This news item expired on Friday, March 31, 2023 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Asheville Buncombe Black Elders Engagement (ABBE) Project is an initiative of Age-Friendly Buncombe County. The mission of ABBE is “Outreach and engagement with Asheville/Buncombe Black Elders to promote wellness and prevent isolation.” There are many partners working to provide socialization and wellness opportunities for Black Elders:
- Avery Health Education & Consulting, LLC
- Institute for Preventive HealthCare and Advocacy (IFPHA)
- Blue Ridge Pride Generation Plus
- Buncombe County Community Engagement
- Buncombe County Health and Human Services
- City of Asheville Office of Equity and Inclusion
- City of Asheville Parks and Recreation
- Council on Aging of Buncombe County
- Land of Sky Area Agency on Aging
- MemoryCare
ABBE started in March 2022 with community partners and Black Elders defining the mission as well as coming up with ideas of interest. ABBE has been meeting virtually for close to a year. However, this meeting format is limited, and plans are underway to start meeting in the community. Our first community ABBE meeting is planned for April.
Since the initial March 2022 meeting, ABBE has produced a monthly calendar that highlights the many engagement opportunities for fun and wellness as well as featuring Black-owned businesses. A big thank you goes to The Urban News for furthering ABBE’s reach and publishing the monthly calendar!
Age-Friendly Buncombe County would like to recognize the contributions of Buncombe County Community and Public Engagement staff, Rasheeda Hall, ZaKiya Bell-Rogers, and Leonard Jones, in supporting the ABBE initiative. We could not do this important work without you. Thank you!
If you would like to be part of ABBE or you know of someone who could benefit from the ABBE calendar, please contact Billie Breeden at billie.breeden@buncombecounty.org