How Patchworks Supports Foster Kids In Henderson County

A foster placement can happen with one phone call, sometimes in the middle of the night, and the child showing up may have nothing but the clothes they are wearing. That reality is why we chose to honor Tara Knox and Patchworks as our Hometown Hero. Tara shares how Patchworks Foster Care Ministry started in Henderson County after she and her husband spent years fostering, and how it grew into a community lifeline for families who need essentials immediately.

We talk through what Patchworks actually does, not in vague feel-good terms, but in the day-to-day details that matter: diapers, wipes, beds, cribs, car seats, shoes, and clothing that is new or next-to-new because every child deserves dignity. Tara explains how they coordinate donations, how porch drop-off and pickup keeps help simple, and how referrals flow through Henderson County DSS, school social workers, and local first responders. The scale is stunning: more than 5,800 families helped in Henderson County.

Alongside the hero spotlight, we also bring listeners up to speed on the Hendersonville real estate market. National headlines can feel loud, but local data shows homes still selling, a calmer pace with longer days on market, and very few distressed properties thanks to homeowner equity. We also share how to find our latest listings and an upcoming open house for anyone planning a move in Western North Carolina or the Upstate of South Carolina.

If this story hits you, do something with it: listen, share it with a friend, and subscribe so you never miss a Hometown Hero. After you listen, leave a review and tell us, what item would you donate first to help a foster child feel at home?

Transcript

Ten Years On Local Radio

SPEAKER_01 0:00

The George Real Estate Group Radio broadcast is celebrating 10 years on WHKP. The George Real Estate Group is celebrating 10 years on the radio live every Thursday morning at 10.05 on WHKP 107.7 FM and AM 1450, and streaming online at WHKP.com. Each Friday morning at 845, the George Real Estate Group presents the Hometown Hero Award to someone in our community who goes above and beyond to make our hometown a better place to live. Here's this week's Hometown Hero Show. It's 8 45, and it's time on Friday mornings for the George Real Estate Group, Hometown Heroes Salute. We just love Friday mornings getting together with our friend Noah George and talking to and talking about some wonderful people in our community. And we've really got a good one today. Noah, how are you?

SPEAKER_02 1:02

I I'm well. So much to be thankful for. Happy Friday, and it's always a highlight of my week being here every Friday morning sponsoring the Hometown Hero Series.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Well, we're really grateful that you do sponsor it because we consider it one of our better programs here where we get to uh kind of pour a little cup of kindness every Friday morning. We've met some wonderful people and uh we continue to. I've got uh a little uh uh uh backlog of people that have been nominated for this series.

SPEAKER_02 1:31

It's amazing. And again, it's uh and I do I would say there's no shortage of incredible people and story in our stories in our community, people uh making a difference, the those uh unsung heroes, those people behind the scenes, you don't even realize they're doing what they're doing, and that's why we love doing this every Friday morning.

A Real Estate Market Reality Check

SPEAKER_01 1:50

Absolutely. And uh I've been listening to you uh this week and your other radio programs, your podcast programs, talk about the real estate market here in Hendersonville, and it sounds as healthy as it can be.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

Well, again, it's this tension between um the market absolutely still moving. You see all these national headlines that the sky is falling. You know, the uh the interesting or I ironic thing is here locally, over the last 12 months, we've had a hundred more homes sell, single family homes sell in Henderson County than the previous 12 months. And days on markets getting longer, so sellers you know are having to be more patient. Buyers recognize they have a little bit more time on their side. I mean, you know, the frenzy is not what it was. Uh interest rates are holding in the you know mid-sixes. I mean, it's sort of stabilizing. Uh we still see very few distressed properties. I mean, if someone's financially in trouble, they usually have a lot of equity and they don't have to face a foreclosure or something like that. They can they can get ahead of it and like you know, put if they need to push the button and pull the parachute, there is usually options rather than waiting for the worst case scenario. But again, that's such a small less than one percent of our housing is is distressed.

SPEAKER_01 3:05

Yeah. And you guys have uh been there, done that. You guys know uh the pitfalls of that and know exactly how to avoid problems and get through to the other side.

