About Us

Our Mission

Together, we connect, share, and celebrate nutritious food, education, and community. 

Vision

Creating communities where everyone has the right and opportunity to eat well, be nourished, and thrive.  

Bounty & Soul Manifesto

We believe in the power of commUNITY

We believe food is a human right.

Food is love. Food is medicine. Food is justice. 

o

We know our farmers and they know us.

We honor their work as sacred. 

o

Knowledge is power and communities are wise.

Communities have the resources to care for each other. 

Together we create a just and equitable food and health system. 

o

Everyone has a right to abundance and to define their well-being on their own terms.

o

We welcome you. 

We value you as a whole person.

We will greet you by name.

We choose love. 

Bounty & Soul is proud to be a living wage certified employer.

Our Team

Those who dedicate their time and passion to fulfilling our mission!

Our Staff

2019_alicasparian-3702 (2)

Ali Casparian (she/her  What's This?)  

Executive Director and Founder

Ali is the Founder and Executive Director of Bounty & Soul, a non-profit organization co-creating healthy communities by connecting people to food, education and each other through a no cost cooperative model. ...

ali@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Ali is the Executive Director and Founder of Bounty & Soul, a non-profit organization co-creating healthy communities by connecting people to food, education and each other through a no cost cooperative model.

Ali graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Muhlenberg College and spent over 25 years as a director in the food industry in New York. After a near-death experience, Ali left the corporate life to pursue a path of holistic health and wellness in North Carolina. She received her certification as a Health and Wellness Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, the largest nutrition school in the world and is also an Advanced Food-Healing Certified Instructor from the Supreme Science Qi Gong Center. During this time, she found herself food insecure and not able to access nutritious foods and seeing many others in the same situation. Ali founded Bounty & Soul in 2014 after experiencing the urgent need to bridge the gap between food security and whole person health. Her passion and experience with growing and preparing healthy foods, natural healing, leading and connecting with people led her to start the organization. Through Bounty & Soul, Ali has created a place where people can gather, feel valued and be inspired to make healthy choices, no matter where they are in their life.

Besides her role as Executive Director, Ali frequently shares her expertise and experience in food security, health & wellness and community engagement through public speaking engagements and panel discussions.

Ali has received many leadership and community service awards. She has been honored with WLOS TV (Asheville, NC) Person of the Week, eTown’s eChievement Award, Rotary Club’s John K. Abernathy Service Award, and NY Mayoral “Leadership During Crisis” Award for 9/11.

Ali, and the work of Bounty & Soul, has also been featured in the November 2019 issue of Eating Well Magazine.

Personally, Ali enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking and spending time with family.

Paula headshot copyRS

Paula Sellars M.S.W. (she/her)

Associate Director

Paula’s expertise is human development and social change. As Deputy Director of Bounty & Soul, she works with our team to ensure that the heart of our mission is achieved in all of our programs. ...

paula@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Paula’s expertise is human development and social change. As Deputy Director of Bounty & Soul, she works with our team to ensure that the heart of our mission is achieved in all of our programs. She works with community stakeholders to identify future needs and desires in the community and steer the organization toward the collaborative fulfillment of those aspirations. Formerly a family therapist and cranio-sacral therapist, she specialized in family systems, adolescence, and trauma recovery. Paula is the originator of the training methodology, Docutraining®, a community-based, scalable, trauma-informed training approach to social change movements that impact public health. As such, Paula is the curriculum developer of Darkness to Light’s award-winning, evidence-based Stewards of Children®, an international child sexual abuse prevention Docutraining® and suite of associated trainings that effect behavior-change in child protection. Paula is also the developer of Docutraining® for older adults and family caregivers that shift the paradigm of aging to partnership and mutual contribution. As co-owner and trainer with Phoenix Possibilities, Paula taught the Cliff Jumping® Program and other leadership development programs for individuals, couples, and organizational groups. As a social change agent, she weaves her knowledge and experience to inspire vitality, integrity, and community action. Paula enjoys the outdoors, cooking and entertaining friends, film-making, astrology, and consciousness studies. She is happiest in big, collaborative projects that impact large systems.

