AVL Digital Nomads

## AVL Digital Nomads Volunteer Day at MANNA FoodBank

## Hunger hides in plain sight in Asheville and surrounding communities.

Many of our neighbors are struggling in silence — facing empty shelves and impossible choices.
Let’s show up and do something about it.
Join AVL Digital Nomads for a volunteer shift at MANNA FoodBank, where we’ll work together to:

• Sort donations
• Bag bulk food items
• Date-check perishable goods
• Support the team keeping our community fed

Together, we can help create a more caring Asheville where no one goes without a meal.

***

## What to Expect

If it’s your first time volunteering at MANNA, here’s a quick walkthrough:

• Plan to arrive a few minutes early at the former FedEx warehouse
• Turn left into the volunteer parking lot
• Walk past the turnstile fence and enter the warehouse
• Continue down the hallway past the bathrooms and fridges
• You’ll find a small lounge area with high-top tables where volunteers gather

MANNA staff will usually greet you somewhere between the parking lot and the lounge.
There will be individual volunteers in addition to our group, so:

• Look for other AVL Digital Nomads
• Introduce yourself and connect with new arrivals
• We’ll coordinate with simple name tags

Once everyone is checked in:

• MANNA staff will give a brief safety overview
• Then assign tasks for the day

They are very accommodating, and there are usually multiple types of tasks available if you have any limitations.

***

## Important Details (Please Read)

### Location

MANNA FoodBank
99 Broadpointe Drive, Mills River, NC
Doors open 10 minutes before the shift — please arrive a 15 minutes early.

### Liability Waiver

• Waivers will be provided on-site
• All volunteers must sign upon arrival
• Volunteers 17 and under require a parent or guardian signature

### Dress Code

• Closed-toe shoes are required (no exceptions)
• Wear comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting a little dirty

### What to Bring

• Water or your preferred beverage
• Light snacks will be available

### Guidelines

To maintain a safe and welcoming environment:

• Nicotine-Free Facility
• No smoking, vaping, or nicotine use inside or within fenced areas
• Items must be stored in your vehicle
• Designated smoking area is at the far end of the parking lot
• Substance-Free Workplace
• No alcohol, drugs, or impairing substances (including THC/Kratom)
• Age Requirement
• Volunteers must be 10 years or older

This is a great opportunity to connect with the AVL Digital Nomads community while giving back in a meaningful way.
Come be part of it

May Selection - Beautiful Country: A Memoir of an Undocumented Childhood by Qian Julie Wang

In Chinese, the word for America, Mei Guo, translates directly to “beautiful country.” Yet when seven-year-old Qian arrives in New York City in 1994 full of curiosity, she is overwhelmed by crushing fear and scarcity. In China, Qian’s parents were professors; in America, her family is “illegal” and it will require all the determination and small joys they can muster to survive. Inhabiting her childhood perspective with exquisite lyric clarity and unforgettable charm and strength, Qian Julie Wang has penned an essential American story about a family fracturing under the weight of invisibility, and a girl coming of age in the shadows, who never stops seeking the light.

Welcome to our robust and engaging Book Club! We're a small, friendly group dedicated to fostering lively discussions about our monthly book selections. Whether you've read the entire book, just a few chapters, or even if you're simply curious about the title, we'd love to have you join us!

Meeting Schedule: We gather on the First Tuesday of every month for our book discussions.

What sets us apart is our small group size and directed discussions. This intimate setting allows for deeper, more engaging conversations where everyone's voice can be heard. It's the perfect environment for those who love to dive deep into themes, characters, and the intricacies of storytelling.

So whether you're a seasoned bookworm or just dipping your toes into the world of literature, we invite you to join us. Let's explore new worlds, challenge our perspectives, and forge new friendships - one book at a time!

June Pick: Is A River Alive: A Journey with Water by Robert MacFarlane

AVL UX (hosted by AVL Digital Nomads) is Asheville’s new meetup for UX, product, and research folks. This first event is casual and low-pressure and focuses on- quick intros, small-group chats, and a short “what should we do next?” moment.

What if Asheville had a regular place where UX people could actually find each other and it without, feeling like a stiff “networking event”? AVL UX is Asheville’s new meetup for UX, product, and research meant to build and connect the local community to shape what the
UX scene here becomes.

This first gathering is intentionally friendly + low-pressure. Come as you are: working designer, researcher, PM, engineer, student, career-switcher, or just UX-curious. The goal is simple: meet people, trade notes, and leave with new connections (and a clearer idea of what AVL UX should be next).

What to expect

• Quick welcomes + name tags (so it’s easy to meet people).
• Casual small-group conversations and prompts (And hopefully no awkward interactions).
• A short “what should AVL UX do next?” moment (talks, portfolio nights, design jams, a Config watch party 2026, etc.)

A few topics up for discussion

• What’s your Asheville UX Scene?: Where is everyone and what is everyone doing in Asheville? Why UX here as the industry is rather small
• Design-to-code + vibe-coding workflows: what’s actually working with tools like Figma Make/MCP + Cursor—and what breaks in real teams?
• Accessibility is becoming the baseline: how are you baking WCAG 2.2 into design + dev early (instead of last-minute fixes)?
• Design systems + tokens in 2026: how do we keep tokens clean, scalable, and synced between design + code without “token rot”?
• Calm, mindful UX: how do we reduce cognitive load and create more “human” experiences instead of noisy, attention-grabby UI?

For our first meeting we’ll go to Hi-Wire Brewing in RAD. Easy to get to with plenty of parking. A great assortment of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Typically there is a food truck as well.

Looking forward to meeting everyone and launching our new UX community!