News

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World Duchenne Awareness Day 2022

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Partnering to increase safety in Asheville

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Values of The SPARC Foundation

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A Renaissance for Author Loren Clement

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Meet Patricia Waters

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SPARCing Sustainable Careers

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SPARCing Connections Newsletter – August 2021 – Equitable Communities + Services

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Celebrating 6 Years of SPARC!

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SPARCing Connections Newsletter – June 2021

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SPARCing Conversation on The Veronica Edwards Show

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SPARCing Healthy Families – April 2021 Newsletter

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Staff Spotlight – Benjamin Gifford – SPARC’s Domestic Violence Intervention Program

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The SPARC Foundation’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

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Partnering for Peace + Healing + Hope to End Gun Violence

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SPARCing Powerful Partnerships – February 2021 Newsletter

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SPARC Awarded Safety and Justice Challenge Grant

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SPARCing Connections Newsletter – December 2020

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SPARCing Family Restoration in Family Centered Treatment- Recovery

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SPARC After Dark shines on in 2020!

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SPARCing Community Health – HERS with Yvette Jives

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SPARCing Health & Nutrition

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SPARC’s New Logo – Meet Designer Tony Delia

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Introducing Leasha Ogle

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Jessica – SPARC’s Success Spotlight – Family Centered Treatment-Recovery

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Welcome, Leasha!

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Ending the abuse: County domestic violence plan

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SPARCing Community Safety

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SPARCing Employment & Second Chances

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Dr. Michelle Alvarez

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Sparc Success Story – Taquon

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sparcfoundation

Members of SPARC’s IMPACTeam kicked off December

Members of SPARC’s IMPACTeam kicked off December having a blast in community service for families being gifted by Hendersonville’s Salvation Army Angel Tree!

#sparcfoundation #ignitingconnections #hendersoncountync #hendersonville #angeltree #holidayspirit #communityservice #salvationarmy #givingbacktocommunity

Wishes for a very Happy Thanksgiving from the SPAR

Wishes for a very Happy Thanksgiving from the SPARC Family Visitation Team to you and yours! ✨Taylor ✨Laura✨ ✨Patricia✨Lakia✨Deb✨Barb ✨

#sparcfoundation #asheville #buncombecountydss #gracecenter #healthyfamilies #triplepparenting #parentingcoach #igniteconnections #cultureofinclusion

Cause working hard doesn’t have to FEEL hard!! 🙌🏾

#sparcfoundation #asheville #sefcareaf #professionalandcomfy #workfromhome #cultureofinclusion #corevaluesinaction

Today’s story has a direct link to this month’

Today’s story has a direct link to this month’s edition of “SPARCing Conversations” 🔆 Grab your copy there or DM us your email address and we’ll deliver it straight to you! 📧 Have a great day!

#sparcfoundation #asheville #ignitingconnections #cultureofinclusion #domesticviolenceawarenessmonth #domesticviolenceinterventionprogram #innovation #balance #staffselfcare #communitysafety

SPARClers kicking off the weekend - and a new atti

SPARClers kicking off the weekend - and a new attitude - following a fabulous Friday morning with @desieatsandtravels‼️ Desiree Rew MSW, LCSW, MBA makes the case why being “Self Care*ish AF” is the key to living your best life and doing your best work! It was a morning full of LAUGHS, aha’s + reimagining what self care really means. #doesnthavetoincludeamanipedi 💅🏾or #exercise 🏋️‍♀️

#sparcfoundation #asheville #desireerew #selfcareishaf #selfcare #puttingthehumanbackinhumanservices #cultureofinclusion

A few members of SPARC’s Family Centered Treatme

✨Ending the week with news of an exciting beginn

✨Ending the week with news of an exciting beginning!✨

SPARC Foundation hires Tracey McCrain as Operations Director

(October 7, 2022, Asheville, NC) - The SPARC Foundation has hired accomplished nonprofit professional Tracey McCrain to serve as the organization’s first Operations Director. With a focus on providing innovative, evidence-based, equitable services, McCrain will provide leadership to SPARC’s programs in delivering outstanding services.