Linda

Linda Cohen (she/her What's This?)

Director of Business & Finance

Linda had a very successful career working with and for nonprofit organizations from very small to very large.  She has helped lead organizations in their growth and planning. Always a ...

linda@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Linda Cohen is our Staff Accountant. Linda had a very successful career working with and for nonprofit organizations from very small to very large. She has helped lead organizations in their growth and planning. Always a stickler for details, she’s done some marvelous work in making sure that our administrative and financial accounts are in order. She’s working 20 hours per week, so she has time to spend getting to know the WNC community.

Karla 2022rs

Karla Gardner (she/her)

Director of Community Engagement

Karla relishes in connecting with participants, gleaning and sorting produce from local farms and takes pride in knowing that this food is ...

karla@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Karla joined our team as Director of Operations in 2016 after serving as a full-time volunteer, helping behind the scenes and spearheading the pilot program, The Cookbook Project. She previously worked with hunger relief organizations for more than four years, managing volunteers and community outreach efforts following a year of service with AmeriCorps. She has always been passionate about helping people which drew her to pursue Sociology and Anthropology in college.

Karla relishes in connecting with participants, gleaning and sorting produce from local farms and takes pride in knowing that this food is finding a home rather than going to waste. She looks forward to the possibilities that are to come in the food security sector and the shift to making a lifestyle of health and wellness accessible to everyone, regardless of income and life situation.

Aiyannars

Aiyanna Foltz (she/her)

Donor Relations Manager

Aiyanna began her career in Asheville as a writer for the Mountain Xpress newspaper where her feature articles focused on the people of Western North Carolina....

aiyanna@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Aiyanna began her career in Asheville as a writer for the Mountain Xpress newspaper where her feature articles focused on the people of Western North Carolina. From community gardens to zero-waste kitchens, from artists to activists, she wrote about the incredible people of this region–striving to offer readers personal and dynamic glimpses into diverse individuals’ and groups’ stories, initiatives and local impacts. You can read the published articles here. She is also the author of a nonfiction book titled A Tangled Tree, which was published in 2017 by Logosophia Books. Thereafter, she moved into the nonprofit sector as the Development Coordiantor and then Director of Philanthropy for Our VOICE, Asheville and Buncombe County's rape crisis center, working to expand the agency’s direct services for survivors of sexual violence and prevention education for middle and high-school students throughout Western North Carolina. The issue of food waste and distribution has been a great concern of hers since college when she became a volunteer "food runner" rescuing food from campus cafeterias, cafes and grocery stores, and then driving it to a food kitchen for the homeless community. Since then, the issue of food waste has inspired much of her writing, and continues to influence here life and choices everyday. In her personal life, Aiyanna is a mother of three, a gardener and honeybee keeper dedicated to cultivating her homestead with her husband, where they chase daughters, keep chickens, and continually plant trees for the generation to come.

francisco2 2022RS

Francisco Chavez (He/Him El/Usted)

LatinX Program Manager

Francisco is originally from Mexico and has been living in the USA for more than 22 years. His favorite hobbies are: music, dancing, and outdoor activities. He is a happy ...

francisco@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Francisco is originally from Mexico and has been living in the USA for more than 22 years. His favorite hobbies are: music, dancing, and outdoor activities. He is a happy person and loves to make people around him laugh. If you see him dancing, it is because he is also a Zumba instructor! He loves life and is fascinated by what he does. He considers himself a very lucky person to have so many good people around him!

