OUR MOUNTAIN WORK
The Quarterly Newsletter of Black Mountain Home for Children
National Foster Care Month
George and Jackie Burns
One Foster Family’s Journey
Spring 2022. Quiet nudges. My husband and I began having small conversations about becoming foster parents—well, I talked, and he listened… quietly. He didn’t seem too eager to have more tiny people filling our already full home. We had two children, six and four, and life was packed. He was a full-time firefighter working on his associate’s degree. We cleaned offices together three evenings a week, he was preaching frequently, and I was new to homeschooling. Still, something kept tugging at my heart. We kept talking, kept praying, and reached out to Black Mountain Home to get more information.
Fall 2022. First Steps. The training opened our eyes to the great need for foster parents. We learned about the neglect, abuse, and other traumas children endure before entering care. We learned tools and approaches for navigating challenging behaviors. We learned about the cycle of need, how brokenness repeats itself, and how healing can, too. We learned about Shared Parenting—the idea of not just caring for a child but also building a relationship with their biological parents. And we discovered some things about ourselves.
Spring 2023. The Call. I was outside, watching our kids play in the yard, when I received the call from the foster care team at Black Mountain Home. A two-year-old and her five-month-old baby brother needed a safe home and a family to care for them. George was on a 24-hour shift at the fire department, so I called him to make sure he was ready. He said yes. Continued on page 3
But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
Spring at Black Mountain Home
Spring at Black Mountain Home has been full of heartwarming moments. Prom dresses and tux fittings. Little ones wobbling on two wheels for the first time. Our youth counting down the days until school’s out.
But along with the joy, this time of year has heavy moments. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day stir up a lot for our kids. Some hope for a call or visit that never comes. They wait. They check the phone. They ask if maybe Mom forgot what day it is, or if Dad’s running late. Others don’t expect anything anymore— but that doesn’t mean it hurts any less.
Such heartache is hard to process. Sometimes it comes out as anger. Sometimes silence. But it’s real. And it’s why the care they receive—every day, not just on the hard days—matters so much. Whether they are in a foster home or on our campus, our kids are surrounded by adults who show up for them. Who stay. Who listen. Who make days feel steady and nights feel safe. It seems no accident that Foster Care Awareness Month falls during the same month as Mother’s Day. A time when we recognize the people who open their hearts and homes to vulnerable children. When we share the critical need for more foster parents.
This Spring, we’re grateful to open the Thomas C. Campbell Student Life Center—a beautiful space where our older youth can heal, learn, and belong. A place where they can study for a test, share a meal, exercise, play games, and dream. It’s more than a building. It’s a promise—that even when families fall apart, there are still people who care, still places that are safe, still futures worth living for.
Thank you for praying for our ministry, loving our kids, volunteering, and giving generously. Because of you, our youth are not alone. They are safe. They are loved. And they are surrounded by people who will celebrate their high moments and be there for them during their lowest ones.
With heartfelt gratitude, James O. Harmon
Audriana Swinford, Thomas W. Alexander Memorial Scholarship Recipient
We are proud to announce that Audriana Swinford, a dedicated student in the Independent Living Program at Black Mountain Home, was selected to receive the Thomas W. Alexander Memorial Scholarship. Audri graduated from T.C. Roberson High School and is currently enrolled in the Criminal Justice program at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. After this semester, she plans to enter the police academy and become a police officer when she turns 21 next year. In addition to her goal of serving her community, she loves children and looks forward to being a mom one day. Black Mountain Home and the Alexander family are proud to honor Audri with this scholarship in recognition of her determination, heart, and the courage with which she is pursuing her goals.
George and Jackie Burns
One Foster Family’s Journey
Continued from cover
Spring 2024. A New Sister.
A year and six days after the children came to live with us, their mom had another baby. She called me from the hospital so the kids could see their baby sister. After the call, she shared a worry—that the baby might end up in foster care, separated from her siblings.
Foster Children and Shared Parenting.
I hope our story helps people understand what shared parenting can mean. I know many foster families feel hesitant about it—I did too. It can feel awkward, uncertain, even risky. But what’s best for the children has to matter more than our fears or the unknowns.
We might have received the call to take that baby anyway—but being chosen by her biological mother was humbling in a way that words can’t fully capture. It reminded me that this isn’t just about opening our home. It’s about opening our hearts to the whole story—mess and beauty, brokenness and redemption, all tangled together.