A graduate of Montreat College, with a master’s degree in Business Administration, McCrain has over 20 years of experience in the human services field; most recently working as Chief Operations Officer with Eliada Homes in Asheville.

“We are thrilled to have Tracey as part of our Leadership Team,” says SPARC Foundation Executive Director, Jackie Latek. “Hiring our first Operations Director is a big deal for us! It represents how much SPARC has grown in 7 years, and the positive impacts our programs and staff are having in our community. Tracey’s expertise and experience, combined with her passion for professional team building and mentorship, not only told us she was up for the job, but that she embodied SPARC’s inclusive culture.”

“I was aware of SPARC’s values and impacts across Western North Carolina before I knew many specifics about the core programs,” McCrain says. “Once I educated myself on their programs for families and individuals, I knew this was where I wanted to be. I’m excited and honored to work as a SPARC team member and help expand opportunities for wholeness and safety to community members most often overlooked and underserved.”

About SPARC Foundation:
Headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, SPARC ignites connections to education, employment, and mentorship to strengthen the wellbeing and personal freedom of people and families in need.

#sparcfoundation #asheville #operationsdirector #ignitingconnections #cultureofinclusion #growingnonprofit #evidencebased #equitable #innovative #buncombecounty #hendersoncounty

Beautiful reminder in the SPARC Family Visitation

Beautiful reminder in the SPARC Family Visitation room this morning!🙌🏾💟

Learn about our Visitation Program and career opportunities for Parenting Coaches on our website!

#sparcfoundation #asheville #buncombecountydss #familyreunification #childsafety #triplepparenting #healthyfamilies #cultureofinclusion #avljobs

Tomorrow is World Duchenne Awareness Day! Meet SPA

New opportunities to SPARC change in your personal

New opportunities to SPARC change in your personal and professional life and to ignite connections in your community!
Check out what’s new on the SPARC Career Board!

#sparcfoundation #asheville #hendersonville #westernnorthcarolina #familycenteredtreatment #recovery #buncombecounty #cultureofinclusion #healthyfamilies #equity

SPARCing Youth Mental Health First Aiders! Several

SPARCing Youth Mental Health First Aiders! Several members of our team, along with caring community partners, completed an impactful @mentalhealthfirstaidusa training with @buncombecounty + @vayahealth this week.

Being able to more intentionally show up, foster wellbeing and safety, and ignite connections to resources - in our communities and families - is core to SPARC’s mission and values. Proud of our team for diving in to this opportunity for personal and professional development! 👏🏽

✨Special thanks to Hector Salgado!✨

#sparcfoundation #youthmentalhealthfirstaid #buncombecounty #asheville #ignitingconnections #bethechange #suicideprevention #deescalation #bepartofthesolution #healthycommunity

A few smiling faces of The SPARC Foundation and a

A few smiling faces of The SPARC Foundation and a few words about what we, as an organization, value most. Which resonate with you?
✨Authenticity
✨Balance
✨Collaboration
✨Courage
✨Direct Communication
✨Equity
✨Humor
✨Innovation

#sparcfoundation #asheville #hendersonvillenc #corevalues #ashevillenonprofit #authenticity #balance #collaboration #courage #directcommunication #equity #humor #innovation

Going back to basics - or learning them for the fi

Going back to basics - or learning them for the first time - with parents and families @sparcfoundation. It’s one of our greatest honors and an essential way to increase healing, change and safety.

#sparcfoundation #asheville #strongfathers #dvip #domesticviolenceinterventionprogram #buncombecounty #enddomesticviolence #safecommunities #healthyfamilies #domesticabuseinterventionproject #theduluthmodel

Getting to know and work with high school interns

Getting to know and work with high school interns is always a highlight of the summer at SPARC! This year, we are fortunate to have Zhtaviya working with our Office Manager, Nanci Farmer (also photographed)
Enjoy this quick Q+A-
Will you please tell us a little about yourself?
✨My name is Zhtaviya Byrd, I go to Asheville High School & I'm going to be a senior this year!

