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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

SPARCing education, support and community! Amanda

SPARCing education, support and community! Amanda Von Litolff and Missie Parren took to the streets of Waynesville for the SHARE Project’s 2nd Annual WNC Drug Awareness Walk.
As Peer Support Specialists, Missie and Amanda bring life-saving expertise to SPARC’s Family Centered Treatment Recovery teams and to the families we serve. These two also go above and beyond, as you see, giving of their time in the community as well! 🙌🏾 💙
Great coverage of the event by @themountaineernews - search “Addiction is a disease” on their website for the story by Vicki Hyatt.

#sparcfoundation #asheville #hendersonville #waynesville #peersupport #familycenteredtreatment #recovery #shareproject #ignitingconnections #cultureofinclusion

‘Field trip Friday’ for several members of SPA

‘Field trip Friday’ for several members of SPARC’s Equity Advocates Committee! We soaked up the rich history and wisdom shared by Mr. DeWayne Barton and Mr. Clifford Cotton as part of the Burton Street Community + Peace Garden educational, inspirational and aspirational Hood Huggers Tour. One of Asheville’s oldest African American neighborhoods, Burton Street was founded by E.W. Pearson in 1912. (Pearson was also Clifford Cotton’s grandfather!)
Whether you’ve lived in or near Asheville for months, years, or for a lifetime (we had all represented in our group) we guarantee you will learn A LOT! Get connected @hood_huggers @peacegardener + @bluenotejunction - so many ways to get informed and get involved!

#sparcfoundation #asheville #ignitingconnections #hoodhuggers #burtonstreet #blackhistory #equity #makethishustlework #dewaynebarton #bluenotejunction

"We're just nothing but grateful to be able to do

"We're just nothing but grateful to be able to do some of the things we plan to do with this funding," said Jackie Latek, executive director of the SPARC Foundation, which the city awarded $153,483 in American Rescue Act Plan COVID-19 relief fund dollars.

SPARC, an organization that "provides education and support in order to keep people out of institutional care," according to its website, will use the money for domestic violence intervention.
"In Buncombe County we have high rates of domestic violence," Latek said. "You look at the increased need for shelter beds of victims of domestic violence. It's such important funding that goes to those groups. And we also want to understand that one of the ways we address and decrease domestic violence in our community is really going to serve the people that are committing that violence in the home. That is our role in the community."

The group will use funding to train and reach people who use "power, control and violence in their relationships," establishing relationship to create accountability and behavior change.

This funding in particular will narrow in on addressing child abuse issues, which increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, Latek said.
"With this funding, we'll be able to bring in more training for our staff focused on trauma-informed care to address really getting at the core of how somebody begins to choose to use violence as tactic in their relationships," she said.

#sparcfoundation #asheville #domesticviolenceinterventionprogram #arpa #buncombecounty #ignitingconnections #endchildabuse #traumainformedcare #citizentimes #andrewjones

“All-in-one” is something we hear often from f

“All-in-one” is something we hear often from families when describing Family Centered Treatment (FCT) and FCT-Recovery. Maybe because the work is done in the home and by every member of a family - no splintered appointments all over town with no two members of a family addressing the same thing at the same time.
Each family member is most certainly an individual with his or her own needs, but as a unit, a family also has many strengths to draw on and some weaknesses to shore up. With our expanding Family Centered Treatment and FCT-Recovery programs in WNC, we not only have the opportunity to directly affect the outcomes for current families, but also for generations to come. Children see a positive shift in their family system and carry that into their future families.

#sparcfoundation #asheville #sparcinghope #hendersonville #transylvaniacounty #familycenteredtreatment #recovery #peersupport #keepingfamiliestogether #healthyfamilies #angermanagement

✨ 📰 ✨ SPARCing Creative Solutions - How co

✨ 📰 ✨
SPARCing Creative Solutions - How collaboration + innovation go hand in hand! 🤜🏾💥🤛🏼

#sparcfoundation #asheville #hendersonville #ignitingconnections #equity #creativesolutions #collaboration #blackhealthandwellness #cultureofinclusion #familycenteredtreatment #newsletter

🎶 SPARCing a little pep in our step on this Fri

🎶 SPARCing a little pep in our step on this Friday afternoon as we look back on last weekend’s 3rd Creative Market!
Aligning with SPARC’s mission to ignite connections and creative solutions for the people we serve, our staff, and our greater community, this year’s event was an energetic success!
Thank you to everyone who attended, to the 20+ artists and educators who participated, and to @mosaicrealtyavl for your financial and on-site support!
And a very special shout out to the fine and fun young men with @mydaddytaughtmethat and @mdtmtjr for all they brought to the day. 👏🏾👏🏻👏🏿👏🏽 Community at its best! We’re already planning for next year! 🎈

#sparcfoundation #asheville #buncombecounty #creativemarket #ignitingconnections #cultureofinclusion #equity #avlart #healthyfamilies #blackhealthandwellness #ashevillenonprofit

A beautiful day in review… in quicky snapshots.

