14th Annual Welcome Home Luncheon

April 23, 2026 | A-B Tech/Mission Conference Center, asheville, NC


Join us at Homeward Bound’s 14th Annual Welcome Home Luncheon

“A Home Changes Everything”

At Homeward Bound, we are not committed to managing homelessness—we are committed to ending it. Because when someone has a home, everything changes. At this year’s luncheon, you’ll hear powerful stories of neighbors who now have access to opportunities, stability, and joy because they have a place to call home in their own community. Safe, stable, and affordable housing opens doors—to employment, to healing, to family connection, to possibility.

We are honored to welcome our keynote speaker, Jeff Olivet, former Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. A nationally recognized leader in homelessness and public health policy, Jeff brings more than 30 years of experience advancing solutions that connect housing, healthcare, and equity.

Please RSVP if you’re interested in attending by Thursday, April 9, 2026. We’ll follow up with more information about the event soon.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Andrew Canan, our Donor Relations Specialist, at andrew@homewardboundwnc.org or (828) – 747-9409.


Keynote Speaker: Jeff Olivet

From 2022 to 2025, Jeff Olivet was the nation’s top homelessness official, leading the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). Prior to federal service, he was CEO of the Center for Social Innovation (now C4 Innovations), a mission-driven small business dedicated to scaling best practices in the fields of housing, public health, behavioral health, and homelessness.

He has been principal investigator on numerous studies funded by the National Institutes of Health and private foundations. Jeff has over three decades of experience as an outreach worker, advocate, researcher, teacher, writer, and inspiring public speaker. He currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Initiative on Health and Homelessness at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a consultant to organizations in the United States and internationally.


A New Chapter for Homeward Bound of WNC

We are pleased to introduce the future look of Homeward Bound of WNC at this year’s Welcome Home Luncheon. It’s an exciting new chapter for us, and we’re thrilled to share it with our community.

Event Details:
  • Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026
  • Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
  • Location: A-B Tech/Mission Conference Center, 16 Fernihurst Drive, Asheville, NC