Avery County Habitat for Humanity is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with people in need to build and renovate decent, affordable housing. The houses then are sold to those in need at no profit and with no interest charged.

Sub-Standard Housing & Land Use Assessment

Building upon the former work of an ASU Geography & Planning Student, continued research is needed in the mapping of sub standard housing in Avery County . Applying local statistics and comparing them to national standards will help this Habitat affiliate better focus their resources where the most critical housing help is needed (both currently and in the future).

We would be interested in the sub-standard housing stats when the research project is complete. The only other research questions we might add to the project is any statistics on respiratory illness in children associated with low income, or sub-standard housing.

Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture (BRWIA) is currently studying the High Country food system. We support the Local Food Taskforce in carrying out a community food assessment. This assessment will describe all parts of the High Country food system - from growing, processing, and storing food to selling and eating food. The data gathered in this project will help in planning and funding necessary programs.

Food Miles: The average farm-to-plate distance traveled by food in the United States is 1500 miles. The Local Food Taskforce would like to research the average distance for food that is consumed in the High Country and what percentage of food grown in the region is actually consumed in the region? Food miles for locally-grown food can be calculated by surveying local farmers and the distribution services.

Local Agricultural Data: The Local Food Taskforce would like to gather information on local agriculture and food processing in the community food assessment. This includes information on local farmers' income and cost of living; farm labor; farm land; conventional, organic, and sustainable agricultural practices; and gardening in the community.

Research on Food Consumption: An important part of the High Country food system is food consumption. The Local Food Taskforce would like to collect information on food purchasing by individuals and institutions, specifically grocery stores, convenience stores, the farmer market, and school lunch programs. Information on local hunger programs, nutrition education, and diet-related health issues will also be needed.

Home Demolition Team Feasibility: Design and conduct a feasibility study of the creation of a "demolition team" to deconstruct local houses/buildings. Develop procedure and protocol for demolition team using other Habitat ReStores demo teams as models.

Habitat ReStore recycles overstocked, discontinued, new and used building materials, appliances, furniture, and household items donated by manufacturers, stores, contractors and individuals. These donated items are sold to the public or, when possible, used in construction of Habitat houses. In addition, ReStores contribute greatly to regional recycling efforts by substantially reducing the amount of construction and demolition debris going to the landfill. All revenue from sales goes to the local affiliate in support of its building program.

ReStore Needs Assessment/Feasibility Study for Ashe County. Based on the success (and challenges) of the Boone ReStore, research is needed to determine the feasibility of opening a ReStore in Ashe County . A number of issues need to be looked at such as: overall growth rate of Ashe County , the number of recent building permits, commercial land values, landfill benefits, citizen input, impressions and interest in such a store coming to their community.

Community Agency Needs Assessment Project: HCUW would like to create a needs assessment survey that can be conduced at its umbrella agencies in order to determine what their most pressing needs are in terms of outreach to clients and infrastructure to support programs. Administering, and analyzing the resulting data are needed steps in the process. Researching a recent and similar survey of the Volunteer Resource Center would be a good starting point.

Horn in the West in conjunction with the Southern Appalachian Historical Association is a not-for-profit member organization dedicated to the preservation of the cultural heritage of the Southern Appalachian Region. They operate an annual outdoor drama as well as a living history museum of approximately 9 historical cabins/structures that are available to the public.

Historical Roots/Accuracy Study. Horn in the West would like an historical research project completed that answers how this famous outdoor drama has changed over time, especially in relation to the current production. Investigating historical records for accuracy of depicting local history and people are key, as are determining who have been some of the more famous alumni actors.

Homestead Origination Study. Hickory Ridge Homestead needs to ascertain more information on the full history of the current cabins on site. Topics to research include where each cabin came from, how it was built and by whom, specific techniques used in the building process and other pertinent data about the time period in which the home was built and occupied. The data will be used to further the living history available to the public, as well as inform staff on how best to maintain/repair the cabins for historical accuracy.

Hospice Home Feasibility: Hospice would like to conduct an assessment to determine the feasibility of creating a "Hospice House" of Boone, a comfortable place where patients can spend their final hours in the company of others. A focus on the need, use, and funding of the project would be beneficial.

Palliative Care Viability: Hospice would like to gather more information about the feasibility of moving into more palliative (long term) care for local families. A needs assessment and cost analysis of such a program would be important components.

MiddleFork Greenway Association is a collaborative effort among a group of voluntary local citizens to promote an expansion of the current greenway to include an 8 mile path stretching from Boone to Blowing Rock. This multi-purpose trail will follow the MiddleFork River and feature parks and picnic tables along the way and connect to other multi-purpose trails such as the Moses Cone and Mountains to Sea trail.

Master Plan Creation. Assist in the creation of a master plan that can guide the greenway project as supporters seek to determine potential economic and health benefits, the public's interest in the trail, right of way, zoning, and engineering issues, as well as possible funding sources.

Outcome Measures Study: Impact studies need to be created and conducted for the current students (and alumni) of Mt. Alliances youth adventure program. The project needs to focus on specific outcome measures (e.g. academic performance, confidence levels, increased health, etc.) that are associated with the program's goals.

Market Analysis Project: A market study on how similar groups market themselves and raise funds in their respective communities would be extremely beneficial. This information would help inform Mt. Alliance as they position themselves in the community and apply for funding in the future.

The Project on Aging serves as the focal point for Aging Services in Watauga County and is a department of County Government. The agency encourages independence and promotes wellness by providing supportive services to the county's older adults.

Senior Needs Assessment Study: The Project on Aging would like to conduct an in-depth survey of older adults in the county to determine their needs and wants regarding services and activities both received and not received. This survey will measure the effectiveness of current programming as well as determine where the gaps and unmet needs are in services not currently provided such as out of town medical transportation and dental care.

Students will help in the creation, administration, and data analysis of the survey to both active and infirm older adults. Surveys targeting non-participants in the community should ask about awareness of the senior centers, barriers to attending, and opinions about services and programs they would like to see.