Social Enterprise
For the CAP Framework to be effective, it must be sustainable. Social Enterprise is the platform of practice that brings financial sustainability into the game. These are the regenerative practices where everything comes together to support the triple bottom line – social, environmental, and financial health. HHI has developed and launched 2 unique social enterprises, with plans in the works to launch our biggest yet! Our social enterprises not only help fund the work we do within the community, a portion of our profits are set aside annually to “regrant” to other initiatives throughout the city who align with our mission & vision.
The Enterprises
Current…
Hood Tours provided the very first tour as part of Asheville’s 2015 MLK Day of Service. The tours are an intimate journey through Asheville’s storied past – highlighting the challenges, pain, resilience and ingenuity of Asheville’s African American community and neighborhoods. Participants can join walking or driving tours that visit key sites within the downtown area and throughout the city, learning about the policies and experiences that have shaped our city. DeWayne brings Asheville’s black history alive and inspires participants to find their own unique ways to help create a culture of sustainability that is inclusive and economically just.
Peace Gardens & Market began as a humble community garden and has grown into a vibrant social enterprise. In 2011, we added a greenhouse to the gardens – allowing us to grow our own plant starts and cut down on costs. That year, and each year since, we grew more plants than we could plant…and so the Peace Garden Plant Sales were born. In addition to our annual plant sales, in 2020 we launched the Peace Gardens Retreat & Residency – both a revenue generator and an opportunity for visiting artists to lend their creative energy to our community. And, in 2021, we launched our very own farmstand! We are quickly outgrowing our space, so with Hood Tours, we have been dreaming up the next step in our evolution…
In Development…
Blue Note Junction: Community Health and Business Incubator. Building on over 20 years of foundational work within this legacy neighborhood, Hood Huggers International, Peace Gardens & Market, and Asheville Creative Arts are partnering to create a one-of-a-kind health and business incubator within the community. As the neighborhood braces itself for yet another highway expansion, this partnership leans into existing plans and policies to address long standing needs within our community.
The Policies
- Local: Buncombe County DHHS declares racism a public health crisis.
- Local: City of Asheville’s recent disparity study prompts the creation of Asheville’s Business Inclusion Policy.
- State: North Carolina’s recent Disparity Study Report highlights ongoing disparities in state contracting with BIPOC and women-owned businesses across all departments.
- National: President Biden issues Executive Order to tackle the climate crisis. Included in this order is the Justice 40 Initiative: President Biden has made historic commitments to use every lever at his disposal to advance environmental justice and spur economic opportunity for disadvantaged communities.
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