This road hasn’t been easy. The verse I chose at the beginning of this story has carried us through long nights, sick kids, hard behaviors, heavy court days, shifting plans, and deep questions. But the Lord has met us in every moment.
Strength for the Journey.
The Lord gives us strength each day to keep going for these kids. Isaiah 40:31 sustains us. As they get older and learn this verse for themselves, we want the children to know that God will give them the strength to face everything they’ve been through and everything still ahead.
Pure and Faultless Religion
In James 1:27, scripture teaches us that “pure and faultless religion is this, to care for orphans and widows in their distress.” At Black Mountain Home, we believe the Church is uniquely equipped—and called—to be a refuge for children in need. Most families who open their hearts and homes to children in need are led to do so by their faith, and we know that when a church wraps around those families with prayer, encouragement, and practical help, lives are changed. We invite your church to join us in answering God’s call—by raising up new foster families, supporting those already fostering, and partnering with us in ministry. Together, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus to the most vulnerable among us. To learn how your congregation can get involved, email info@BlackMountainHome.org today.
Kids Need Foster Families
Feel a tug, but just not sure?
If, like the Burns Family, you feel a tug on your heart to foster, but just aren’t sure, we encourage you to join one of our monthly online Foster Care Information Sessions. This is a no-pressure way for you to meet our foster care workers, ask questions, and get the information you need to determine if you and your family are ready to take the next steps.
Ready to take the next steps?
After deciding to open your heart and home to a child in need, you will complete a fostering class. The class meets one evening a week for ten weeks and is led by the Black Mountain Home foster care team. The class will help you understand the foster care system, situations of children in care, how the needs of foster children may differ from your own child’s needs, and prepare you to navigate the inevitable bumps in the road.
Finishing strong.
After you have completed the training and are ready to get your license, our team will help you with the paperwork, home inspection, and other requirements for licensing. This part sometimes takes a bit of time, so patience and perseverance are part of being a foster parent. Remember Hebrews 12:1 : “Run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
Welcoming a child.
Your phone will ring. Then, you will have the beautiful opportunity to welcome a little boy or girl into your home. This is exciting (and a little scary). You are about to live out Matthew 25 by meeting the needs of a child who needs a safe, loving home. Remember, our team will walk alongside you during this journey. They will answer your questions, coordinate respite, and provide physical, emotional, and spiritual support.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Matthew 25:34-36
5 December 3
Emma’s Story
I
Every child who comes into our care has had a different journey. Some have experienced hunger, neglect, and poor health care. Others have faced abuse or been abandoned without anyone to care for them. In some cases, their parents simply aren’t able to provide safety and stability.
Whether a child is with a foster family, living in a home on our campus, or living in our Independent Living Village, our goal is always the same: to provide a safe place to grow, people who care, and a sense of belonging while they move toward whatever comes next—reunification, adoption, or adulthood.
Emma is one of the children entrusted to us. What she’s been through is hard to put into words—but what matters most is where she is now, and how far she’s come.
usually sleep with my shoes on. Just in case
My name is Emma, and I was recently taken away from my mom and dad. People say I’m brave, but I didn’t ask to be. I didn’t want to pack my stuff in a plastic bag and ride in a stranger’s car while my dad yelled in the street and my mom cried on the porch.
The lady who came to get me had a calm voice. She said her name was Jane and that everything would be okay. But no one ever says that when things are okay. They only say it when they’re not, but they don’t want you to be worried about it.
I’m in a different house now with people I don’t know. The walls don’t have any holes in them, and no one really yells like they did at my house, or my old house, now I guess. The woman who lives here is named Sarah. She smiles at me a lot, like maybe if she does it enough, I’ll smile back. But I haven’t felt like smiling or even talking.
There’s a dog here, Max. He keeps bringing me a squeaky toy like I’m supposed to throw it. I don’t want to. I did once, and he got so happy I kind of felt something like a warm bubble in my chest. Then I got scared and pushed it down.
Sarah gave me a room with a bed that smells good. There’s a dresser too, with new clothes that are my size and some room for the clothes I brought from home. I haven’t unpacked yet. I don’t want to get too comfortable in case I have to leave soon. I usually sleep with my shoes on. Just in case.
