Eblen Charities is a non-profit organization rooted in Asheville, NC. Founded in 1991 by Joe Eblen, then President of the Biltmore Oil Company, Eblen Charities has grown from assisting 300 families during its first year to assisting thousands of families through multiple programs today.
The work of Eblen Charities began with a golf tournament in 1990 to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis. A member of the golf committee received a phone call from a father who had a young daughter with Cystic Fibrosis. He and his wife needed to take her to Duke University Hospital the following day and had no money to do so. He had called most of the large nonprofits in our region, but since he and his wife both worked and had insurance, they were denied any help.
This family did not have the funds to make the trip and pay for the gas, food, and lodging they would need for their daughter’s medical treatment. After learning that most medical charities funds were used for research, the father said, “Research is important, but what do I do about tomorrow if I can’t take my daughter to the hospital?”
Joe Eblen ended up paying for the family’s expenses out of his own pocket. He began to question how we could support local families with needed help for instances like this one. After researching many organizations in western North Carolina, and not finding one that would meet the needs of families regardless of income, he asked, “Why not just set up our own?”
From that, a yard sale was held, $400 was raised, and Eblen Charities was created.
Since then, Eblen Charities has gone on to support our community in western North Carolina with help for housing, utilities, clothing, school supplies, transportation and for medications, and support for issues related to medical concerns.
Now in our 33rd year of operation, we serve just under 10,000 local residents a year with help for critical needs.