Kyle P2P Mgr rs

Kyle Ramser (he/him)

Produce to the People™ Manager

Kyle came to Bounty & Soul as Produce to the People™ Manager with 4 years of service at MANNA FoodBank across several...

kyle@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Kyle came to Bounty & Soul as Produce to the People™ Manager with 4 years of service at MANNA FoodBank across several departments. He's passionate about the connectivity he has with participants and volunteers and the impact we make together. Fun fact about Kyle - he answers almost every jeopardy question correctly, and before the contestants! He's a fountain of knowledge, and his sense of humor will catch you off guard and leave you admiring his quick wit. Kyle's a team player and a strong asset to the organization.

Claudie smiling2

Claudie Babineaux (she/her)

Farmers Alliance Manager

Claudie is happy to be joining the team at Bounty & Soul.  She started as a delivery driver and is now the Farmers Alliance Program ...

claudie@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Claudie is happy to be joining the team at Bounty & Soul.  She started as a delivery driver and soon became the Farmer's Alliance Program Coordinator. After spending several years as a Park Ranger and later a Firefighter/EMT, Claudie found her calling in sustainable agriculture. She has spent the last ten years managing farms throughout the southeast ranging from small-scale market gardens to a large-scale CSA farm. She also spent several years managing the student farm at the University of Florida which provided food for the on-campus food pantry as well as other local food pantries. Claudie is passionate about food security and is excited to be a part of the community of individuals working towards reducing hunger and making food available to all.

Hannah

Hannah Titus (she/her)

Staff Accountant

Hannah joins Bounty & Soul as their bookkeeper. Hannah has come to Black Mountain after spending ...

hannah@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Hannah joins Bounty & Soul as their bookkeeper. Hannah has come to Black Mountain after spending a lifetime in Florida where she was involved in custom home construction as a Project Accountant. Hannah attended Steson University in DeLand, Florida and received her Bachelors Degree in Accounting. Personally, Hannah and her husband Mark have one daughter, Mary, and two spoiled kitties. Hannah is passionate about helping those in need and is honored to be a part of such a wonderful organization made up of incredibly talented and caring individuals.

Dani Potts2crrs

Dani Potts (she/her)

Rooted in Health Manager

Dani grew up in Santa Cruz, California and came to North Carolina to complete her Bachelors and Masters degree in Nutrition ...

dani@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Dani grew up in Santa Cruz, California and came to North Carolina to complete her Bachelors and Masters degree in Nutrition and Dietetics at Appalachian State University. She has three years of experience working with nonprofits where she found an interest in food insecurity and serving her community. Dani is a Registered Dietitian and Yoga Instructor and has recently moved to Asheville to begin her career as a Dietitian. She believes that food is medicine and that everyone deserves access to resources to help nourish their bodies. She is passionate about the mind body connection and helping individuals be their healthiest self to live life to the fullest! Dani enjoys being outdoors, doing yoga, running, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family.

Fitz rs

Jefferson "Fitz" Fitzpatrick (he/him)

Driver and Community Liaison

Fitz has been transporting food and supporting the community of Bounty and Soul since 2020. He feels that...

 

 

Learn More

Fitz has been transporting food and supporting the community of Bounty and Soul since 2020. He feels that being a part of the team has been one of the most rewarding experiences of his life. Fitz's perspective on food security, wellness, and community service continues to deepen and expand with each shift that he performs. In his time outside of Bounty & Soul Fitz is a recording artist, a songwriter, and a poet. He manages and cares for a handful of properties around town, and enjoys quality time with family, friends and mama nature. Fitz looks forward to being a part of this community's growth, and he holds love at the center of his work with Bounty & Soul.

tatiana029_webrs

Tatiana Rivest (she/her)

Special Projects Administrator

Tatiana is originally from Montreal and has been living in WNC since 2015. She started her career in nonprofit work...

tatiana@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Tatiana is originally from Montreal and has been living in WNC since 2015. She started her career in nonprofit work in 2004 and has focused on mission-driven special events and programs for the last 12 years. She’s spent countless late night post-event hours distributing surplus food and flowers to members of her community rather than letting the excess go to waste. You can find her studying horticulture, exploring with her 5 year old, or in the garden growing food for as many people as she can.