SPEAKER_02 3:17

Yeah, this is only my 21st year in the industry. Uh I actually combined our group has over a hundred years combined experience. I mean, we have incredible agents, incredible staff, and ultimately it's our clients that make it all amazing. And and yes, we've walked and navigated through the ups and downs of the different real estate markets. The market's the market, the interest rates are the interest rates, the economy is the economy, although I know we're all feeling it at the pump and the grocery store. And yet, real estate's still moving. And so if we can help our clients in any way, uh by the way, we have an open house this Sunday. Right. Check it out on our Facebook page. Uh, you can find us online, uh, realestate by greg.com. You can also call us directly 828-393-0134. Uh find us online. And like I said, we podcast all you've said too, we podcast all of our radio shows. But it's truly a privilege and honor to sponsor the Hometown Hero Series.

SPEAKER_01 4:06

Well, we thank you for doing

Meet Patchworks And Tara Knox

SPEAKER_01 4:07

it. Uh please join me as we uh have a phone conversation with uh Tara Knox of the uh group Patchworks, and uh Tara's going to explain in more detail about what Patchworks is, but the uh organization hit our radar when we saw that there'd been over 5,800 families helped in Henderson County through this organization. We have Tara Knox on the phone with us, and uh Tara is one of the folks involved in Patchworks. And gosh, Tara, how you doing today?

SPEAKER_00 4:46

I'm doing very well, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 4:47

It's good to have you with us on uh the Hometown Hero program. We wanted to salute Patchworks as our hometown hero after it kind of hit our radar that you guys help foster families in Henderson County. So I'm intrigued. Uh I want you to tell us about uh the program.

SPEAKER_00 5:06

So, yes, sir. It started about six years ago. Um, my husband and I were foster parents for Henderson County for many years, and we decided it was time for us to move on and do something else, but we still wanted to be involved in the foster care program and stuff and help foster families in Henderson County. So we were able to start a ministry out of our church called Patchwork, uh, foster care ministry, and it has evolved into being able to go beyond just foster families, but into the community as well and help those in need at times. Uh, we are able to supply basic needs for families, clothes, shoes, diapers, beds, cribs, all the basic necessities that you need when you take a child in. We've just been able to really help a lot of families over the years, even like through Helene and different stuff that was going on. We started right around the time COVID started, so that we were able to help during that time as well.

SPEAKER_01 5:54

I noticed in uh some of the uh material I was given that you've helped uh your organization's helped over 5,800 families in Henderson County.

SPEAKER_00 6:03

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

That's a lot of uh outreach. How do you uh go about Tara getting the items that are needed for your outreach

Donations That Stock Real Needs

SPEAKER_01 6:13

program?

SPEAKER_00 6:13

So basically it's all donations. Um it either comes in through individuals or sometimes companies in different places will help us, but um, it's all just through donations. Um we can drop off at the church pretty much at any time. We have a porch drop-off and a porch pickup basically. Um people that call and ask if we're asking, you know, taking certain items or need certain things at times. So depending on what I need, I'm able to put out a post either on Facebook or request certain items that we may be in need of at the time. But we do try our best to have mostly brand new stuff or next to new stuff because we want to always give our best when we're helping others in the community.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

So, yeah, this is not just uh hand-me-down stuff. This is like you said. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:56

Well, yeah, we always want to do give our best.

SPEAKER_01 6:59

This is not just for the kids, but this is for maybe families who are just beginning to foster children. They're gonna need a lot of help from from someone.

SPEAKER_00 7:09

Yes, sir. Lots of times when you foster, you're not sure what age child or what you know what child you're gonna be given. So you don't aren't given the ability to have nine months to repair, like some are. So um, lots of times we get calls in the middle of the night, or just, you know, as soon as a policeman and say, you know, I just got a baby out of the hospital, I don't have anything. Can you help me with clothes and diapers and wipes and car seats and cribs and whatever else they're needed? Um, we always try to make sure we keep things on hand that people are gonna need. Or if it happens to be a teenager and they need new shoes and clothes and whatever, we try to provide that as well. We also provide needs sometimes to uh kids going back to the biological families when the time has come and they, you know, it's appropriate if they feel like it's time for unification, uh, the parents might need some help with a bed or clothes for them to go back home to as well.

