is no time to be bitter, and sometimes we have let our hearts speak louder than our brains because there is work to be done,” Blakely said. “The beloved community is one where we are all respected – one where we have access to health care, housing and food. Our beloved community is absent of poverty, prejudice and hate. It is an equitable community.” We know there is still much work to be done, and will continue to join together to ensure that this dream of a beloved community is realized.
2022 Mental Wellness Walk Raffle Winner: Matt Winkleblack!
Please join us in congratulating the 2022 Mental Wellness Walk Raffle Winner: Matt Winkleblack!
This year our winner was awarded a $150 gift card to Ingles, a $120 gift card to The Cantina At Historic Biltmore Village, soaps from Willow Hill Soap Company, and a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Biltmore Wines!
Thank you to all of you who participated in the virtual walk this year and for supporting mental wellness in our community! We hope you will join us again next year!
ASCC Welcomes New Outreach and Community Engagement Manager
We are excited to announce our new Outreach and Community Engagement Manager: Victoria Hensley! Victoria was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA and moved to North Carolina in 2011 to attend High Point University. In 2015 she graduated from HPU with a B.A in Business Administration and minors in Marketing and Anthropology.
From 2015-2021 she worked in High Point, NC on food security and local food initiatives and started her own non-profit called Growing High Point. Victoria and her husband now live in Asheville and enjoy hiking with their two dogs, exploring the local food scene, and traveling!
“I am beyond excited to join the All Souls team and be part of such a wonderful organization. In this new role, I am eager to create more awareness around mental wellness, help promote the amazing services that ASCC has to offer, and develop new connections with those who are underserved in our community.” -Victoria H.
ASCC interviewed by WLOS regarding new state action plan to prevent suicide
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and WLOS News 13 interviewed our Executive Director Meredith Switzer regarding a new North Carolina action plan to reduce the rate of deaths and injuries related to suicide. In 2019, suicide was the second leading cause of death for ages 10-18 in the state. For those ages 19-34, suicide was the third leading cause of death that year. Check out the article to learn more about the 7 areas the state will be focusing on in their plan and how ASCC is working to address this crisis. Click here to read the full plan.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
ASCC featured in WLOS’ Spotlight Carolina (again!) to promote the Mental Wellness Walk
Our Executive Director Meredith Switzer was featured in another WLOS News 13 Spotlight Carolina segment to highlight our upcoming Mental Wellness Walk on Saturday, September 10th. We were joined by our partners from NAMI Western Carolina with Board Chair Betsy White speaking for NAMI. We’d like to extend a huge thank you to WLOS News 13 for highlighting our important work of spreading the word about the mental health resources in our community and ending the stigma around seeking help! For more information about the Mental Wellness Walk, please visit www.mentalwellnesswalk.org
ASCC interviewed for Spotlight Carolina
ASCC’s Executive Director Meredith Switzer was interviewed by WLOS News 13 for Spotlight Carolina in May of 2022. Watch the video below!
ASCC selects its new Executive Director: Meredith Switzer
We’re thrilled to announce the selection of Meredith Switzer as our new Executive Director. Switzer has served as Interim Executive Director for ASCC since January and begins the permanent position this week.
“I’m delighted and honored to have been chosen to lead this wonderful organization forward,” said Switzer. “Serving as interim leader for three months has allowed me to work closely with dedicated staff, board members, clinicians and community partners who care deeply about the accessibility of affordable mental health services for all. There are exciting opportunities to increase the profile and impact of ASCC in our region and I am eager and ready to embark on this important work.”
Switzer joins us after more than 20 years in nonprofit leadership. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of Homeward Bound, the region’s largest homeless services provider, and has served in leadership capacities – either on staff, Board of Directors, or Advisory Council – for more than 15 area nonprofits. She has dedicated her career to finding solutions to challenging community issues including food insecurity, access to mental health services, availability of affordable quality childcare, homelessness, and public education.
Switzer is a graduate of Leadership Asheville and Leadership North Carolina and currently serves on the WomanUP Committee for the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. She was recognized as the Chamber’s “Outstanding Woman in Nonprofit Leadership” in January 2021 and was a recipient of their COVID Humanitarian Award in October 2021 for her executive leadership through the pandemic. She holds a B.A. in Broadcast Communications from UNC Chapel Hill and a M.Ed. in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University.
ASCC Board President Chad Donnahoo said, “the Board is thrilled with Meredith’s selection as the new ASCC Executive Director. Given her past experiences with area nonprofits and her strong leadership skills, the Board feels that Meredith is the ideal individual to successfully lead ASCC in the coming years.”
Please join us in welcoming Meredith and this exciting new era of leadership for our organization.
ASCC featured in two WLOS News 13 stories
ASCC’s Interim Executive Director Meredith Switzer was interviewed by WLOS News 13 in February 2022 for two stories regarding the mental health crisis in WNC during the pandemic and the links between mental health and homelessness. Check out the videos and articles below!
