“Housing is a Human Right” by Jessie Figueroa and Abby Nelson

“Housing is a Human Right” will be presented by Jessie Figueroa and Abby Nelson at the Sunday, October 19, 2025, meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville, 2:30 – 4:00 pm at 227 Edgewood Rd, Asheville, NC There will also be a hybrid Zoom option (see link below). All are welcome to attend.

Grounded in the belief that every person has intrinsic worth and dignity, we’ll explore the impact of Homeward Bound’s programs through collaborations with the city and partners, highlight stories of neighbors who have moved from homelessness into permanent housing, and reflect on what it means to build a community where everyone belongs. In 2024, Permanent Supportive Housing programs from Homeward Bound had a 96.5% retention rate of individuals not returning to homelessness and taking steps to rebuild their lives as neighbors in our community.

Jessie and Abby will also discuss the Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care (CoC) 2025-2028 Strategic Plan to address homelessness. The CoC objectives are to 1) Decrease unsheltered homelessness; 2) Increase exits from homelessness to permanent housing; 3) Coordinate and expand Homelessness Prevention, Diversion and Rapid Rehousing; and 4) Build housing-focused system capacity.

Join us to discuss challenges and successes of “Every Neighbor Matters: Homeward Bound’s mission to prevent and end homelessness”.

Jessie Figueroa has always had a passion for connecting with people. She served in the AmeriCorps VISTA program as a community organizer for homeless services, was a program manager serving homeless and low-income neighbors in Orlando and moved to Asheville in 2015. She joined Homeward Bound in 2021 as Housing Placement Director and in 2024 moved into the role of Resource Development Director. Jessie is a graduate of University of Central Florida, enjoys music, hiking, traveling, and spending quality time with her husband, friends, and family.

Abby Nelson is a dedicated nonprofit fundraising and events professional with a strong commitment to advancing housing-first solutions. In her role as Development Officer at Homeward Bound of WNC, she oversees strategic initiatives to secure funding and cultivate partnerships with businesses and faith communities, efforts that are essential to addressing homelessness across Western North Carolina. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality & Tourism Management with minors in Business Administration and Interior Architecture from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.