SPEAKER_01 7:58

How, Tara, do you get referrals? How how do people know that you can turn to patchworks for help?

Referrals Through DSS And Schools

SPEAKER_00 8:06

Um, we work very closely with the Henderson County DSS. We also work very closely with uh CrossNore and a couple of other foster families uh organizations in the county. We also work with the Henderson County like Sheriff's Department, fire departments, anything like that when there's uh sometimes a you know just a natural disaster or if there's a situation going on that they know of that somebody might need something. We also work with the social workers in the schools. Um they can always call us if they have a a child or a student that's in need as well.

SPEAKER_01 8:35

That's just fantastic. Uh, how is it to open up your home to a foster child? You you said that you and your husband had done it for several years. And just talk to us a second about that, about doing actually opening up your home to a foster child.

SPEAKER_00 8:51

Sure. Um, so my husband and I have had 21 children over the the span that we fostered. Uh, we were actually blessed to be able to adopt one. Um our youngest child is actually adopted. And um it's it's life-changing. I mean, and not only sometimes you come out being way blessed more maybe than even the child was, you you learn to appreciate life and you learn to appreciate your family. And uh what God has given us all sometimes is, you know, a blessing far beyond what we can understand or comprehend. Um, just having food on the table and a safe place to sleep is basically something these kids are missing at times. Um, just stability, knowing that somebody is gonna pick them up from school and they are gonna have somebody there to help them. It's uh it's a huge blessing that we sometimes take for granted.

SPEAKER_01 9:36

I might be putting you on the spot. How many uh approximately how many foster children are there in uh Henderson County?

SPEAKER_00 9:43

Do you have a the last time I heard there was about 160?

SPEAKER_01 9:48

Well, they all have needs, and uh I'm sure you guys are there to help. Once again, get us in touch, Tara, with how people can help.

SPEAKER_00 9:57

Sure. Um, so we're always looking for um obviously new items, um, socks, underwear, um new clothes. We have, you know, a lot of times babies are are you know easy stuff because people they don't mess up clothes as much. But sometimes the older kids are the ones that we have a harder time getting clothes for. So your teenagers, um, those big size shoes that, you know, you don't just always have laying around the house for boys, you know, sizes sometimes as high as 13 or 14 size shoes. Um, we also are always looking for sheets and um new stuff like that. Even toiletries

What Fostering Feels Like

SPEAKER_00 10:34

are always a plus. We also sometimes are looking for just bags to pack stuff in when we give them to a child. We don't we like to put them in even like the you know, just target bags or something like that. You can buy at the stores, the 99 cent bags as you're checking out. Those are always something you need as well.

SPEAKER_01 10:52

And uh anyone can drop off those in those kinds of items at yes, sir.

SPEAKER_00 10:59

East Flight Rock First Baptist Church. Um, it's in like I said, it's in East Light Rock, it's First Baptist Church, East Light Rock. And we have a porch um and it has a sign on it that says items can be dropped off here. Um, and you can drop off any day or time. We are usually going by every single day and putting items in or packing items and putting them out for people to pick up.

SPEAKER_01 11:18

Every single day. Well, Tara, uh, do you have helpers in this ministry?

SPEAKER_00 11:24

I couldn't do it without my volunteers, yes, sir. Um I was actually, you know, the one that kind of founded it and started it, but I tell you, I have some great volunteers within my church that really helped me um sort the clothes and put them up. And uh we actually have it's kind of like a store. We do open it sometimes to the public so the kids can actually come in and shop themselves and um get items as well. But yes, we are very blessed with many volunteers and support from the local community and church.

SPEAKER_01 11:51

And if uh someone wants to volunteer their time, uh they can get in touch with you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:56

Yes, sir. Um, we do have a Facebook page and all the contact information is on there. It's patchwork fostercare ministry.com.

SPEAKER_01 12:04

Perfect, perfect. Did you come up with the name? I love it.

SPEAKER_00 12:08

I did, yeah. We um we we kind of sat down and talked uh as a group for a little while. We just thought that you know, sometimes that it takes

How To Donate Or Volunteer

SPEAKER_00 12:16

all different kinds of people and all different kinds of things to come together, but it usually comes out to be a bit a beautiful item at the end. And so it takes the community to come together, the church, and many of us um put in the pieces that come together to make make it come together.