Healthy Opportunities Pilot Team (HOP)

Sarah Bostick2rs

Sarah Bostick (she/her)

HOP Project Lead

Sarah has spent the last twenty years working in local food systems, most recently as an independent food systems consultant specializing in farms, food hubs, and...

sarah@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Sarah has spent the last twenty years working in local food systems, most recently as an independent food systems consultant specializing in farms, food hubs, and food access. She has also worked as a Sustainable Agriculture Extension Agent with the University of Florida, helping hundreds of farmers and homeowners improve the sustainability of their growing practices and the quality of their final products. The first sixteen years of her career she was an organic vegetable and cut flower farmer. Ten of the sixteen years were also spent starting and managing a food hub that focused on low-income access to local produce, managing the teaching and marketing for a refugee farmer training program, and consulting with food hubs and small-scale farmers to enhance their competitiveness in wholesale markets. When she is not working, she is busy hiking, fixing up her old house, and digging in the garden.

Jane Vogelman Lubbers Head shotrs

Jane Volgeman Lubbers

Certified Health Coach & Educator, HOP

Jane’s background is in environmental /adventure education, health and wellness coaching, yoga, and health education…

jane@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Jane’s background is in environmental/ adventure education, health and wellness coaching, yoga, and health education… Jane worked in the environmental and adventure education field for many years. Through trip leading and experiential science teaching for many camps and outdoor schools, instructing for Outward Bound, and serving as the Director of the Mountain Trail Outdoor School, she learned that the hands- on approach to teaching creates lasting memories, skills, and builds confidence. She took this philosophy into the kitchen in working with Bounty & Soul to create the Green Aprons program, a hands-on cooking program geared towards teaching middle schoolers the skills for healthy cooking and eating. Jane has taken her love of teaching and wellness abroad in working with a bilingual school in Costa Rica to develop and facilitate a wellness program for their primary school. Jane is a Holistic Health Coach who partners with clients to help them improve their health in an attainable and simple way. Jane assists clients in identifying their health goals and helps them make a road map to success. Her approach is non-judgmental, open, honest, and encouraging. She understands that we all have different needs, and caters her coaching to the individual. Through the process of health coaching, Jane guides clients in making lasting behavior changes. Jane received her coaching training from Duke Integrative Medicine where she had the opportunity to learn from leaders in the field of Integrative Health Coaching. She has also earned her 500 hr. yoga teaching certification through Yandara Yoga and Asheville Yoga training programs. Jane is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) and a 500 hour Registered Yoga teacher (RYT-500).

Krystal Herrman Bio2 rs

Krystal Herrmann

HOP Program Associate

Krystal was born and raised in the Midwest and moved to East Asheville in 2019. Her educational and professional background is in nutrition and public health…

krystal@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Krystal was born and raised in the Midwest and moved to East Asheville in 2019. Her educational and professional background is in nutrition and public health. Krystal’s experience ranges from years in a hospital setting as a dietetic technician to working as a program coordinator for a water quality research nonprofit in Omaha, NE. After working in the legal field for several years, Krystal’s enthusiasm for nutrition and community engagement reignited and her journey with Bounty & Soul began. In her free time, Krystal enjoys cooking, hiking, paddleboarding, and traveling.

Syndney HOP2rs

Sydney Lane (she/her)

HOP Delivery Driver

Sydney is from Wilmington, North Carolina and moved to Asheville for college at UNC Asheville in 2017. She graduated in May of 2022 with a degree in Mass Communication …

sydney@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Sydney is from Wilmington, North Carolina and moved to Asheville for college at UNC Asheville in 2017. She graduated in May of 2022 with a degree in Mass Communication and a minor in Health and Wellness Promotion. Sydney was an intern at Bounty & Soul with Kids Programming in 2021. She then served with Bounty & Soul as a Project POWER AmeriCorps Member for a whole year, assisting with the Produce to the People Initiative as Food Distribution Assistant and Benevolent Box Coordinator. Helping others is where she feels the most joy in life and food security is very important to her. Sydney enjoys connecting with the community as a HOP driver and an advocate for food justice!

