Press Release: October 15, 2025
Hendersonville’s Interfaith Assistance Ministry Receives Award for Courageous Acts to Help Strengthen Their Community
Award from The Courage Project given to 20 organizations and individuals across the nation for demonstrating the power of courage in their communities
Public award nomination form is open to the public to honor individuals or organizations acting with courage and compassion to help their communities
Interfaith Assistance Ministry has been granted a $25,000 award from The Courage Project for bravely stepping up to help their community in times of need. The organization is honored alongside 19 other individuals and organizations across the nation who reflect the best of the American spirit by helping their neighbors and building bridges across communities.
After Hurricane Helene struck Henderson County in September 2024, Interfaith Assistance Ministry’s staff quickly mobilized to provide food, clothing, financial aid, hygiene supplies, and even pet care to at-risk residents. Building on decades of service since 1984, the organization continues to be a trusted anchor where volunteers and partners come together to ensure every neighbor in need has the support they need to recover and thrive.
“On behalf of IAM’s staff and volunteers, we are so proud and humbled to receive this national award for our work to provide basic needs to our community immediately after Hurricane Helene destroyed and damaged thousands of homes, roads and businesses in our Blue Ridge Mountains’ community,” said Elizabeth Willson Moss, Interfaith Assistance Ministry Executive Director. “The courageous and tireless acts of our team, including some who had lost their homes, underscored IAM’s 41-year history of lifting up our neighbors in need with compassion and respect in times of crisis – even a natural disaster.”
Launched in May 2025 with an initial $5 million commitment, The Courage Project’s awards are announced throughout the year in alignment with moments of civic reflection—including commemorative dates, cultural observances, and milestones that reflect the values at the heart of the project. The awards range from $10,000 to $50,000 and are distributed to organizations and individuals who are exhibiting acts of courage and compassion in their communities by standing up for what they believe in, helping their neighbors, and building bridges across communities.
The Courage Project is a collaborative, nonpartisan initiative supported by partners including CFLeads, the Freedom Together Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, the Marguerite Casey Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, Pisces Foundation, the Public Welfare Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, and the Surdna Foundation.
The Courage Project accepts public nominations on a rolling basis. To learn more about The Courage Project, learn more about the awardees, or nominate a courageous individual or organization, visit www.thecourageproject.org.