Sarah made dinner last night, and everyone ate at the table. They talked about their day and other random things. It was nice to hear people talking calmly and not yelling. The food was really good. Hearing everyone talk made me start thinking about my old home. I can’t remember calm conversations where it was nice, like the one I was listening to.
I miss my mom. I don’t miss the yelling, or the scary nights when they would fight. I don’t miss not having water to take a bath. I don’t miss being hungry. I don’t miss being picked on
at school for wearing dirty clothes. I don’t miss how mad dad would get at us when he ran out of his pills and would start hitting us. I don’t miss the creepy guys that my mom would bring over when dad wasn’t home who would try to touch me. But I do miss my mom. I know she wasn’t perfect and definitely did a bunch of things she shouldn’t have, but she was nicer than my dad. It was nice to be around her. If it was just us.
Sarah keeps asking me how I’m feeling and if I want to talk, but I don’t. I don’t like talking to anyone about how things were or how I feel because I don’t really know how to feel about it. I understand why I was taken away and know it’s probably for the best. That doesn’t mean I’m okay with it or happy about it. At school, my teacher gave us an assignment to write about our families. I didn’t write anything. I just stared at the paper. I thought families are something you’re supposed to be born into, not borrowed. But maybe I’m wrong. Maybe you can build a new one, piece by piece.
Last night, Sarah tucked me in and asked if I wanted her to stay a little while. I didn’t say anything. She sat on the floor next to my bed and started humming. Not a song I knew — just a soft sound. Like maybe she was humming so I wouldn’t feel alone.
I don’t know if this is my home.
But it feels safe.
And for now, I think that’s enough.
A Vision Honored: The Thomas C. Campbell Student Life Center
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Black Mountain Home’s Ray Campbell
Independent Living Village
On April 24, we celebrated the opening of the Thomas C. Campbell Student Life Center, named in honor of our former President, Tom Campbell.
The Student Life Center is more than a building—it’s a hub of opportunity, belonging, and hope. Designed for young adults who have graduated from high school, it’s where connections happen, life skills are learned, and dreams are built.
Nationally, only about 50% of teens in foster care graduate from high school. Many face homelessness after aging out of care. But at Black Mountain Home, kids don’t age out. Since our Independent Living Program launched in 2008, youth have had a stable, supportive place to live while they gain the skills needed for successful adulthood.
Youth in the program can attend college or vocational school or participate in our Apprenticeship Program tracks. In 2020, with Tom’s vision and the board’s support, fundraising efforts began to add a Student Life Center to the Independent Living Village. Completed this year, under the leadership of President Jimmy Harmon, the vision has come to fruition.
We are truly grateful to the generous donors who made the Thomas C. Campbell Student Life Center possible, including the ministry partners below, whose lead gifts supported key areas of the building now named in their honor.
Haven Community Room - Shepherd and Brock Families in memory of infant children, Kylie Anne and Eden Quinn Shepherd
Kitchen - Susan Andrew and the late Dewey Andrew
Fitness Room - Phyllis Jacumin in memory of her husband, Emile Jacumin
Technology/Computer Lab – Mark and Cathy Buckner in memory of her parents, Guy and Juanita Ramsaur
Classroom – Colton Groome Financial, George Groome, and family in honor of Barbara Groome
Office – Chris and Miranda Fuller in honor of the Fuller Family
Office – Lee Perkins
Office – Sidney Powell in honor of Robert and Beverly Holmes
Porch- Jan Karon in memory of her daughter and best friend, Candace Freeland
Garden Statues – Dave Krewson in memory of his wife, Beverly Krewson
GLORIFYING GOD BY CARING FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES
Thank you to all the Student Life Center Donors
Autrey Tree & Landscaping Co., Inc.
Big Ivy Gun Club, LLC
Central United Methodist Church
Colton Groome & Company
Columbus Presbyterian Church
First Horizon Bank
First Presbyterian Church, Highlands
First Presbyterian Church, Mount Holly
First Presbyterian Church, Newton
Fletcher Presbyterian Church
Freestone Properties
GracePoint Church
Hayes Family Foundation
Mills River Presbyterian Church
Periwinkles
Presbytery of Western North Carolina
Publix Super Markets Charities, Inc.
Rock Star Marble & Granite Inc.
