Why Your Donation Matters
Over the years, this historic schoolhouse has been cared for through local stewardship. Our all-volunteer board and community members have restored and improved the building — from electrical updates and fresh paint to refinished 100-year-old hardwood floors, a renewed kitchen, landscaping, and memorial gardens — made possible through the generosity of our neighbors. In partnership with Jackson County and alongside the surrounding Parks & Recreation spaces, the Balsam Community Center has become a gathering place for many — neighbors and visitors alike, young and old, whether here for an event, a community potluck dinner, or a game on the courts.
Your donation helps pay for electricity, heating fuel, and free community Wi-Fi, along with the everyday costs of keeping this place open and welcoming. It also supports ongoing upkeep while preserving the historic character of the building. Ultimately, your gift helps sustain the ties that make Balsam more than just a place to live — a community that cares and welcomes everyone.
Make a General Donation
Why Your Pantry Donation Matters
Recent estimates show that about 17% of Jackson County residents are food insecure, meaning they don’t always have reliable access to enough food for a healthy life. In Western North Carolina, more than 1 in 4 children may face times when there isn’t enough food at home, and seniors living on fixed incomes are often forced to choose between groceries, medications, or other basic bills.
Local surveys also show that about 35% of residents have worried about running out of food—or actually run out—at some point during the past year, showing just how many families are feeling the strain.
That’s why food pantries matter so much in rural communities like ours. They help fill the gap when wages, benefits, and rising costs don’t quite stretch far enough.
Because our pantry is community-run and volunteer supported, your donation goes straight toward providing food for local families, seniors, and children in need. Together, we can help make sure our Balsam neighbors have reliable access to the food they need.
Donate to the Community Pantry
Help Us Keep Balsam Community Center Open Year-Round!
We’re Raising $20,000 for Heating & Air Conditioning
Balsam Community Center has been bringing neighbors together for generations, but there’s one big challenge we haven’t been able to overcome: our building is too cold to use during the winter and too hot to be comfortable during much of the summer.
Our three propane heaters, installed in 2003, struggle to heat the building’s large rooms and 13-foot ceilings. When temperatures drop below freezing, especially during extreme cold snaps, the heaters simply can’t keep up. And with no air conditioning, increasingly hot summers present another challenge.
As a result, we’ve traditionally had to close from November until mid-April, leaving our community without an important gathering place for nearly half the year.
We’re ready to change that!
Our goal is to raise $20,000 to install four energy-efficient mini-split heating and cooling units throughout the building. These modern systems will allow us to maintain comfortable temperatures year-round while reducing our reliance on propane.
What Will This Mean for Our Community?
- Year-round activities: Community meals, workshops, events, and gatherings can continue through the winter.
- Stronger pantry support: Improved food storage conditions and the ability to hold indoor Open Pantry events throughout the year.
- Comfortable summer events: Air conditioning will make our historic building more welcoming during the warmer months.
- More efficient operations: Modern heating and cooling will help us make better use of our limited operating funds.
Balsam Community Center is operated entirely by volunteers, and every dollar we raise helps us preserve this historic gathering place and expand what we can offer our neighbors. We’ve already committed some funds toward this project and are holding additional fundraisers, but we need our community’s help to reach the finish line.
Help Us Reach Our $20,000 Goal!
Your donation will help us do something we’ve wanted to accomplish for years: keep our doors open and our community connected through every season.
Please consider making a donation through our Givebutter fundraising campaign. Every contribution makes a difference!