Joe Hart is the Communications Specialist for Homeward Bound of WNC. He loves telling our client's stories and encourages everyone in the community to get to know the people living near them who are experiencing homelessness. Reuniting individuals with their community is the first step to helping end homelessness everywhere.
We are writing to share the news of the passing of our community’s beloved Jim Lowder. Jim was a dedicated and passionate leader, and the Homeward Bound family is deeply saddened by his loss. For 13 years, Jim served as a pillar of our organization’s success as our Development Director, Interim Executive Director, and Director of Strategic Gifts. His contributions to our organization were invaluable, and the relationships he developed often turned into lasting friendships for so many of us. You may read his obituary here.
We will miss Jim’s unique ability to offer compassion, hope, and joy to those we serve, often reminding us that we are all part of one human family. Upon his retirement in 2024, Jim shared,
“Working to end homelessness has been part of my life since I finished college in 1969…It has been a tremendous honor working with the residents, staff, volunteers, and donors here with Homeward Bound, especially developing best practices both with our programs and with our fundraising. I also came to appreciate the enormous generosity of the Asheville area community.”
Jim changed this organization and the lives of both staff and people experiencing homelessness not just because of what he did, but because of who he was.
Jim’s final project with Homeward Bound was leading our Home is Key Capital Campaign, raising over $16 million for Compass Point Village, Buncombe County’s first motel conversion into 85 units of permanent supportive housing.
James Lowder Fund For Ending Homelessness
With blessings from him and his family, we have established the James Lowder Fund for Ending Homelessness to honor Jim’s legacy. This endowment fund supports the future of Homeward Bound of WNC and continues Jim’s passion to provide stable housing and support to our most vulnerable neighbors in Western North Carolina.
*Please note the “James Lowder Fund for Ending Homelessness” in the memo line.
Homeward Bound offers our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Jim during this time. A memorial service is being planned for a later date to be determined, and Homeward Bound will share that info as we receive it. We welcome the opportunity to connect about Jim’s legacy, the memorial fund, or the impact Jim made to your own efforts to prevent and end homelessness.
The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care approved its 2025-2028 strategic plan to address homelessness in Asheville and Buncombe County. Read more about the Continuum of Care here.
Tiffany has fought hard to find her sense of self-worth and belonging. She remembers how isolating it felt to be raised with two older brothers who were the stars of her family’s eyes, and no matter how hard she tried, she was treated as an outcast and black sheep. Sick of the neglect, Tiffany decided to run away from her small town. Without a support system, she became homeless at 17 years old.
By age 30, Tiffany was chronically homeless, spending each day of the last three years of her life outside. Over time, this worsened her feelings of shame and isolation.
“I was accustomed to thinking I was nothing,” shares Tiffany. “I wasn’t doing much of anything that I was proud of. Now, I’m doing good and I know it.”
Tiffany was first introduced to Homeward Bound in 2010, not long after moving to Asheville in search of a second chance. She remembers meeting Amanda Thomas, a long-time Homeward Bound staff member who became her first Case Manager. “Amanda has seen how far I’ve come—she’s seen the beauty that’s come out of my story.”
Tiffany moved into her first home in 2011, but transitioning out of homelessness isn’t always linear. Like many of us, her sense of stability depended on her surroundings—and the right housing placement made all the difference. With continued support and a home that truly meets her needs, Tiffany has found her footing. Thanks to Homeward Bound’s HACA program, she has now been stably housed for nearly two years.
Tiffany and her art room.
“Homeward Bound never gave up on me. They never did. And it’s been nothing but great for me. I’ve got a sense of belonging. I have a sense of security. I call it my sanctuary because I get to make decisions in my life today. I get to say who comes in and out of my house. And having that freedom and independence is just absolutely the best feeling. A euphoric feeling comes over me every time I put my key in my lock.”
Tiffany has found joy in her home. She loves cooking in her kitchen, relaxing on her back porch, creating collage art, and spending time with her dog and best friend, Mystical. In addition to having her own space, Tiffany’s relationship with her current Case Manager, Zoey, has been transformative. Tiffany shares that it took time to build trust, especially given a difficult relationship with her mother.
“She showed me how to present myself, how to advocate for myself. Zoey tells me, ‘Tiffany, it’s okay to say no. No, period.’ I never thought I could say that. I always felt like I had to please somebody.”
“You know I had to include my girl, Tiffany.”
With this new confidence, Tiffany feels stronger than ever—able to speak to her property manager, navigate appointments, and live on her terms. She wants to use her stability to become a peer support specialist and use her story to help others, especially women escaping domestic violence or navigating life after homelessness.
“Whatever comes my way, if I can help them—that’s what I want to do. I want to give back because it was so freely given to me. I want to shout my story to other women and tell them they can do it too. There are some beautiful, strong women out here who deserve as much as I got and more.”
Above all, Tiffany wants Asheville to see the humanity in every person experiencing homelessness.
“These people out here on the street—they’re amazing people, and they deserve a chance. What you see isn’t always the whole story. Take the time. Sit down and talk to one of us. I think it would change your whole outlook.”
Tiffany plans to set up an art display next to an alcove on a street in downtown Asheville where she used to sleep. She hopes to turn a part of her journey into something inspiring.