Rye Foundation
T & K Utilities
The Cannon Foundation, Inc.
The Charis Foundation, Inc.
The Path Asheville
Trinity Presbyterian Church, Hendersonville
Tryon Presbyterian Church
Tupelo Honey Cafe
WNC Bridge Foundation
Yonder Luxury Vacation Rentals
Neil and Donna Aguiar
Bill and Leahann Albert
Ron and Cynthia Allen
Troy and Amanda Allison
Susan Andrew
Paul and Jackie Auten
David and Sherri Autrey
Christopher and Megan Baldwin-Harvey
David and Berdjette Barker
Fred and Carol Barkley
Russell and Cassie Barnett
Faye Bennett
Leon and Evelyn Bennett
Kat Berrier
Richard and Sharon Black
Jimmy and Bonnie Blackley
Tami Blackwell
Bob and Dotty Blake
Marty Blaney
Hilton and Kay Bonniwell
Bart and Christy Bounous
Bill and Leahann Bowen-Schmitt
Pat Box
Robert and Bel Box
Robert and Belinda Box
Ginny Bradford
Caleb and Tiferet Bradshaw
Dan and Heather Bradshaw
Grant and Allie Bradshaw
Ralph and Deborah Bradshaw
Quincey and Cindy Brock
Denis and Beth Brosnan
Jessica Brown
Linda Brown
Thomas and Judy Brown
Joe and Janice Brumit
Mark and Cathy Buckner
Bill and Susan Burchill
Janet Burhoe-Jones
Jessica Bush
Pam Cain
Ann Caldwell
Richard and Leslie Callanan
Bobby Campbell
Tom and Cheryl Campbell
Spencer and Caroline Clark
Barry and Nancy Coleman
Michael and Samantha Conner
Joe and Judy Cook
Elodie Covert
Joe and Edie Covert
Kenny and Susannah Covert
Brittney Covington
Allen Crawford
Gabriel and Madison Crumley
Jeff and Cheryl Dalton
Blake and Erin Daniel
Janos and Zita Darabont
Zach and Jill Dasher
Jim and Cooper Davidson
Ann Davis
Charles and Wanda Davis
Dale and Sandra Davis
Cherie Dohy
Sheryl Eller
Gary and Vikki Fain
Dennis and Annette Falls
Don and Donna Farrow
Nick and Crystal Ficker
Gayle Flickinger
Ryan Folz
Dale and Cathy Forehand
Steve and Jennifer Frabitore
Steve and Donna Frellick
Chris and Miranda Fuller
Lee and Nancy Galloway
Lonnie and Winslow Galloway
Clayton and Tiffany Garren
Brad and Wendi Goodson
Sam and Alli Gribben
George and Barbara Groome
Matt and Lauren Groome
Tate and Anna Groome
Keith and Patty Hamilton
Jimmy and Carrie Harmon
Stacy Hart
Bob Hayes
Robin and Barbara Hayes
Bruce and Judy Henderson
David and Nancy Henderson
Mark and Jessica Hingson
Dianne Hix
Christy Hollifield
Sherry Howard
Wendell and Amy Howard
Jim and Mary Hugenschmidt
Christopher and Lisa Huskey
John Isgrig
Mark and Lyn Ivanowicz
Mary Jackson
Phyllis Jacumin
Emilie Jacumin-Simmons
Laura Janson
Roberta Johnson
Debra Jones
Diane Jones
Randy Juhl
Wilson and Susan Jumper
Meghan Jupiter
Rosemary Karalius
Jan Karon
Tom and Priscilla Karvonen
Jessica Keller
Nate and Ellen Kennedy
Grady and Sally Kennington
Amber and Jeremy Knighton
Laura Krohn
Elvis and Rebecca Lafunor
Karl and Julie Lail
Matt and Christina Landers
Jane Laping
Alison Large
Pat Levi
Jeffrey and Lee Ann Lewis
Ben and Tiffany Lillard
Bruce and Mary Jane Lowery
Jeannie Maidment
Marguerite Manicone
Keturah Manwaring
Bob and Jean Markley
Gail Mashburn
Julie May
Denny and Ginger McBride
Russ and Pam McClanahan
Susan McCracken
Terry and Sherry McCracken
Tony and Mariah McKinney
Timothy and Susan McMahan
Barbara McWicker
Patrick and Cyndi Melton
Ed and LaVerne Meyers
Scott and Debbi Mitchell
Hanna Moneypenny
Griff and Cecilia Morgan
Judd and Gloria Morrison
Art and Ginny Moser
Helen Moss
Kelly Nichols
David and Angelia Noland
Jason and Lori Norris-Sutphin
