Community Engagement

Community Engagement serves as a liaison between the County and community to increase public awareness of and participation in County programs, services and initiatives. By supporting efforts to increase access, equity, inclusion, collaboration, and resiliency, Community Engagement seeks to create opportunities for positive change and thriving communities.

Public Engagement

Liaison between the County and the community through public participation strategies such as authentic inclusion, consultation, empowerment and partnership.

Public Engagement

Markets & Connectors

Opportunities for people to support their neighbors with access to healthy food and connections to County and community resources

Markets & Connectors

Picture of employees meeting in an office setting

Community Engagement serves as a liaison between the County and community to increase public awareness of and participation in County programs, services and initiatives.
Community Engagement supports internal and external pathways to provide Buncombe County divisions with objective information to increase effective practices around public engagement.
Community Engagement utilizes a framework known as “ICEP,” which is an acronym for Inform, Consult, Engage and Partner. Authentic engagement and public participation can occur on many levels.

Community Engagement supports efforts to bridge County and community, through activities such as…
- Sharing information with the public about County programs, services and initiatives
- Consulting with County communications and departments on outreach and messaging strategies
- Gathering community feedback through customer surveys and input sessions
- Facilitating community meetings such as town halls and focus groups
- Spreading the word about opportunities for the public to participate in County events
- Recruiting participation in County boards and committees
- Supporting community problem solving through linkages with County departments
- Coordinating and leading trainings on topics such as diversity, equity, inclusion and resilience

Picture of little girl and older women canning berries

About Community Engagement Markets

Community Engagement oversees Community Engagement Markets at 12 locations in under resourced areas of our community. These markets offer a way to build relationships and connections through the provision of food at no cost to the public, along with resource connections to services offered by the County and community partners.

These markets are coordinated by 8 part time Community Connectors at 6 community-based organizations with funding contracts from Buncombe County. Community Connectors are community leaders with knowledge and experience within the neighborhoods being served.

Markets are supported by a network of volunteers, who support their neighbors by sharing their time to help increase access to healthy food and connections to County and community resources.

Buncombe County’s Community Service Navigators began the Popup markets in 2014 to promote healthy eating and nutrition, and the program has now grown to include not just food but also robust onsite connections to services, including:

Buncombe County programs and services such as:
- Health Screenings
- Libraries
- Public Benefits
- Public Safety
- Vaccinations
- Voter Registration & more

Community-based services such as:
- Disease Management
- Employment
- Health Insurance
- Housing
- Justice
- Mental Health
- Nutrition Education
- Recovery
- Weatherization & more

Find a Market

Notice: Events supported by Buncombe County Community Connectors. Health Screening and other community resources are available at the markets.

The Community Engagement Markets are open to the community and located throughout Buncombe County. The markets provide onsite representation from organizations to assist with chronic disease prevention and management, connections to employment opportunities, librarian assistance, and healthy food demonstrations and education.

*To stay up to date with Community Connectors, please subscribe to our Market Calendar.