Dawn Roach HOP Driver rs

Dawn Roach (she/her)

HOP Delivery Driver

Dawn began volunteering with Bounty and Soul as a way to give back to the community that has given her so much.   Dawn has spent her adult life in the beautiful …

dawn@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Dawn began volunteering with Bounty and Soul as a way to give back to the community that has given her so much. Dawn spent her adult life in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. Dawn began volunteering with Bounty & Soul's Produce to the People and HOP programs in 2022. Outside of Bounty and Soul, she enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, and snuggling her pets. Dawn is excited to be joining the team as a HOP driver.

Ellie HOP3

Ellie Boye (she/her)

Americorps Volunteer

Ellie grew up in Davidson, North Carolina and lived there until moving to Gettysburg, PA to attend Gettysburg College. After graduating in 2022 with a degree in …

ellie@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Ellie grew up in Davidson, North Carolina and lived there until moving to Gettysburg, PA to attend Gettysburg College. After graduating in 2022 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Religious Studies, Ellie spent a year of service as a Corps Member in AmeriCorps NCCC in the Pacific Region. Following this service year, she found Project POWER in Asheville, NC which led her to Bounty & Soul as the Community Food Distribution Assistant. In this position she helps out at the Produce to the People markets, works as the Benevolent Box coordinator, and is a member of the HOP team. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and backpacking, reading, and trying new recipes!

Contractors & Facilitators

suzanne rs111

Suzanne Serbia (she/her)

Marketing & Graphic Design Support

Suzanne has been with Bounty & Soul since its inception, always using her skills, past experiences, and talents to help the organization.   Suzanne has had leadership roles ...

suzanne@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Suzanne has been with Bounty & Soul since its inception, always using her skills, past experiences, and talents to help the organization. Suzanne has had leadership roles in Information Technology supporting Marketing Initiatives and building/managing Design Teams in a Fortune 500 company. After a career in corporate life, Suzanne now uses her artistic abilities and her desire to build relationships with the senior population in her area to lead Art Workshops in Assisted Living facilities. Inspired by her workshops, she has created and published three Coloring Books that feature her artwork, poetry and short stories. Suzanne resides in Connecticut. When not working on her computer, Suzanne loves being outdoors, taking walks, gardening and star gazing.

Valerie rs

Valerie Holbert (she/her)

Health & Wellness Coach, Yoga Teacher

Valerie, NCB-HWC, RYT-500, Reiki Level II, is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Registered Yoga Teacher and Reiki Practitioner. Yoga, mindfulness and working...

valerie@bountyandsoul.org

Learn More

Valerie Holbert, NCB-HWC, RYT-500, Reiki Level II is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Registered Yoga Teacher and Reiki Practitioner. Yoga, mindfulness and working through her own past traumas have been integral parts of her own healing journey, leading her work to help others on their own path to healing. Through her own practices along with changes in diet, lifestyle and stress management, she changed her relationship with and experience of chronic pain and a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia in her 20s. In her private practice, Nourish, as well as her work with the Wellness Coaching Collective and Bounty & Soul, she uses a full-circle approach to addressing the individual issues and concerns of each client incorporating tools like yoga, reiki, EFT, breath work, somatic tools and mindfulness, always meeting the client where they are and following their lead on setting goals and creating doable steps for success. Valerie believes it is essential that we can identify and incorporate what nourishes us on all levels—healthy foods, career, relationships, exercise, spirituality, self-care and joy. It's vital to nourish our souls, not just our cells, and to build space and capacity to make choices in alignment and congruent with our best selves. She is continuously growing and honing her skills as a coach, yoga teacher and energy worker including completing training and certification for Brain Health Coaching through Dr. Daniel Amen and a Reiki apprenticeship working towards Reiki Level III in 2020.

