Introducing the Hood Huggers Foundation 🌱

And other exciting news from our community!

We have BIG news to share! 🎉 Earlier this year, we introduced you to the Network of Good—a new name meant to capture the many aspects of our work. Well, we changed our minds! Instead of creating something new, we decided to build upon Hood Huggers and its ten years as a household name in Western North Carolina. Now, we’re proud to introduce you to the Hood Huggers Foundation (HHF).

You might be wondering how everything fits under the Hood Huggers International umbrella. The Hood Huggers Foundation encompasses all of our nonprofit work—including the Peace Gardens & Market, Blue Note Junction, and the various workforce development initiatives we lead.

And at the heart of it all is Hood Tours—the seed that first took root in our community and continues to inspire everything we grow today. 🌳

The Hood Huggers’ mission is to restore the grassroots regenerative well-being of historically marginalized communities through the arts, environment, and social enterprise. Our vision is to create a culture of sustainability that is inclusive and just, celebrating the six months of work and six months of play philosophy—leading to a balanced life of meaningful work, joyful rest, and shared prosperity.

Soon, we'll be launching a new website that will make it easier to learn about the vast work of Hood Huggers and ways to get involved. Meanwhile, we'll keep informing you through this newsletter. Please follow the newly created foundation's accounts on Instagram and Facebook. Thanks! 🙏🏼