Free Housing in Montreat, NC

Participants occupy the third floor of William Black Lodge, a place of rest and renewal for Presbyterian PC(USA) persons in ministry and their families. WBL hosts retreats, conferences, individuals, and families throughout the year and HFA participants are welcomed to engage with the activities of the lodge, including dining for free with guests throughout the year. The lodge’s community spaces and professional kitchen facilities are available to HFA participants, as well as ingredients and leftovers from groups that have departed. Room assignments and specific arrangements will be determined based on program enrollment and finalized by the Program Director.

 

Living Stipend - $425 a month

You are provided with a monthly stipend to cover your living costs. It is expected that members of the intentional community pool some of their resources as agreed upon in their covenant, which could include creating a community budget for food or group activities.

 

Health and Wellness Support

HFA is committed to offering up to $1,000 in support of your health and wellness-related expenses incurred throughout the program year. This could look like reimbursement for yoga classes, counseling or therapy, a gym membership, a 5k registration fee, a prescription cost, or more.

 

Intentional Community

You will work together with fellow participants to draft a covenant, which will guide your life as a community, helping establish expectations around spiritual life, housekeeping responsibilities, and cultivating relationships with one another. In a hyper-individualistic culture, we ask you to lean into community, challenging yourself to dig into hard conversations and deep relationships.

 

Job and Life Skills Development

As a part of your term of service, you will gain valuable work experience with your local non-profit placement. As the year develops, you will work with site leadership to learn how to share your experience on your resume and ways to leverage your skills as you prepare for whatever may be next in your journey. 

 

Community Days 

HFA sets aside a regular once-per-week community day together, an opportunity to dive deeper into the program’s focus areas for growth and education, or exploring local context. Some community days will be all-day excursions, while others will be guided reflections onsite. For instance, a book club, a hike in the woods, a black history tour of Downtown Asheville, a lunch with a mentor, a day of volunteer service, or more.

 

Vocational Discernment

HFA will provide resources to help you engage in the sacred work of uncovering the movement of the Spirit in your life. Our goal is that by the end of your term of service, you have built a toolbox of vocational discernment practices that can serve you for the rest of your life. 

 

A Mid-Year Retreat

HFA will facilitate an off-site retreat in the middle of your program experience to allow space to breathe, reflect, and renew. 

 

A Program Director, Board of Directors, and network of mentors dedicated to supporting you throughout your experience!