Case Studies

Real Stories about superheroes.

Key Case Study

Supporting a domestically abused person financially.

Early in 2021, WNC Superheroes got a call from a Case manager at Partner Agency Helpmate. She had a client, a Survivor of domestic violence, who had done everything right. She hed fled her abuser, and found a new job and a new home for herself and her kids. But her car was in desperate need of repair. She couldn’t get her kids to and from school on time and meet her jobs required hours using the bus. She had no savings (abusers often keep their victims financially dependent.) She could see no options, and the stress of this financial need on top of everything else she was already facing was too much, and she couldn’t see a way forward. We took the case, and raised the funds needed to fix her car. This enabled her to maintain the independence she achieved when she left her abuser.

Key Case Study

Preventing an eviction and support for debt payments.

From January-April, 45% of our Cases involved rental assistance/eviction prevention. Research by Urban Institute shows “eviction can have enduring effects on families’ ability to obtain basic necessities and can cause depression, and a strong body of evidence links inadequate housing and homelessness to child abuse and neglect. Housing instability can lead to frequent school moves, high rates of absenteeism, and low test scores among children.”

In a recent housing Case from Partner ABCCM, we helped a 71-year old woman pay past-due rent. She tore her rotator cuff, leading to surgery and long recovery, during which she was laid off. Despite applying for job after job, her recovery restrictions always led to her being turned down. Finally, she was hired for a new job and we helped her start without debt.

Other Cases We've Supported.

These are some examples of Cases our network has funded. Not every Case is listed here. Sometimes the people we are helping may be in danger or face further harm if details of their Case are posted publicly. In those instances, we fund the Case through reserve funds that we raise through grants and donations made directly to our reserve or operations funds. If you would like more information on how WNC Superheroes funds Cases, please click the contact button below.

