by Lauren Jackson | Jun 5, 2025 | Shelter Campaign
Construction is coming along on the build site for Joy’s House. The team at Beverly Grant Construction recently put permanent fencing above the soil nail walls, meaning 85% of the fencing for the entire shelter is complete. They are now working on the segmental wall for the front of the shelter building, but that process has been slowed by rain. The team has made substantial progress on installing the water lines and anticipates having them complete in the near future. Grass has been sown on the site to prevent erosion. The construction team is about to start digging out the building pad and under-slab conduits and are currently obtaining estimates for the solar panels. The site work should be largely completed and the building construction underway by late July/early August. The Shelter Interiors Committee has selected flooring colors and types and are in conversation about the ideal layout for the kitchen.
Unfortunately, due to the heavy rains and the discovery of more rock, construction is now scheduled to wrap up in mid-June 2026.
by Lauren Jackson | May 1, 2025 | Shelter Campaign
The construction team at Beverly Grant is hard at work on the new shelter. Within the next week they anticipate finishing the soil nail walls and pouring more concrete into the deep foundation. This is a big milestone in the project and means we are getting closer to vertical construction, which is projected for late July. Already, a driveway has been cut in, stormwater retention systems have begun to be installed, sewer lines have been laid and the parking area retaining walls have been built. The construction team recently increased the size of the water lines to ensure adequate flow for the new sprinkler system. Construction is predicted to be finished by June 2026.
by Lauren Jackson | Apr 22, 2025 | Shelter Campaign
Since the groundbreaking, the construction team has cleared all the land needed to build the shelter and cut in a driveway. All of the construction plans have been submitted and approved by the City of Asheville for permitting purposes. They have blasted away some large deposits of rock, which has allowed for the construction team to lay sewer lines and begin the creating storm water infrastructure. The soil nail walls have been installed, which enabled the start of the retaining wall construction. Helpmate is in the midst of planning for a decorative wall to accompany the children’s playground. Although, fortunately, the site was not damaged by Hurricane Helene, it altered the construction schedule and completion of the shelter is now projected for early Summer of 2026.
by Helpmate Admin | Apr 16, 2024 | Shelter Campaign
Pictured above, L-R: Allen Peele, Beverly-Grant Construction; Donna Ensley, Campaign Chair; Ginny Raviotta, Board Chair; April Burgess-Johnson, Executive Director; Jerry Sternberg, Philanthropist; Graham Reynolds, Board Chair Elect; Bonnie Spradling, Immediate Past Board Chair; Carleton Collins, Carleton Collins Architecture. Photo credit: Kevin Long
Helpmate, the nonprofit organization that has provided safety, shelter, and support to survivors of domestic violence in Buncombe County since 1978, broke ground for a new, larger emergency shelter at a ceremony on April 16.
The new facility will more than double the number of beds available for emergency shelter to 43 and will be built on property that is adjacent to the current emergency shelter.
Representatives from The Dogwood Health Trust, The City of Asheville, and Buncombe County, who made early and generous funding commitments to the project, joined members of Helpmate’s Board of Directors, staff members, site and building project personnel and donors for the ceremony. Other major funding partners include the NC Housing Finance Agency, The NC Human Trafficking Commission, The Leon Levine Foundation, and Jerry and Marlene Sternberg.
For nearly a decade the need for emergency shelter among survivors of domestic violence in Buncombe County has exceeded the capacity of the organization’s current shelter. The facility has 20 beds and serves about 150 families annually. Another 300 families contact Helpmate each year seeking shelter. When all beds are full, Helpmate works with survivors to find safe shelter, often in a nearby county. 91% of survivors who reside in Helpmate’s current shelter fall into the “extreme risk” category on a Danger Assessment, which measures homicide risk.
The 23,000 square foot safe and secure building that is planned will provide 25 private sleeping spaces of varying sizes that can accommodate individuals or up to three members of a family, shared spaces including indoor and outdoor play and learning spaces for children, multiple small kitchens, a dining area, and support group meeting rooms. Onsite 24-hour staff support, a dedicated counseling center and a free market for obtaining essentials such as toiletries and diapers will also be available.
“This is a significant day for our community and for our ability to provide life-saving emergency shelter for survivors of domestic violence when they are the most vulnerable,” said April Burgess-Johnson, Executive Director of Helpmate. “Today in North Carolina, Buncombe County has the second highest per capita rate of people who are not able to be sheltered in their home community due to our limited capacity. The organizations and individuals that have come together understand that we must have more emergency shelter space to protect and serve residents.”
Construction is scheduled to begin in May and is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2025. To date, $12 million in funding commitments have been made towards the estimated project cost of $15.375 million.
“The design of the new shelter reflects what we’ve learned from working with survivors for decades,”
said Joy Henderson, who has served as the Shelter Director for nearly 30 years. “Individual and family suites with kitchenettes will keep family members together and will support privacy while also supporting meaningful connections. Everything about the new shelter is designed to support safety and healing, and it’s exciting to know that our community is coming together to create it.”
Over the past eight years the organization evaluated options for the new shelter including expanding the current shelter and considering various other properties and locations. The chosen location offers many benefits including being on the bus line and close to medical, legal, and other support services that are essential for victims of domestic violence.
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