You've been a tremendous help with important administrative work this summer... is that something you're interested in as a future career or why did you choose to focus on that type of work during your time with SPARC?
✨I learned about SPARC when Alex Mitchiner came to my school and talked to us about CAYLA (The City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy). I looked through the website, of course, but I didn't get a real feeling until I came to one of the SPARC events with my mom and Tony (Shivers). I had one talk with Jackie, and I already felt welcomed! That's why I selected SPARC. I chose to focus on the administrative side of things because that's something I don't normally do, so I wanted to push myself a little bit.

What are your future career goals?
✨My future career goals include becoming a surgical technologist, which means I would be getting all the tools ready and cleaned for surgeries.

And just as important, what do you like to do for fun?
✨I love to shop online for fun, I call it "therapy shopping" because it makes me feel good!

Thank you, Z! We’re so happy you’re here.

#sparcfoundation #asheville #ashevillehighschool #summerinternship #ignitingconnections #cultureofinclusion #thefutureisbright #gogetter

“These capacity-building possibilities through t

“These capacity-building possibilities through the Lane grant are rare, yet critical, to the health of nonprofits, and we are grateful to the Lane committee and CFWNC.” - Jackie Latek, SPARC Foundation

✨Congratulations to our fellow honorees. We celebrate the the vital work you do!
~ McDowell Mission Ministries
~The Family Place of Transylvania County
~Children & Family Resource Center, Hendersonville
~Center for Domestic Peace, Sylva
~ HIGHTS - Helping Inspire Gifts of Hope, Trust and Service

#sparcfoundation #asheville #hendersonville #transylvaniacounty #ignitingconnections #avlnonprofit #capacitybuilding #cultureofinclusion #equity

🫧 Beating the heat and having a bubbly blast at

🫧 Beating the heat and having a bubbly blast at Pisgah View! 🫧
SPARC is 🎶HAAAAAPPYYYY🎶 in community with @mydaddytaughtmethat and @r2sasheville!!

#sparcfoundation #asheville #mydaddytaughtmethat #readtosucceedavl #ignitingconnections #communitysafety #summerfun #violenceinterrupters #buncombecounty #pisgahviewapartments #konaiceavl #stillsmilingphotography

EXCITING NEWS and an OPPORTUNITY to SPARC great ch

EXCITING NEWS and an OPPORTUNITY to SPARC great change in your community!
Use the link in our bio to learn about our new OPERATIONS DIRECTOR position - and others- on SPARC’s expanded Career Board!

✨Thanks for helping us spread the word✨
#sparcfoundation #asheville #hendersonville #ignitingconnections #newposition #avltoday #operationsdirector #nonprofitjobs #avljobs #equity #cultureofinclusion

Celebrating our Queen at The Temple!
✨👸🏾✨ @tacotempleavl Office Manager extraordinaire and a bright light that keeps SPARC shining in every way! Happy Birthday, Nanci! 🎈

Passionate about working with kids and families?

Excuse us… but can we just have a moment of WOW

Excuse us… but can we just have a moment of WOW for the beautiful soul that is Sala Manaya-Merrit @i.am.amiram ❤️🙌🏾
Creative, Mother, Partner, Friend, Professional, Board Member, Intellectual… and let’s now not forget COVER MODEL! 📸 A fun surprise seeing her smiling face on the cover of @asheville_made today and we are always grateful for all Sala offers the entire SPARC organization!
Looking for something to smile about? Pick up a free copy of Asheville Made and meet Sala! 😊

#sparcfoundation #ignitingconnections #asheville #ashevillemade #boardmemberappreciation #iamamiram #ashevilleartist #bigcrafty #ashevillemodel #ashevillejewelryartist

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