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  • Superheroes in our community contributed $65 toward auto repairs for a person who has Autism.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $140 to help a Survivor of domestic violence to get her driver’s license reinstated so that she could make it to and from her job every day safely as she continues to work towards a life that is free from violence.”
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $625 for a family who faced a gap in income when one parent was unable to work after an automobile accident. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $875 to help a mother of four remain in the home she found after leaving an abusive relationship. She had missed work due to court attendance for her case. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $350 toward auto repairs for a single mother.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $245.17 to help a Survivor who had to miss work after her assault with cell phone and electric bills.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $350 to help a domestic violence Survivor meet rent when she had to miss work during recovery.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $550 to help a Survivor with paying rent when she had to miss work during recovery from sexual assault.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $450 to help a family avoid eviction when the father missed work after being diagnosed with a tumor requiring multiple surgeries.  
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $365 to help a family remain in their home after a series of medical issues left one of the parents unable to work. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $504.83 to help a Survivor of domestic abuse get car repairs and a vehicle inspection so that she could be independent.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $350 to help with court costs for a Survivor of Domestic violence who was trying to get child support from her ex-partner.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $685 to help a family avoid eviction.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $500 to help a Survivor of sexual assault with severe PTSD to pay rent accumulated while out of work. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $500 to pay first month’s rent to get a Survivor into housing.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $200 to help a young woman who was living in her car while going to school. After her car was stolen and found, she had to pay $200 to get her car/home out of impound.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $400 to help someone prevent car repossession.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $375 to help a Survivor of domestic violence and her children who were living in a temporary shelter and had all of their belongings in a storage unit until they were able to find housing. After having to use her savings to pay for car repairs she fell behind on payments for their rental unit and sought help.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $600 to help a single father with a disabled son who had fallen behind with his lot rent for his mobile home due to some personal circumstances.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $250 to help a single mother with four children pay for a hotel due to bedbugs in their apartment.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $200 to help an elderly man facing foreclosure because of medical costs he has incurred from being diagnosed with cancer. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $650 to pay for a hotel room for a Human Trafficking Survivor.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $500 to help a Survivor pay back rent due to missed work while recovering from sexual assault. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $59 to pay for driver’s license renewal for a Survivor so she could get to work.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $500 to help a Survivor of extended sexual abuse and stalking by her father. She needed help making rent payments after missing work while addressing PTSD.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $300 to meet living expenses for someone who was forced to leave their job due to unfair treatment. This person who is both transgender and has Autism found another job, but the gap between employment left them needing help to pay their bills.  
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $165 to make necessary auto repairs for someone to be able to get to their job.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $500 to help a single mom and her child remain in their home. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $423 to help a Survivor of domestic violence pay a fine she faced for removing her family from a living situation she felt was unsafe for her children.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $500 to help a Survivor of sexual assault with one child who lost her job after contracting COVID-19. She needed funds to pay an overdue electric bill and maintain her work visa.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $450 to keep a Survivor and her children in their home after she lost her job due to COVID-19 and was awaiting an unemployment claim. She has since found employment which would have been extremely difficult to do while homeless. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $1,300 to keep a family with a newborn in their extended stay motel while awaiting permanent housing when Mom lost her job after giving birth and needing emergency surgery.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $310 to fix the windows of a Survivor’s car, which had been smashed by her abuser when he found out where she and her children were living after she left her abusive situation. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $650 to fix the heat coil of a car for a Grandmother who is the sole caregiver to her Grandson and had been without heat in her car for several years.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $71 to purchase a space heater for a Survivor who is working to rebuild her life after obtaining a protective order resulting in the eviction of her abuser, who left her with nothing.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $1,810 to fix the windows, door, and toilet in the home of a Survivor after they were destroyed by her former abuser during a violent attack.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $363 to help a mother who left an abusive relationship and was building a new life when she lost childcare due to COVID-19 meet her rent. She is now back to self-sufficiency.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $400 to help a mother, the sole breadwinner for her family and caretaker of her husband and children meet her family’s rent after she had to miss several weeks of work due to an illness.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $600 to help a dedicated, single mother who needed a car repair to be able to get her son to school and herself to work each day. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $600 to help a dedicated mom and her family, including a 15-month old, who have been experiencing homelessness address seriously needed van repairs. Reliable transportation is vastly important for this family so kids can continue to get to school and Mom can continue to work. They are on their way to stable housing.