Very neat, organized and clean thrift store. Fantastic prices. New stuff all the time.read more

One of the bigger thrift stores I've been to. With great lighting to, it doesn't feel like a…read morebasement like some tend to. They also put out new stuff frequently so there's almost always new stuff to find. Definitely recomend

They have been more than a life saver to all of us in need, even before the Hurricane…read more Not only with the necessities, but also with their kindness love and generosity. I think it's sad that some people hadn't heard of them until the hurricane.

Outstanding local charity looking for donations and volunteers due to recent natural disaster…read more Involved in many aspects of relief effort and many other projects such as housing construction as well'

Absolute five-star experience. Definitely a little bit out there but we went on a Saturday early…read moreSeptember and it wasn't too bad. They do apple picking on the hour most days. It's all listed online and very user-friendly. We showed up around 1130 and wandered around. Picked apples at noon. Then had some live music at one. Very well planned and I'm proud of the way we did it. If you're driving from Asheville, old fort is a great stopping point. We got cinnamon rolls on the way there and Hillman on the way back. It did look like this Orchard had some very affordable barbecue on site. Tons of snacks in the gift shop too. The parking lot was pretty big and they have extra parking. The staff was super kind. I love that it's a nonprofit and there's tons of educational pieces. You will find a bunch of maps and other displays. They have a bee and caterpillar to stay for kids and adults alike. The gift shop. Also both a lot of local crafts like candles, ciders, and honey. No drinking on site. The apple picking is around back. You can get a little bag or two sizes of a basket. We opted for the bag because there is no reason for us to keep a basket around. For eight dollars it's all very affordable. It got us about 12 big apples. The trees are well marked. For picking. It is lots of space for wandering. Definitely not in the shade so it's pretty hot. For me, I really like the extra things that this place had. Cornhole, checkers, Jenga... They usually have bands on the weekend too.

My husband, our 8 year old daughter and I were excited to head up to the orchard at Alta pass…read moreyesterday! We've been apple picking at a couple of the orchards to the south of Asheville, and wanted to check out this nonprofit orchard near Spruce Pine. When we arrived we were pleasantly surprised to see that the crowd was reasonably sized, and we could walk around without feeling pushed and prodded. But the pleasant surprise ended there. We headed around back where we purchased two buckets for apple picking at $15/each. They were small buckets that could fit, we were told, 4-5 lbs of apples each. Okay, fine. But it was not until after purchasing the buckets that we were placed into a very touristy feeling group, and told that we'd be picking "these small and ugly (..."but delicious!") green apples. Huh? No one is going apple picking for just green apples. Are you kidding? The guide proceeded to inform us that as we walk through the orchard we absolutely, positively, should not pick the red apples because they "aren't ready and will most certainly give you a tummy ache". What?!?! Okay....still on board but feeling a little less excited. Then we start to walk toward the orchard. With a giant group of people. At a veeeerrrryyyy slow pace. And then we have to wait on a few stragglers. Seriously excruciating by this point. Finally, as we get to the orchard, the guide tells us to look for the trees with pink ties on them, an ONLY those trees. In fact, pay no mind to the beautiful red apples surrounding you on all other sides - they are not ready! No matter how they look, do NOT eat those apples! But then we are off and looking for the promised green apples....which I kid you not are almost completely picked over! My 6'5 husband could barely reach the apples, and definitely not me or my eight year old - we can only watch in horror as our husband/father scavenges the tops of the trees for "ugly but delicious green apples" on the trees to our right, while simultaneously trying to ignore the beautiful red apples on the trees to our left. I seriously felt like Eve in the garden of Eden..... And then, we noticed that everyone else in our group was feeling the same way. Then one daring person took a red apple off a tree and took a big, juicy bite from it. Gasp! I thought we'd all be wearing fig leaves and trying to hide from one another in the next instant. But lo and behold....no tummy ache. Just confirmation that the red apples were, in fact, ready to be picked (and further confirmed by the mounds of ripe, red apples also falling from those trees). The whole thing was ridiculous, and by the time we headed out of the orchard it was a big joke. Everyone was picking the red apples and putting them on the bottom of their baskets, and placing a few green apples over the red ones in hopes of looking less guilty. We all concluded that they just wanted to get the ugly but delicious green apples out of the orchard. On the way in/out of the orchard there is a cute little building that is a "cafe". We were excited to try the pulled pork with apple bbq sauce, and some fresh homemade cider! But yet again, when there was an opportunity for this place to shine, it was a huge let down. We ordered an apple cider and a green apple lemonade, which also sounded like it had the potential to be delicious because it MUST be made with ugly but delicious green apples from the orchard! Nope. It was Country Time at best, with a couple shots of Torani Green Apple syrup splashed in the bottom. The pulled pork was gross (though, granted, in this area we have high standards for pulled pork), and not cooked in the bbq sauce but rather placed on the bun and then a little sauce was ladled onto the meat, leaving the bun wet and soggy. The apple cider was apple juice, probably from Ingles. By this point, while we had planned to go purchase some goods inside, we were done. This business has SO MUCH POTENTIAL. The setting is bucolic, and the weather was perfect. I don't know who is running it, but since it's a nonprofit I took a look at their 990 and it seems like they are probably just too dependent on a volunteer board. I don't know, but I think this could be a true gem up in this area. Unfortunately, it just falls short. We'll see how my apple crisp turns out - I'll try to update my review when I find out.

"Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve." Martin Luther King Jr…read more Imagine how in an instant it could all be gone. The sea can be swept up and be in your space. Down pours of rain can cause massive flooding and landslides. For the recent hurricane Helene it has caused extensive damage and flooding for several states. Some cities in states such as North Carolina will never recover or return. So many families in despair. Then we had hurricane Milton hit a week later, devastating Florida, but not as powerful as the prior hurricane. We forget about storms and the power of what they can actually cause. It's all a cycle that has brought to our memories. In the wake of this tragic storm organizations exist to provide relief for those that need help. If your able to provide any assistance this is an organization that ensures that your donations will be delivered to those in need. You can even provide your own donation of your time to this organization too. As humans we have a great deal of hope in the wake of tragedy to come together when strife hits. This organized group is the boots on the ground at ground zero to make it all happen. As humans we watch and listen to those individuals that have been harmed, killed, starved, and tortured at the hands of Mother Nature. While they can control the weather, in the end we will come together and fight against that which pushes us down. We will get up and never go down without a good fight for any reason. Life is about living and helping our fellow citizens and those around us. Keep up the good fight and plan for the worst for the next disaster could take you through strife.

Samaritan's Purse is a religious non profit organization striving to provide aid for those in need…read moreall over the world, especially in 3rd world countries and areas of disasters. I respect all religions. Just for the record I am definitely not trying to recruit or convert anyone. I just discovered Operation Christmas Child through a friend, and I wanted to help out too. Operation Christmas Child is where you build a shoebox of essentials and other goodies to give to a child in a third world country. This year they have their own boxes to optimize their operations. The boxes are also sturdy so it serves as an additional purpose for the child who receives it. You can decide to give to a boy or a girl, with the following age ranges: 2-4 yrs, 5-9 yrs, or 10-14 yrs. If you need inspiration, you can go onto their website for suggestions. Some of the items I felt were essential were socks, comb, toothbrush, chapstick, deodorant, stationary, water bottle (to store water, as their water source may not be nearby), and some fun small trinkets that fit into the box. Be sure to check the list for items you should include such as snacks since they are perishable or liquids that may spill and damage all the goods. If you happen to be busy, you can also build a box online or have someone build it for you. 2020 has been a hard year for everyone on a global scale, but I know there are others out there to have it much worst than I do. It was very fun to put together my Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes and I plan on making this an annual traditional.

YES. We scheduled the private tour and it was so fun! We met the animals and were able to give…read moresnacks and love. It's an amazing mission and we're in awe of their work! Playground review: it's a super nice space and is designed for ages 2-12. There's a ton of different equipment for all abilities. However frustrating when older/larger kids are wreaking havoc and abusing the equipment while moms are talking with their backs turned away from the playground. Don't be those moms.

Excellent animal rescue center and educational activities! Fabulous staff and friendly service for…read morekids. My child enjoyed every opportunity to meet animals in a relaxed and educational environment. They have a wonderful playground outside and is free. The animal tour is $10 / adult and $3 for kids. Worth every penny, my kid had never enjoyed animals until this trip. The outdoor animals are in excellent comfort and clean areas. We fed goats and pigs. Then we went inside and saw Guinea pigs, rabbits, and a lizard! Phenomenal educational opportunity!! You do need a reservation for the animal tours and they have summer camp so call Ahead to make sure it's available. Parking is in the lot.

I reality miss you all. I didn't know how to cope. You are the best. I had to keep runningread more

From the owner: .These services include counseling, crisis intervention, support groups, training, education, and…read morecrisis debriefings. Assistance designed for, but not limited to: aggravated assault, arson, Assault, child physical abuse, bullying, DUI/DWI crash, fraud, gang violence, human trafficking, identity theft, robbery, stalking, survivors of homicide victims, traffic fatalities, and terrorism.

My family makes a small monthly contribution to this organization. We are especially grateful to…read moreManna as the government shutdown is cutting into SNAP access to food.

Blue Jean Ball Benefit tonight! 80's Theme tonight...plenty of kinked hair, leg warmers, neon…read morecolors, high side pony tails...Michael Jackson music. Restaurants include Biscuit Head, which opened last week, as will as Chestnut, Posana, Lexington Avenue Brewery, Cucina 24, the Biltmore Estate, French Broad Chocolate Lounge, Tupelo Honey, Dough and others. Musical entertainment for the evening includes the soulful rockers The Broadcast, plus Flashback Sally. Very fun event for the Manna Food Bank. The food bank, founded in 1982, collaborates with 221 other agencies in 16 Western North Carolina counties and distributed more than 11 million pounds of food last year.