Annalisa Orefice
Mark and Linda Owens
Ladd and Ginny Painter
Jennifer Palumbo-Wright
John and Beth Pappas
Dave and Nancy Park
Kevin and Rachel Parker
Phil and Randy Parker
Wes and Allison Parker
Piper Perez
Lee Perkins
Dennis and Rebecca Ponder
Sidney Powell
Wilson Powell
Chris and Jihan Price
Connie Pruitt
Lynnette Raines
John Ramsey
Kenneth and Debbie Ray
Steve and Pam Raymond
Chris and Laura Ready
Scott and Nancy Reed
John and Dawn Regan
Pamela Reid
Jim and Debbi Rekas
Kevin and Lois Reynolds
Martin and Michelle Riggs
Jake Robinson
James and Laura Robinson-Long
Bruce and Lisa Rome
Joan Rothenberg
Frank and Cynthia Royce
Shana Ruble
Matt Ruiz
Scott and Lisa Russell
Grant and Julie Sassen
Gijs and Louise Schimmel
John and Lisa Sessions
Jeff and Nancy Sheffield
Chris Brendel and Loretta Shelton
Rebecca Shelton
Clint and Brittnee Shepherd
Dale Slusser
Gary and Jan Smith
Mallory Smith
Terrance and Virginia Soll
Ashley Starnes
Mackenzie Steen
Mark and Julie Steimer
Chris and Melanie Stewart
Natalie Stroud
Daniel and Laura Sullins
Drew and Tammie Sullivan
John and Amy Swanson
Skip and Jeanne Tappy
Jeff and Winyah Templin
Sam and Sara Thielman
Jim and Sarah Thomas
Lacy and Dottie Thornburg
John and Suzanne Travers
Ames and Phyllis Tryon
Garrett Turner
Jeff and Jan Turpin
Paul and Valorie Vliek
Dennis and Lorraine Voelker
JD and Patsy Waldrop
Justin and Candace Walker
Joe and Mary Ann Wansong
James and Pat Ward
Ryan and Melissa Watkins
Nic and Joslyn Weaver
Bill and Regina Webster
Carson and Celia Wheeless
Andrew and You-Ying Whipple
Josephine White
Dave and Doris Whitesides
Justin Wiggins
Christine Wilhelm
Ken and Catherine Williams
Bob and Mary Williamson
Mike and Joan Wilson
Daniel and Elise Windmiller
Matt Young
Blair and Joan Yount
Because Hurricane Helene’s devastation led to the cancellation of our annual Fall Festival last year, we want to make this year’s event extra special. Please join us for this free, familyfriendly event to celebrate community and resilience, and support the children entrusted to our care.
How You Can Help!
If you have a classic car you are eager to show off, bales of hay you can spare, or would like to donate items for our silent auction, please email: info@BlackMountainHome.org
Financial Donations
Financial Donations can be made by check using the enclosed envelope or online at: BlackMountainHome.org/donate
In-Kind Donations
In-Kind Donations can be delivered to our office or ordered online and shipped to:
Donations at Black Mountain Home
80 Lake Eden Road
Black Mountain, NC 28711
See our Needs List by scanning the QR Code or visiting www.amazon.com/ registries/gl/guest-view/2H8HO3OV3WCIK
To receive our prayer calendar, email prayer@BlackMountainHome.org
Find Your Purpose
Join us for a campus tour on June 12 or July 10 from 10 AM to 12 PM to learn more about our ministry and our volunteer opportunities. Please email Volunteer@BlackMountainHome.org for more information or scan the QRC to register for the date of your choice. You can also visit Facebook.com/pg/BlackMountainHome/events.
Volunteers are needed in our:
• Thrift Store and Café
• Administrative Offices
• Grounds & Maintenance Department
• Farm & Garden Program
• Education & Recreation Departments
80 Lake Eden Road
Black Mountain, NC 28711
BlackMountainHome.org
828.686.3451