Haywood Street Community Development’s Nourish & Nest Brings Million Dollar Fundraising Goal Within Reach

North Carolina Executives, James Beard Award Winning Chefs, Restaurants & Retailers Vital to Effort to Complete Much Needed Housing

ASHEVILLE, N.C., Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Haywood Street Community Development is closer to its $1 million fundraising goal this year following its Nourish & Nest fundraiser at Chai Pani. The evening’s sponsors included Aeroflow Health, led by CEO Casey Hite, James Beard Chef Katie Button of Cúrate, and James Beard Chef Meherwan Irani of Chai Pani as well as Burial Beer, East Fork, French Broad Chocolate, and Paddle Energy.

The Haywood Street Community Development apartments will be located at 343 West Haywood Street and will have 41 deeply affordable rental units. It is expected to house at least 60 people and is intended for individuals and families earning 30-50% of the median income. At least half of the units will be reserved for HUD voucher holders. Sixteen units are two-bedrooms and four are three-bedrooms to help maximize support for struggling families.

Haywood Street Executive Director Laura Kirby said, “I would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone who made this fundraiser so successful and to those in Asheville like Casey Hite, Katie Button, and Meherwan Irani who are giving so much of themselves to this project and for their commitment to housing.”

The fundraiser, held Thursday, September 12^th was a collaborative dinner with a multi-course tasting of Mr. Irani and Ms. Button.

“We must ensure that families get the housing they need,” said Casey Hite, CEO at Aeroflow Health. “Proper housing is what can make a crucial difference in a child’s ability to learn, have positive friendships, and develop into the best adults they can.”

The project is a public-private-partnership with committed partners Buncombe County, the City of Asheville, and Dogwood HealthTrust. The fundraiser was part of an effort to raise funds so that each unit has its own washer/dryer, as well as a generator so that tenants with ambulatory issues are completely supported in the event of a power outage. Additionally, funds raised will support onsite programming and provide seed money for Haywood Street Community Development’s second housing project.

“Our community desperately needs this and even after Haywood Street Community Development is complete, we will have to continue our work as the problem of homelessness is so underreported,” said Meherwan Irani of Chai Pani.

The apartment building, which will be detailed with modern features and quality materials, is deeded permanently affordable, striving to meet the need for affordable housing long-term. Haywood Street Community Development has contracted Givens Communities to provide property management as well as nurture life after move-in, utilizing the property’s 1500 square foot community room for gatherings and an onsite food pantry that promotes fellowship around food.

Katie Button of Cúrate concluded, “Mothers have so much to worry about. Having a roof over your children’s heads should not be one of them and I am so proud to be a part of this effort to help the 60 percent of women without homes who have children.”

About Haywood Street Community Development
Haywood Street Community Development is a sister nonprofit to Haywood Street Congregation. The congregation began in 2009 as a ministry of radical inclusion in the homeless corridor of downtown, a wide embrace for folks excluded elsewhere, particularly residents with no place to call home. After more than a decade of sharing life with and among this community, a vision began to develop for deeply affordable housing grounded in the Haywood Street ethos — where giving and receiving are encouraged; where the boundaries of “us and them” are trespassed; where strangers become neighbors; and where each person is reminded of their sacred worth.

Haywood Street took a significant step in 2020 to form a distinct nonprofit with its own bylaws and board of directors to focus on this work. This is Haywood Street Community Development. For more information please contact Laurie Shea at laurie@haywoodstreethousing.org.

About Aeroflow Health
Founded in 2001, Aeroflow Health is a pioneering healthcare company that leverages cutting-edge technology to support the delivery of medical products and services. With a steadfast commitment to empowering patients and improving their understanding of benefits, Aeroflow Health provides a curated experience for every individual and group. Offering a comprehensive portfolio of high-quality products, Aeroflow Health is dedicated to enhancing health outcomes and closing care gaps, ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve. Aeroflow’s commitment to accessible healthcare has resulted in partnerships with over 1000 different insurance plans, solidifying its reputation as a trusted healthcare companion, and making quality healthcare more accessible to all. For additional information, please contact FischTank PR at 646-699-1414 or aeroflow@fischtankpr.com.