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BPR Connects

The greater good has taken on a local and practical meaning since mid-March, not as a catch phrase anymore, but as a commitment that is shared widely across Western North Carolina.  

By delivering an important, vital news service, Blue Ridge Public Radio keeps thousands of weekly listeners connected to critical information and to their communities. As the BPR staff adjusts to this unsettling period, we are committed to contributing to that greater good.  Just as numerous area nonprofits and businesses continue to support us, we want to help those organizations make connections and to shine a light on how the pandemic has created enormous needs across many parts of Western North Carolina.   On this page you'll find ways to connect with local and regional organizations that provide needed support during the pandemic to the arts, the hungry, independent businesses, and the music industry.

Partner Spotlight

Arts Matter - Those of us who call WNC our home know that the arts help define our region.  During the pandemic, the creative community has been hard hit. Artists are out of work. Theaters and studios are dark. Concert venues are quiet. To find out more and what you can do to help CLICK HERE.

Hunger Is Real - Families across Western North Carolina face dire economic hardships. Food insecurity is at an all-time high during the pandemic.  MANNA Food Bank and its partner agencies provide food with hope and dignity to people experiencing hunger in our region. To find out more and what you can do to help CLICK HERE.

Go Local - Local, independent business are an important part of our area’s economy.  The Asheville Grown Business Alliance is providing resources and creative initiatives for these small companies and their workers. To find out more and what you can do to help CLICK HERE.

WNC's Musical Heartbeat - Our region's thriving music industry now faces tough days ahead. Asheville Music Professionals and its partners have on-line resources about the impact of the music business on our culturally vibrant region. Find out more and what you can do to help CLICK HERE

David Feingold is General Manager and CEO of Blue Ridge Public Radio. He grew up in Brooklyn (as he says "before it was cool") and fell in love with broadcasting at his college's student radio station. David spent the first part of his career in public radio news departments in the Midwest before heading East for a move to television. At CNN he held several positions, including Business News Editor, National Editor, and London Bureau Chief. After 10 years in the UK, David decided it was time to repatriate to the States. He joined NET – Nebraska’s state-wide public broadcasting network - as the executive in charge of radio and television programming and the regional and national production of news, sports, documentaries, and specials. As he travels around Western North Carolina, he often hears BPR described as a connector of communities and the people that care about them. David and his wife, Ellen, actively participate in the many cultural, culinary, and outdoor experiences that are abundant in the Asheville area. David earned a BA in psychology at the State University of New York at Binghamton, and an MA in Mass Communications – with an emphasis in broadcast and journalism law - from Central Missouri State University. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Asheville Area Arts Council and serves on the Executive Committee of ERPM - Eastern Region Public Media.