SPEAKER_01 12:30

So nothing as beautiful as a patchwork quilt, is there?

SPEAKER_00 12:34

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 12:35

Tara, thank you so much. Thank you for what you do in our community. We uh salute you, we honor you here on the George Real Estate Group Hometown Hero series. And uh if we can ever be of help to you, please let us know.

SPEAKER_00 12:48

Thank you very much for y'all's support. It means a lot.

SPEAKER_01 12:51

Thank you, Tara. Goodbye. Bye-bye. What a great guest on our show this morning, Noah. Uh Tara Knox. She's uh heavily involved in and uh keeps on working for the foster families in Henderson County.

SPEAKER_02 13:05

It's it's remarkable. And again, congratulations, Tara Knox is our hometown hero this Friday, and again, over 5,800

Open House Details And Wrap-Up

SPEAKER_02 13:12

families in Henderson County, and they're gonna continue to make a difference.

SPEAKER_01 13:15

Absolutely. Uh, you said you had an open house this weekend.

SPEAKER_02 13:19

We do have an open house this weekend, 110 Cheritan Avenue in Hendersonville. It's actually an stunning house right near uh walkable to the Acosta Trail, which is awesome. Uh built in 1955. It's also literally around the corner from the Henderson County, uh Henderson uh Ville Country Club. Uh beautiful home, a lot of character, 1,100 plus square feet. Um, very affordable home uh in the 400s, uh low 400s, in fact, and right around the corner. There's gonna be an open house this Sunday from one to four. And absolutely encourage you to come out and check it out and go to our website. You can see all of our homes for sale.

SPEAKER_01 13:57

I see a lot of activity uh on your social media accounts from the realtors that you have in the house there showing uh properties all the time.

SPEAKER_02 14:06

It it's we're so thankful. We have an incredible group of agents with incredible staff, and and we aren't hiring, we're hiring more agents and and have more agents joining our team. There's plenty of opportunity. And again, if you're thinking about a career, we'd love to have the conversation there too. But we're working from everything from residential to commercial to 1031 exchanges to investment properties again across the gamut. We're grateful to serve the community through real estate.

SPEAKER_01 14:32

You guys uh not only serve Hendersonville and Henderson County, but all of Western North Carolina and uh in the upstate of South Carolina.

SPEAKER_02 14:40

In the upstate, yes. We have we're closing on a property uh next uh maybe in two weeks in South Carolina. So again, yeah, we're grateful. Whatever your situation is, we'd love to interview for the job.

SPEAKER_01 14:52

Well, contact uh the George Real Estate Group in beautiful Flat Rock, North Carolina, and join us each Friday morning for the George Real Estate Group Hometown Hero series. If you have a hometown hero that you'd like to nominate, get in touch with us here at WHKP and we'll make sure those people are honored the way they should be. Join us next Friday morning for the Hometown Hero. The George Real Estate Group is located in Flat Rock, North Carolina, near Hendersonville in Henderson County. You can find them online at realestatebygreg.com. The George Real Estate Group can be reached at 828-3930134 or stop by their office at 2720 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, North Carolina. Tune in live each week on Thursdays at 1005 a.m. on WHKP 107.7 FM and 1450 AM, or stream online at WHKP.com or download these podcasts wherever you get your podcasts. The George Real Estate Group brings you the WHKP Hometown Hero Series every Friday morning at 8.45.

SPEAKER_02 16:05

Maybe the house feels a little too big these days. The stairs a little steeper. The pace of life a little too fast. But what if your next move wasn't about letting go? It was about making space. For peace, for freedom, for what matters most. At the George Real Estate Group, we understand that real estate isn't just about the house. It's about transitions, timing, and trust. We've helped thousands of families in Western North Carolina make smart, thoughtful moves. Closer to nature, closer to family, closer to home. So when you're ready to write size, simplify it, or start fresh, we'll be here. The George Real Estate Group. Local, trusted, proven. Call us today, 828-393-0134. Find us online at realestatebygreg.com because your next chapter deserves to feel just right.