Odyssey Community School

Our beloved community school needs your support now more than ever. Hurricane Helene struck us, leaving a trail of devastation and a significant financial burden that impacted our school and the wider region leaving us with unprecedented challenges. Our school has sustained physical damage, is facing new expenses to reopen safely, and more heartbreakingly, we have lost a cherished teacher who inspired students for over 10 years.

Odyssey School is not just a school but a unique, nurturing, arts-integrated learning community that plays a crucial role in shaping the next generation of artists, thinkers, and leaders in the Appalachian region. We believe in the transformative power of art and education, especially during challenging times like this. Now, we are calling on our broader community to rally together and help us restore this unique institution that has been a pillar of Asheville for nearly 20 years.

Your contribution will assist us in two vital areas:

Clean water: Potable water is in reach, but we need your help to get it here. With your support, we can implement a regular water supply strategy—towing totes full of water from wells in our region to our school for hand washing. We hope to provide additional water to those in our school community that need access as well.

Financial Aid and Operational Expenses: We’ve suffered revenue loss as many of our families have been displaced or faced financial hardship. Members of our community have lost jobs, businesses, and homes. We need your help to ensure students in need are in a position to receive financial support and continue education and that we as a grassroots institution are able to maintain a safe fiscal operating baseline.

In difficult times, communities like ours have always come together. Schools like Odyssey have a budget gap that is filled with fundraising every year and Hurricane Helene has hampered our ability to raise vital funds. With your generous contribution, we can restore and reopen our school and provide the stability our students and staff need. Every donation, no matter the size, brings us closer to rebuilding and healing our community. Together, we can rise from this tragedy stronger and more united than ever.

Thank you for standing with us.