Click here for the video/article on the mental health crisis in WNC during the pandemic
Click here for the video/article on the links between mental health and homelessness
ASCC selected as recipient of New Belgium Brewing’s Tasting Room Donations Program
All Souls Counseling Center would like to extend a big thank you to New Belgium Brewing in Asheville for supporting us this year. All Souls Counseling Center was selected as a recipient of their Tasting Room Donations Program from donations received in 2021. Thank you New Belgium Brewing for generously supporting your local community!
ASCC receives a donated rug from Rug & Home Asheville
All Souls Counseling Center recently received a donated rug from Rug & Home Asheville through their 52 Weeks of Giving program, which we’ll use to raffle off at a future event to raise money for our services. Development Director Brendan Hughes visited the Asheville store and met with their Designer team. Thank you Rug and Home!
ASCC Chosen for Mountain Xpress’ 2021 Give!Local Campaign
All Souls Counseling Center is thrilled to be chosen as one of only 46 area nonprofits to be part of Mountain Xpress’ 2021 Give!Local campaign supporting local philanthropic organizations. If you donate more than $25, you’ll receive a voucher book filled with great freebies and discounts from your favorite retailers around the area — High Five Coffee, One World Brewing, Mellow Mushroom, Art Garden AVL, Zuma Coffee, Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria, Franny’s Farmacy and more — to thank you for your contribution. Check out our Give!Local page here: https://givelocalguide.org/…/all-souls-counseling-center/
5th Annual Mental Wellness Walk held virtually on October 2, 2021
The Walk was presented by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Western Carolina and All Souls Counseling Center. The walk normally includes a 5K, music, refreshments, and resource displays. However, this year, due to the pandemic, the event was held virtually and community members participated on their own time, similar to 2020. Despite being virtual, the event was a huge success. The Walk seeks to raise awareness of mental wellness and to promote community resources available for people with mental health issues. Pictured are walkers from MindPath Care Center and NAMI WC Board President Terri Harris. Our sponsors this year included AVL Technologies, Onas’s Place, The Bonnie R. & William H. Kinschner Family Foundation, NC Brookhaven Behavioral Health, RHA Health Services, Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness, Legal Aid of North Carolina, and Pitts, Hay and Hugenschmidt, P.A.
Why walk for mental wellness? Mental health was ranked one of the leading health issues facing Buncombe County according to the most recent Community Health Assessment with half of respondents reporting that mental health care was difficult to access.
Registration was held at: mentalwellnesswalk.org
All funds raised supported the work of NAMI WC and All Souls Counseling Center to provide mental health counseling, support, education, and advocacy
ASCC receives a $5000 grant from the First Horizon Foundation
All Souls Counseling Center (ASCC) is honored to receive a $5000 grant from the First Horizon Foundation to support our work! First Horizon’s Asheville Community Market President Peter Best stopped by our Center to present the check and met with ASCC Development Director Brendan Hughes. ASCC is very thankful for First Horizon Foundation’s contribution towards our mission of providing affordable and high quality counseling for those without insurance or who are underinsured. We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Foundation.
Our 2020-2021 Annual Report is here
ASCC has released its Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2020-2021!
The report includes:
- An overview of our work during this time period with relevant statistics
- An overview of our services
- A brief history of our founding
- Special Initiatives and Events
Support us through the 2021 State Employees Combined Campaign!
All Souls Counseling Center (ASCC) is honored to be selected as a designated charity in the 2021 State Employees Combined Campaign (SECC). Are you a state employee or retiree? You can support ASCC through the SECC by making a donation or setting up a payroll deduction. You can find us with code #1842. To learn more, please visit https://www.ncsecc.org/
Check out Pisgah Health Foundation’s interview with our team!
Pisgah Health Foundation interviewed our team members regarding our services and history. Thank you to the Foundation for supporting our mission and to Angela Owen for hosting the interview!
Check out our video interview with therapist Marilyn Kolton!
We interviewed our longtime therapist Marilyn Kolton and she discussed her experience working at All Souls Counseling Center, our mission, and what our services bring to the community.
All Souls Counseling Center mourns the loss of Charlie Schoenheit
Public Zoom Event held on May 20th
We hosted a special public zoom event on May 20th: “The Mental Health Challenges of the Pandemic and the Mission of All Souls Counseling Center.”
Our longtime therapist Marilyn Kolton and Executive Director Leslie McCrory discussed the unique mental health challenges they’ve observed during the pandemic and offered some suggestions for what works in addressing these. We also discussed the mission, services, and future of ASCC, and left time for the public to participate and ask questions.
Brendan Hughes joins the team as Development Director
Brendan Hughes joined the team as All Souls Counseling Center’s new Development Director in January 2021. Brendan brings over 10 years of experience in nonprofit development and management to the role, including time in the Peace Corps. He’s excited to support the mission of ASCC and to work with its community. Please feel free to reach out at brendan@allsoulscounseling.org with ideas or to say hi!