Tara L Zumba Instr cr

Tara Leammookda (ella/ellas)

Zumba Instructor

Operations Manager by day/Zumba Instructor by night. I've lived in NC for most of my life, and grew up dancing with my grandparents in Connecticut. Dancing ...

    

Learn More

Operations Manager by day/Zumba Instructor by night. I've lived in NC for most of my life, and grew up dancing with my grandparents in Connecticut. Dancing developed into a lifelong passion and led me to Zumba. I've been a Zumba Instructor for 6 years and it has allowed me to connect with people from around the world. In just one hour, a Zumba Class can help you forget your worries, free your mind and transport you to your happy place.

Board of Directors

Dave Charlton
Board Chair

Learn More

Dave is the son of the son of a preacher man, growing up in the Methodist church in North Carolina and Virginia. He and his wife moved to Asheville 19 years ago to live where they could be close to kids and grandkids. Dave spent his working career in various roles with telecommunications companies including executive roles in Business Development and Information Technology and had his own consulting company. He’s recently changed careers and is doing what he loves, largely volunteer/board work with Bounty & Soul. Dave enjoys most all outdoor adventure activities, serving on non-profit boards, and being with family which includes two children and two grandchildren. He’s very excited about the vision and future of Bounty & Soul.

Esteve Coll

Esteve Coll-Larrosa

Learn More

Esteve was born in the city of Tarragona, in the Spanish region of Catalonia. He moved to California in 1995 and to North Carolina in 1999; he lives in Black Mountain and works at Artspace Charter School as the Business and Operations Manager. He is honored to support an organization like Bounty & Soul that advocates for fair and sustainable healthy food production and distribution while building community. Before joining the Board of Directors, Esteve and his wife Michelle volunteered at the Friday market in Black Mountain where the energy is contagious. Esteve enjoys any outdoor activity as well as cooking good Spanish food, like tortillas and paellas.

Steve Coward 2023rs

Steve Coward ND

Learn More

Originally from New Jersey and upstate New York, Steve has spent the last twenty-odd years as a naturopathic physician in Asheville. Bounty and Soul’s vision of giving everyone the chance to “eat well, be nourished, and thrive” dovetails well with a career in which food is medicine. He is an advocate of fresh air, exercise, healthy food, meditation, and plenty of sleep. In his spare time, Steve loves reading and meditation, hiking, boating, fishing, golf, travelling, helping out anyone who needs help, spending time with his wife and their adult children, laughing, and eating healthy food!!

Dan Bd Member

Dan Davis

Learn More

Dan is originally from Lakeland, Florida. He fell in love with the mountains after numerous camping trips to the Smokies growing up. He and his wife, Karen, moved to Black Mountain following graduate school in 1994 and have called it home ever since. Dan is the founder of Animate Mentoring. Animate partners with individuals and families as they journey through the many transitions that life demands. Before Animate, Dan worked in youth and family development for over 30 years at Camp Rockmont and served on the Board of the American Camp Association (SE). He is excited about the life-changing difference that accessible, healthy food and relationships can make in our community.

RhondaDevan

Rhonda Devan

Learn More

Rhonda Devan owns her own accounting firm here in Asheville where they provide finance and administration capacity building locally, nationally and globally for not-for-profits. Her firm also provides local small businesses with accounting and tax services. She is currently serving as the Director of Finance and Administration for Groundswell International and is responsible for the organization’s overall finance and administration areas. She has also served as the Chief Financial Officer for various entities over her career in North Carolina and New York. Rhonda, who is a Certified Public Account in both New York and North Carolina, received her MS in Education / Certificate of Advanced Study, School Business Administration from SUNY at Brockport and her BS in Accounting from Roberts Wesleyan College.