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $4000 to address overdue rent payments for a family of six whose sole breadwinner lost her job due to COVID-19. After several months without work due to COVID concerns and loss of childcare, she found a job that would pay enough for her to meet her family’s bills moving forward. However, with such a huge sum in overdue rent, she could not see a way forward. By addressing this crisis situation, Mom and family are back on track for success.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $369 to repair the car of a woman who lost her husband and is facing losing her apartment. Unable to make appointments to find new housing options or make it to her doctor’s appointments for her chronic health conditions, she needed her car more than ever. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $1,990 to repair the van of a family with 4 kiddos, who have been meeting their financial needs until 2020 hit them hard. While Dad has been able to maintain his full time job, Mom is out of work due to both health concerns and to care for their kids who are out of school and childcare options due to COVID-19 limitations. She is homeschooling the kids, and even helping neighboring families with their kids during this unprecedented pandemic. They started to fall behind on bills when their only means of transportation (their van) broke down, meaning lost work days for Dad without transportation.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $2,505 to a family of 6 who fell behind on rent when Mom lost her job and childcare due to COVID-19. While Dad is back to work and can meet the family’s needs moving forward, they cannot earn enough to meet the back-owed rent at this time. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $650 to support the first month’s rent for a woman in recovery entering a halfway house. She has a solid and successful work history, will find gainful employment. She has a strong support network, will engage in outpatient services and is doing what it takes to put her life together again.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $1,300 to help a woman who fled an abusive relationship and had experienced homelessness. While she had secured both a steady job and an apartment, she was unable to earn enough quickly enough to meet her first month’s rent. She is on her way to security, safety, and self-sufficiency. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $985 to help a family stay in their home. Dad was involved in a serious accident that caused extensive damage to his back and head, requiring multiple surgeries and procedures. Mom continued to work while Dad was home recovering in order to pay the bills.  However, when the COVID pandemic hit, the majority of their clients cancelled services. While their business is coming back, they needed help this one time to meet their rent.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $150 to help a survivor of sexual abuse who has been experiencing homelessness and was recently diagnosed with COPD. She has the possibility of stable, secure housing with a very close relative out of state, and needed funds to make the trip.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $2,200 to help a mother of 3 who began working with Helpmate after a brutal assault by the father of her baby. Though she was employed when COVID-19 hit, her work availability has been impacted by the pandemic (two of her children are remote-learning for school at home and the day care the youngest child attended is permanently closed.) We helped her family stay in their home and continue to heal and thrive.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $2,471 to help a mother who had been the victim of a car accident get back on the road to economic success with car repairs.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $2,200 to help a man who was on the verge of homelessness due to loss of income due to COVID to be able to remain in his affordable housing unit.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $701 to help a caregiver to her daughters and her own mother get much-needed new tires so she could continue to work and get her mother to all of the necessary doctor’s appointments.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $1,900 for a Mom with four kids, two of whom are autistic who was left with no savings and a mound of debt when her partner left her after they both lost their jobs due to COVID-19. She found a job and a home, but needed help to meet the security deposit and 1st month’s rent.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $343 to help a mother of 3 make her first car payment while her new job started up. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $1,926 to help a father of 5 fix his car transmission so he can keep getting to work and getting his kids to school and care.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $100 to help a man diagnosed with Schizophrenia secure a place in a recovery home after his treatment for substance use issues ended.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $659 to keep a Mom and her kids safe in a hotel while they await housing at ABCCM’s Transformation Village for women and children experiencing homelessness.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $135.88 to purchase nursing shoes for a Survivor of sexual abuse purchase shoes necessary to begin her new job and her new life.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $2,000 to purchase a car for a Mom and her 4 kids after she lost her childcare and job due to COVID-19, and then lost her family car. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $866 to fix the car of a single Mom of 3 who is rebuilding her life after a difficult start. After running away from a troubled home at 14, and the birth of her first child at 17, this Mom has worked incredibly hard to rebuild her life for herself and her kids. She obtained her GED and is enrolled in classes toward her goal of becoming a nurse.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $1,500 to help a pregnant mother and her toddler meet rent after feeling an abusive situation and facing loss of income due to COVID-19. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $2,584 to help a family of 5 (with 3 children) lost more than 80% of their income due to COVID-19. Mom lost her job and Dad had his hours cut significantly. Between securing utilities, food, and transportation for work, they fell behind in their rent and were facing eviction.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $989 to help a mother of two facing eviction after losing her job due to COVID-19. She has found a new job and is back on her feet but has back-owed rent following her from 2020. Her family is grateful to be able to stay in their home and look forward to a better 2021.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $700 to make two car payments for a family with a newborn when mom was in a car accident leading to several necessary surgeries. Dad had to take time away from work to help her and they just needed help to keep their car.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $796 to put new tires on the only means of transportation for a family when Mom lost her job due to COVID-19 and faced multiple medical issues.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $500 to pay the insurance deductible for a car that was stolen and recovered but needed repairs. This Mom of three needed this car to get to work and to get her kids to school. 
