ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. Each month we interview someone working in agriculture, the food system, farm to school education, or community health. These stories are also shared in our monthly newsletter.
Vinny Bonanno is the Executive Director of the West Asheville Tailgate Market (WATM) since 2022, owner operator of Stretching in Public, a Make it Happen coach, and the lead on various creative projects and performances around the Asheville area. After Helene made landfall, Vinny opted to open WATM only days later. The West Asheville Tailgate
Jason Treadway (pictured on the left) is the Director of Food and Nutrition for Verner Center for Early Learning. Verner has worked with Growing Minds to source from local farms and provide farm to school activities for the students. Jason’s staff of six serves breakfast, lunch, and snacks and two sites each day. Food is
Lucy Wetzel (pictured on the right) and her two-year-old son Wiley are avid farmers market goers, shopping at multiple markets per week. Lucy participates in both ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables program and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. How has the Farm Fresh Produce Prescription made an impact on your life and household? We
William Yates is an AIG (Academically or Intellectually Gifted) teacher at Waynesville Middle School. He spent three weeks this summer embedded in ASAP’s programs as part of the 2024–25 Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership. The fellowship connects outstanding educators with mentors, creating opportunities and relationships to help students understand how STEM concepts apply in
Dawn Jordan, on the left, is the Agricultural Economic Development Director for Polk County, which has coordinated the NC Foothills Farm Tour as well as homestead tours in the county for many years. This year, Polk County will instead be part of ASAP’s Farm Tour! (Look for announcement of farms and other cluster areas in
Jacqueline Smith is the market manager for Black Mountain Tailgate Market. The market participates in ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription programs. What are you most looking forward to this season at Black Mountain Tailgate Market? Vendors and regular customers, of course… and most definitely, the Children’s Programs. They
Laura Torres is the market manager for Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market in Waynesville. The market is part of the WNC Double SNAP Network, a partnership between ASAP, MountainWise, and Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture to support and expand SNAP incentive programs and farmers markets throughout Western North Carolina. What are you most looking forward to
Holly Kolarova is an ESL (English as a Second Language) and Special Education teacher at Clear Creek Elementary School in Henderson County. Holly is part of the 2023–24 Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership, which connects outstanding educators with mentors, creating opportunities and relationships to help students understand how STEM concepts apply in the real
As the Sustainability Manager for the City of Asheville, what are some of the projects you’re working on? So many different areas! Our department focuses on four main “buckets” of work with plenty of collaborative projects living under each. Our primary buckets are: Climate, Energy, Food, and Waste Reduction. Within those areas we focus on
Gary Steiner is the co-owner and operator, alongside his wife, Abigail, of Bee-utiful Farm & Garden, nestled in Hendersonville, NC. The couple offers a CSA (or Community Supported Agriculture) program year round, as well as guided farm tours and school field trip opportunities. What are the main benefits of participating in a CSA? A couple