Victor G Dostrow rs

Victor Dostrow MD

Learn More

Victor G. Dostrow MD is a neurologist, epileptologist (epilepsy/seizure doctor)and neuropharmacologist. With a long history of working in academic medicine, teaching hospitals and other public and private hospital settings, he practiced most recently at the Asheville VAMC. Dr. Dostrow has been an educator in various medical settings for nearly forty years. He has a long interest in nutrition as a contributing factor in neurologic disease. Over the last thirty or so years, he has served on the boards of a variety of nonprofit organizations, and has gained substantial experience in, and knowledge of, this sector. He and his wife moved to Asheville in 2008. In his off time, he is a competitive (but rather slow) runner. He is enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with Bounty & Soul to help offset the damaging effects of poor nutrition on brain and overall health.

Amy Joy Bd Member rs

Amy Joy Lanou Ph.D.

Learn More

Amy Joy Lanou, Ph.D., is professor of health and wellness and the executive director of the North Carolina Center of Health and Wellness for the University of North Carolina Asheville. In addition, she serves as program director for the Master of Public Health Program in Asheville at UNC Health Sciences at Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC). Dr. Lanou spends much of her time leading teams in public health workforce development, in advancing evidence-based programs for health promotion, in evaluation and technical assistance, and supporting a culture of health on WNC campuses. Her research interests include nutrition and health promotion policy, nutrition for the prevention of chronic disease and health promotion, and strategies for supporting healthy eating patterns. Amy has been a huge fan of Bounty & Soul, and its focus on providing healthy plant-sourced foods to people who need it. As a nutritionist, gardener, and foodie, she is enthusiastic to support Bounty & Soul as a board member and volunteer.

Ellie Stanleycrrs

Ellie Stanley

Learn More

Ellie is a life-long crazy cat lady and nonprofit nerd extraordinaire. Ellie (she/they) dove into the nonprofit ocean when she founded an animal welfare group in 1998. Since then she's served as a leader for animal welfare, wildlife conservation, education, and environmental nonprofits as Executive Director, Development Director, Board member and now as an Organizational Development Consultant for the last 17 years. Ellie is also the founder of the international nonprofit, the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation, and is a long-time mindfulness practitioner in the Thich Nhat Hanh community. "My passion is in creating community with mutual care, justice for ALL, and a healthy environment for all living beings." Look for Ellie at Bounty & Soul events if you want to talk about Bounty & Soul, food justice, flower gardening, or need some funny cat videos.

Tom Tracyrs

Tom Tracy

Learn More

Tom is a committed partner to his wife Libba, an educator, musician, and community maker who has been living in these western Carolina mountains for the past twenty years. He currently teaches writing process and writing workshop to middle school writers at The Learning Community School and has been doing that for a very long time. He also directs musical theater in their performing arts program, working with the entire school community to create an inspiring opportunity for young actors from kindergarten to eighth grade to express themselves. His commitment to community has taken many forms, most notably on the board of the Phoenix Youth At Risk organization in Arizona and on the board of the Black Mountain Center for the Arts in its formative years. Tom loves being with his family and friends, also pushing and pulling things on his tractor, playing tennis, and is currently resurrecting his band, The Dead Poets.

Our Volunteers

volunteering kids rs

Volunteers are the heartbeat of Bounty & Soul. We couldn’t operate without their service, dedication, and commitment. Every week our volunteers donate their time and talents to improving the health and well-being of their fellow community members. With over 350 active volunteers, they are responsible for loading and unloading trucks, displaying the bounty of food, helping our participants select their food, assisting with educating on healthy ways to prepare the food, offering a hug or kind word to another…the list goes on. If you want to make a difference in someone’s life, please reach out to us below or email Karla. We would love for you to join our volunteer family.

Find out more by Clicking Here

Our Partners

Bounty & Soul believes that collaboration and relationships are essential to achieve both its short-term and long-term goals. We are deeply grateful for these relationships, and we support the growth of each organization’s respective missions. Bounty & Soul will continue to focus on building strong and mutually beneficial relationships as we grow, reach more people, and transform lives.

View our Partners