In the last four years alone, Homeward Bound has grown significantly. We launched our Home is Key Capital Campaign, opened Compass Point Village, and expanded our housing and homeless services programming to meet the needs of our community. None of this progress would have been possible without the individuals, initiatives, businesses, and fellow nonprofits who also call WNC home.
Homeward Bound’s 2025 Welcome Home Luncheon featured “Creating Community, a short film by Katie Damien of Angry Unicorn Entertainment that emphasizes the importance of partnerships in our work.
Norma’s story was originally shared in Winter 2023.
Today, we would like to share the story of Norma, a resident who moved from the streets into housing in October 2023. Norma’s journey from a sleeping bag on the sidewalk to a home at Compass Point Village is a testament to the transformative nature of supportive housing and community support.
Norma’s life took a tragic turn in 1992 when her daughter was murdered. The pain of that tremendous loss led her to drug use. As a result, she lost her house and her support system. She also distanced herself from her other five children in an attempt to protect them from her lifestyle. She used drugs to numb the pain of what felt like one loss after another. After years of life on the streets, Norma’s health was deteriorating. She was in and out of the hospital several times before it was determined that she needed heart surgery. The doctors told Norma “your heart valves are not pumping, you should be dead.” Despite Norma’s complicated and often painful life, her faith remained unshaken. She made a promise to God that if she survived her heart surgery, she would stay substance-free. True to her word, she woke from surgery with a smile on her face and has remained clean since.
Norma’s path to housing began at Homeward Bound’s AHOPE Day Center when she enrolled in the Coordinated Entry process and it was determined Compass Point Village was the best housing intervention for Norma’s individual needs.
“I’m just grateful, SO GRATEFUL, that Compass Point Village chose me to be a resident.”
Norma thinks Compass Point Village is “a beautiful place” and “everybody here will help you in any way they can.” Norma believes in giving back to the community she now calls home. She wants her new neighbors to know “when they are down, I want to give them a laugh, when they need to talk, I got ears to hear.” Norma’s Case Manager, Erin, has been instrumental to her success, providing assistance with food, medicines, and doctor’s appointments. Norma describes Erin as sweet, kind, and always ready to help.
Norma’s journey home is a powerful reminder of the profound impact safe, stable housing can have for individuals experiencing homelessness. In housing, Norma has found community, support, wellness, and more.
Update on Norma: 5/1/2025
We’re thrilled to share that Norma has graduated from Compass Point Village and transitioned into our Scattered Site program. Case Managers, volunteers, and residents at Compass Point Village all joined in to help Norma move into her brand-new apartment.
We’re proud of Norma and all she’s accomplished, and we’re deeply grateful to our community for supporting Homeward Bound and helping make Compass Point Village a success. Her journey is a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact housing can have for those experiencing homelessness. It’s a testament to Homeward Bound’s mission—and why our work must continue. Thank you.
As the SSVF Health Navigator, my role is to connect Veterans to VA medical services, or, if they do not qualify for those services, to community clinics such as Dale Fell Health Center and Minnie Jones Health Center.
My work supports Homeward Bound’s SSVF program by relieving some of the healthcare responsibilities from Case Managers, allowing them to focus more on housing and economic viability. It provides another support person to the Veteran who can help them navigate the health care system with ease!
Do you have an experience with a client or your team that has stuck with you?
I work a lot with Dental Life Network, an organization based out of Charlotte that helps Veterans get their dental work done for free. When you think of Veteran healthcare, you would think those with medical services would also receive dental care, but that’s not the case.
A lot of our Veterans, whether they receive VA health care or not, have not been seen by a dentist in a very long time. In my years at Homeward Bound, we have successfully gotten 3 Veterans’ teeth completely removed and FREE dentures put in. This is not a short process, and to see it come into fruition is truly a miracle and a blessing to watch.
Those memories of seeing clients with a beautiful new set of teeth will stay with me forever.
What motivated you to work at Homeward Bound, and what keeps you going?
What motivated me to start working with Homeward Bound was how much I heard and saw their name in the community. I worked with the unhoused population for 2 years before this role, and when I would talk with a Case Manager or a Housing Specialist, they were always affiliated with Homeward Bound.
I could see the change they were making in the community, and I wanted to be a part of that. When I first started, I didn’t have a lot of knowledge about the healthcare system, but over the years I have seen why people get frustrated and stop going to doctors because of the barriers that are set in place.
I hope to give some relief in that area by helping Veterans stay organized and on top of their health care appointments and journey so they can have the best quality of life possible!
Our measure of success generally is determined by measuring the percentage of clients in our permanent supportive housing programs who remain housed 12 months after placement. Given the many variables that impact chronically homeless clients, and consistent with other studies, we count as “housed” those who have graduated from supportive housing to other housing, those who move to health care facilities, those who have moved out of the area, and can no longer be tracked; those incarcerated, and those who have died. For example, at The Woodfin, of the 37 clients who have been housed over five years, 92% remain housed. Seventeen clients live at The Woodfin now; five have “graduated” to other housing; two have moved to nursing facilities; seven have died, and two have been imprisoned. Only four clients have been evicted.