  • Superheroes in our community gave $424.45 to help a man experiencing chronic homelessness fix his car, which served as his shelter while he awaited housing through Partner Agency Homeward Bound. Despite what he faces in life, he also supports his friends and community by providing rides for folks who are disabled.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $719 to a woman and her children who had experienced homelessness but found permanent housing. They needed to pay rent owed on a storage unit in order to get back their belongings to move out of a shelter and into their new home.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $287 to help an immunocompromised abuse Survivor pay for tags and title for her car. This Mom of two could not rely on public transportation due to a chronic disability and medical complications that rendered her very susceptible to COVID transmission.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $953 for car repairs to help a man who had been experiencing homelessness. He had enrolled in Homeward Bound’s programs and was on the waiting list for housing when he interviewed for, and got a brand new job! He needed his car to make his new life work.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $2,000 to help a 71-year old woman pay past due rent. has worked her whole life. She was employed doing manual labor when she tore her rotator cuff which led to surgery and a long recovery process. During this recovery, she was laid off. Despite applying for job after job, her recovery restrictions always led to her being turned down. She was recently hired for a brand new job and we helped her start that job without debt.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $1,960 to help a couple stay in their home until their social security funds begin. The wife is disabled and cannot work and the husband was diagnosed with stomach cancer in December, 2020. They will be fine once their social security starts in July, 2021, but needed help keeping their home in May & June. 
  • Superheroes in our community gave $919 to help a Survivor of domestic violence whose hours at work were severely reduced during the pandemic, ultimately culminating in the loss of her job altogether. She kept up with everything as best she could, and did all she could do, but couldn’t help falling behind in her rent. She has found new employment and just needed help this one time.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $2,900 to help a Mother meet back-owed rent. When she discovered her husband had been sexually abusing her daughter she reported him and he fled (authorities are currently searching for him.) She also discovered he had been lying about paying their rent, leaving her with $4,400 in debt along with the emotional turmoil left by his abuse. We joined with ABCCM and Our VOICE for this Case.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $1,471.41 to fix the car of a couple enrolled in a program at Homeward Bound where they were able to secure housing. They have both lost employment hours due to COVID restrictions but are working again now! Their car is the sole means of transportation for both to get to work. 
  • Superheroes in our community gave $163 to address a missed child support payment for a Survivor with PTSD who was living in a shelter and did not yet have income of her own.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $223 for rent assistance for a Survivor who lost one month of her SSI benefits due to an administrative error completely outside her control.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $774.50 to purchase new tires for a family expecting a child. Due to health complications of the couple’s unborn child, necessitating Mom work less, the family’s income has been drastically reduced. With their reduced income, they are not able to afford this added expense.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $836 to replace the fuel pump for a woman who had experienced homelessness and chronic illness. This car was the sole means of transportation to work and numerous, necessary medical appointments.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $483 to fix the car of a man who had been experiencing homelessness but recently secured both a full time job and a new apartment through Homeward Bound. He needed the car to be able to commute to his brand new job!
  • Superheroes in our community gave $800 to pay the overdue rent of a Survivor of domestic abuse who was fired from her job when her former abuser threatened her place of work with a gun.
  • Superheroes in our community gave $313.98 to pay for the license and registration fees for a man who had been experiencing homelessness but had found both a job and a new home through Partner Agency Homeward Bound. He needed a car to be able to work.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $643.44 to help a Survivor of domestic violence and her 4 children move into a Housing Authority residence after they fled their abuser and moved back to Asheville. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $2,567.05 to help a Survivor and her two children move into a safe home with the Housing Authority of Asheville.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $240 to pay the deposit to a halfway house for a woman who had gotten sober after 25 years of addiction. She had been experiencing homelessness, and felt she couldn’t maintain sobriety if she had to continue living on the streets.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $625.65 to help a woman who had lost her job due to injury and long recovery who had finally found new employment. She needed help to repair her car so she could continue working and being self-sufficient.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $650.55 to help a man who had finally gotten housed after five years living in his car. In order to work more, his car needed repairs to be safe transportation to and from work and his new apartment. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $461.58 to help a woman who lost her home stay in an efficiency motel while awaiting placement in an affordable housing community. This prevented her from spending that time without shelter. 
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $855.06 to help a Mom of four pay a past due rent to a former landlord in order to be able to rent a new home for her family after being homeless for seven months.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $1031.59 to help a gentleman who has been experiencing homelessness repair his car. He had worked so hard over the past few months securing a full time job in construction but could not continue to get to work without these necessary car repairs.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $450 to pay the entry fee to a halfway house for a Veteran suffering from PTSD due to trauma experienced during his military service. His sobriety was threatened by the unsafe conditions in which he was staying (he had been assaulted and was in proximity to substance-use. His stay in the halfway house was followed by moving to a new home with a voucher. He is doing much better.
  • Superheroes in our community contributed $1,000 to help a Mom of 4 purchase a new van. This family had been in and out of shelters and was currently living in their car, but it was badly in need of repairs far exceeding the value of the vehicle. With their new van, tis family is safe for a while longer.