A beautiful day in review… in quicky snapshots. The SPARC Creative Market 2022 is in the books, while a bright new future of creative solutions, igniting connections and community-building continues to be written!
We’re thankful Tony Shivers @stillsmiling.photography was working his magic with us yesterday 📸 and we’ll share his photographs with you soon. Have a wonderful Sunday!

#sparcfoundation #asheville #creativemarket #avlart #ignitingconnections #cultureofinclusion #mentorship #mydaddytaughtmethat #yvettejives #ovariancancerawareness #blackhealthandwellness

That feeling when the party’s over but you find

That feeling when the party’s over but you find one last memory of the event after cleaning up… 🥺🙌🏾❣️
We’re still soaking in all that was a WONDERFUL 3rd Annual SPARC Creative Market. More pics to come but for now, a HUGE thank you to all who attended and for the community-minded, creative souls who brought it all to life ❤️ @freemanclayworks @jennypickens616 @healedskinandcandle @robertstafford4446 @gentryjohn @tcpottery @newaynatural @adriennegilbert1982 @vaundasglass @redclayhalopottery @makebalovinghands @backporchburning @maadilicollective @wndrfulymde @landoftheskyblends @caros.flowers @mosaicrealtyavl @thetonyshivers @stillsmiling.photography @leashaogle @mydaddytaughtmethat @mdtmtjr + several more friends who aren’t on Insta.

#sparcfoundation #asheville #shoplocal #creativemarket #ignitingconnections #cultureofinclusion #creativesolutions #thatwasfunyall #nowweallneednaps

🎉TODAY’S THE DAY! 🙌🏾 Come SPARC some fu

🎉TODAY’S THE DAY! 🙌🏾
Come SPARC some fun with us!!Walk into our Creative Market from 40 Clayton Street or 225 East Chestnut. Lots of free neighborhood (or Old Fuddruckers) parking. See you soon!

#sparcfoundation #asheville #ignitingconnections #avlevents #avlart #creativemarket #avltoday #wlosnews13 #ashvegas

Tag a Creator, Educator or Mentor you spot in the

Tag a Creator, Educator or Mentor you spot in the video ✨and/or✨ the friends you want to join you this Saturday at the 3rd SPARC Creative Market!
All of these talented community-oriented creatives will be with us along with several more - who are just a little camera shy. 😉 Come see some familiar friends and make new ones. Igniting connections + elevating creative solutions is what SPARC is all about!

(( Big thanks to our returning sponsor @mosaicrealtyavl ))

#sparcfoundation #asheville #creativemarket #hendersonville #yeahthatgreenville #avlart #ignitingconnections #avlevents #ashvegas #exploreashville

Empathy, and open and honest communication go a lo

You’ve likely enjoyed the works of Jenny Pickens

You’ve likely enjoyed the works of Jenny Pickens around town - from Asheville to Greenville, SC - and maybe you didn’t even know it! (Google “Jenny Pickens Artist mural”…. we’ll wait)
➡️🎨 We’re thrilled @jennypickens616 will be joining us with her special vibrancy and original creations this year!
➡️ Keynon Lake - Director of @mydaddytaughtmethat + @mdtmtjr is a longtime friend of everyone at SPARC! We’ve teamed up closer than ever during Covid to increase safety, healing + resiliency for our neighbors in Asheville’s most under-resourced communities. Come learn more about that partnership and about the “movement” known as MDTMT. 👊🏾✨
➡️ Carolyn Howell - with @caros.flowers -will be helping to brighten this year’s Creative Market, as well! 💐 Caro volunteered at our Markets in 2019 + 2020, but this is her first time as a vendor. 🎉 We’re excited to welcome her captivating watercolor paintings and for newer creatives to have the opportunity to be side-by-side with some of our area’s more established artists.
Join us for a creative day of igniting connections and building community. See you April 2nd!

#sparcfoundation #ignitingconnections #asheville #creativemarket #avltoday #yeahthatgreenville #jennypickens616 #keynonlake #mdtmt #carosflowers #avlart #mentorship #creativesolutions

Though not new to Asheville’s creative scene, As

Though not new to Asheville’s creative scene, Ashley + Heather, Ingrid, and Sarah + Mary Kate are first time vendors at this year’s SPARC Creative Market!

➡️ 🎨 Heather and Ashley Tolbert are artists (of many mediums!), clinical professionals + identical twin sisters… just to name a few of the gifts they offer the world and their clients at From the Ashes Cultural Arts & Counseling. Get connected @fromtheashescac

➡️ 🧶 Ingrid Phillip is a relative newcomer to Asheville, but she’s already very active in the arts community! Ingrid crochets one of a kind clothing items + hand-pours candles. Get connected @makebalovinghands

➡️ 🌾Land of the Sky Blends are made by Sarah Hollowell and Mary Kate Galloway. Connect with @landoftheskyblends and enjoy their fresh, soothing aromatherapy with us on April 2nd.

