Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Swannanoa Valley donates $2,700 to Bounty & Soul

Local church supports Black Mountain-based nonprofit with fifth annual auction

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
December 15, 2023

Members of the UUSV present a check to Black Mountain-based nonprofit organization Bounty & Soul at the Dec. 12 Produce to the People market. Photo courtesy of Bounty & Soul

A Black Mountain church gave local nonprofit organization Bounty & Soul an early holiday gift, Dec. 12, as the Unitarian Universalist Congregations of the Swannanoa Valley presented a $2,700 check supporting access to fresh produce and wellness education for the community.

The funds, raised through the congregation’s fifth annual auction, assist initiatives like the Produce to the People market, which provides nutritious food to hundreds of area residents at no cost.

The UUSV hosted its fundraising event, Nov. 11, marking the end of a weeklong virtual auction. The initiative, which featured more than 200 items donated by local businesses, including Ingles, Tyson Furniture, Town Hardware, White Horse Black Mountain and more, raised $9,000 for the church.

The 150-member congregation, active since 2002, offers proceeds from the auction to community programs each year. Past donation recipients include the Swannanoa Valley Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Corp., the Thomas Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church Restoration Corp. and Bounty & Soul.

“We are honored and truly thankful to receive this incredible support from everyone at the UUCSV,” Bounty & Soul Founder and Executive Director Ali Casparian said of the donation. “The auction is a labor of love that is powered by our local community, and every dollar donated to Bounty & Soul makes a big difference.

“Each week we hear from people and families who are struggling to make decisions between covering rent, keeping a car running, or putting food on the table,” she continued. “Community support is critical to creating a community where everyone has the right to eat well and be nourished.”

Bounty & Soul, founded in 2014, is a community-driven food and health equity organization that celebrates nutritious food, whole-person health education and community. Through its two markets at 205 N.C. 9, the nonprofit provides fresh whole foods to over 1,100 households per week at no cost in a farmers-market-style event and with home delivery, while offering health experiences such as yoga, Zumba, mindfulness and gardening programs.

Bounty & Soul partners with more than 70 area farms to source produce, and provides hands-on learning opportunities that support farming operation.