Thanksgiving is a holiday for reflection and for quality time spent with loved ones. While the holiday season gives us all a chance to pause and express our gratitude to one another, the team at Friday Services expresses our sincere appreciation for our community all year long. One of the ways in which we show our thanks is by giving back to dozens of area nonprofits through board membership, volunteer service, and funding.
A Tradition of Philanthropy
Each year, our staffing agency helps nearly 2,000 people find work. When John Modaff became owner of Friday Services in 1985, community giving was one of his core values. Every member of the team since then has helped bolster John’s efforts including his son Dave, who came on board in 2000 and serves as president.
Rising Leaders Program
United Way of Henderson County’s Rising Leaders Program is an eight-month-long program for Henderson County residents who are interested in becoming involved in nonprofit board service and leadership. Now in its sixth year, the program launched in 2011 to help people in the local community become better prepared for these critically important long-term volunteer opportunities. Monthly educational session held during lunch cover the fundamentals of board service and nonprofit management.
Friday Services is a founding sponsor of this program. Today, we co-sponsor the program with Lenoir-Rhyne University.
The nearly hundred graduates now serve on about 40 different nonprofit boards and committees, including United Way, Children and Family Resource Center, IAM, Ecusta Trail, Hands On!, Housing Assistance Corporation, Blue Ridge Bicycling Club, and Boys & Girls Club, among others.
“There are so many in our community that have a willingness to serve, but the purpose and goal of the Rising Leaders Program is to advance their readiness to serve,” says Kristen Freeman, Rising Leaders Program Coordinator. “We want graduates to be better prepared, and more educated, before committing to three to five years of board service with an organization. The individuals are more confident in their abilities. The networking opportunities we create for them enables them to work more closely with partners, and ultimately organizations experience more productivity from their boards.”
As part of graduation, Rising Leaders hosts a Nonprofit Agency Speed Dating event. Around 40 different agencies have participated over the years. Class members are able to meet and greet these nonprofit representatives. Read more about the Program and how it works.
MANNA FoodBank
In 2015, MANNA FoodBank distributed 15.7 million pounds of food. That’s 36,000 meals every day. They were able to accomplish this by working with 229 partner agencies across the 16 counties of Western North Carolina. Each year, Friday Services chooses a charity to donate to in honor of our clients, and for the last three years, it has been MANNA FoodBank.
Friday Services is helping to support all of this organization’s emergency food assistance programs, including MANNA Packs for Kids. That program, which is now in its 11th year, delivers food supplies to nearly 5,000 kids throughout the academic year. Each week, the children in the program are given a backpack full of nutrient-dense, shelf stable food—the makings for a family meal, breakfast, and snack. Each MANNA Pack costs $2.66.
“The size of the program, aka how many kids we can serve with the program each week, is directly dependent on how much donor support we have every year. If we want to add one child, we have to raise the money to make sure we can provide that additional child a backpack EVERY week,” says Kara Irani, Director of Marketing & Communications at MANNA FoodBank. Learn more about MANNA FoodBank’s programs to fight hunger in WNC.
Other Organizations We Serve
Below is a list of area organizations and causes that Friday Services has helped support over the years through funds, volunteer service, and/or board membership. Many of our clients, neighbors, and friends have used these services in the past or will need them in the future. We want to do our part to make sure they are always available.
A-B Tech Lavender Fund Scholarship Program
Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM)
American Business Women’s Association in Asheville
American Red Cross
Asheville 5×5 Economic Development Campaign
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
Balfour Education Center, Henderson County Public Schools
Big Brothers Big Sisters (Morganton)
Burke County Chamber of Commerce
Burke County Friends for Animals
Burke County United Way
Burke United Christian Ministries
Business Network International
Children’s Community First
Eliada Home
The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Fraternal Order of Police
Good Samaritan Clinic
Habitat for Humanity
Henderson County Chamber of Commerce
Henderson County Partner of Economic Development
J. Iverson Developmental Center
Jobs for Life – Women’s Shelter Asheville
Junior Achievement Asheville
Make-A-Wish of Western North Carolina
MANNA FoodBank
Mission Children’s Hospital
Mission Hospital Foundation
North Carolina Make-A-Wish Board of Directors
North Carolina School for the Deaf
Salvation Army
Toastmasters of Hendersonville
United Way Asheville
United Way of Hendersonville
We Want to Help You!
These are just a few of the ways we show our gratitude every day. Our core mission is to serve people in our community by helping them by find the right jobs that will help them achieve a better way of life for themselves and their families. Check out our open jobs and apply today. If we can help you, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!