🤍WELCOME! Heather, Ashley, Ingrid, Mary Kate and Sarah + THANK YOU for contributing pieces of your work to the Creative Market raffle! 🎟

#sparcfoundation #asheville #creativemarket #ignitingconnections #avlart #fromtheashes #culturalarts #essentialoils #crochet #healthandwellness #landoftheskyblends #avltoday

“Despite the lingering grogginess of anesthesia,

Not new to our SPARC community or the Asheville cr

Not new to our SPARC community or the Asheville creative scene… but Tiffany, Traci and Trish will be first time vendors at this year’s Creative Market! 🎉
➡️ 🧶 Tiffany Bell is the Director of SPARC’s Violence Intervention Program + creates colorful crocheted bags and accessories! Come shop with her and learn how SPARC is involved and influencing changes statewide to increase family health and safety. 💜
➡️ 🕯 Entrepreneur Traci Taylor has been involved with SPARC in many ways, for many years, and we’re thrilled she’s joining us and bringing @healedskinandcandle to the Creative Market. Traci’s unique, and skin softening candles are a bright, uplifting and great-smelling addition to any occasion! 💗
➡️🏺 And Tricia Cutler @tcpottery is joining us this year with her handmade clay creations - many mountain and beach themed. Relaxing, even before pouring your first cup of tea or coffee. 🤍
You’ll also find works from Tiff, Traci + Trish in our RAFFLE on April 2nd! 🎟

#sparcfoundation #asheville #creativemarket #ignitingconnections #avlevents #avlart #healedskinandcandle #avlcrochet #tcpottery #ashevegas #avltoday #mountainxpress

Before winter blew back in for the weekend 🥶 we

Before winter blew back in for the weekend 🥶 we were able to warmly welcome MC Ellis into our collaborative team dedicated to strengthening community health, wellness and safety.
Among many other things, MC is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a certified Senior Resilience Educator and Implementation Specialist with Resources for Resilience.
In her practice and in community, MC shares - “My goal is to connect and create a brave space, as we walk together toward healing, balance, and peace.”
Making the time to share ideas, experiences, wisdom and laughs - always lots of laughs - strengthens everything we do! 🙌🏾

Back to front - @keynonlakemdtmt (✌🏿🐰 👀) MC Ellis, @jackie.latek @thetonyshivers @msh2o

#sparcfoundation #asheville #buncombecounty #westasheville #mydaddytaughtmethat #communitysafety #mentorship #ignitingconnections #listeningcircle #racialtrauma #traumahealing

Joining the SPARC Creative Market for a 3rd year,

Joining the SPARC Creative Market for a 3rd year, Artist Adrienne Gilbert-Stevenson with her hand drawn greeting cards + a few new surprises!
We are so excited about this year’s lineup of Artists, Health + Wellness experts and Community Partners, and look forward to you meeting them too! See you April 2nd. ✨

#sparcfoundation #ignitingconnections #creativemarket #comeonspring #asheville #avlart #creativesolutions #healthyfamilies #communitysafety #communityhealing

“Love that’s genuine, brings a community toget

“Love that’s genuine, brings a community together!”
@thetonyshivers @stillsmiling.photography
We are so excited about our returning and first-time artists for this year’s SPARC Creative Market!
The whole idea began in 2018 at a Staff gathering when we started taking about our creative outlets and the passions we had outside of the office. Around just that one table, we discovered we had a baker, a jewelry maker, a woodworker, a photographer and a painter! And 💥 the first Creative Market was born.
Now in our 3rd year, we have several talented staff members participating, along with some of Asheville’s most sought after creatives, side-by-side with other newcomers to the AVL art scene. A masterpiece of a day in the making! 🙌🏾

#sparcfoundation #asheville #creativemarket #cultureofinclusion #ignitingconnections #diveristy #equity #avlart #ashevegas

Mad R-E-S-P-E-C-T for this brilliant bunch! Celebr

Mad R-E-S-P-E-C-T for this brilliant bunch! Celebrating Staff + Board members on this International Women’s Day 2022.

“Break the Bias” is this year’s theme and this group of fine humans + professionals do their part - and more - everyday to make the world a more a gender equal place. 🙌🏾 One that demands and celebrates diversity, equity + inclusion!

#r-e-s-p-e-c-t #findoutwhatitmeanstous #arethafranklin
#sparcfoundation #asheville #hendersonville #cultureofinclusion #internationalwomensday #ignitingconnections

SPARC’s Family Centered Treatment and Peer Suppo

SPARC’s Family Centered Treatment and Peer Support Specialist Team combined creativity, positivity - and their love of a 72 degree day - to relax and paint “Kindness Stones”. 🎨
These professionals encourage the families they serve to rest and reconnect through play, and know prioritizing it in their own lives promotes resilience and overall wellbeing. You guys ROCK! 💛
We hope “downtime” is near the VERY top of your weekend to-do list! ✌🏽You deserve it!

#sparcfoundation #asheville #selfcareisntselfish #kindnessstones #teambuilding #helpingthehelpers #peersupportspecialist #familycenteredtreatment #recovery #cultureofinclusion

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