Note: The following was written by Todd Vinyard, who will be blogging throughout the 2015-16 basketball and wrestling seasons as teams prepare to head to Asheville, N.C., in March

Eblen Charities
The holiday season is a great time to remember those less fortunate and give back to the community. Thanks to a partnership between Eblen Charities, a nonprofit organization in Asheville, N.C., and the Southern Conference, fans can make a donation now to help fight childhood hunger in Western North Carolina as part of the “Headlock on Hunger” and “Hoops Against Hunger” initiatives.

To make a donation and find out more about the efforts visit http://headlockonhunger.net/ and http://hoopsgainsthunger.net/

“Headlock on Hunger” and “Hoops Against Hunger” includes an effort to collect non-perishable food items from fans in Asheville at the 2016 Arby’s Southern Conference Wrestling Championship on March 5 and the 2016 SoCon Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships presented by General Shale on March 3-7. Patrons that show up with an approved food item for donation will receive $3 off of a wrestling ticket or $5 off a general admission basketball ticket depending on which venue at which they elect to donate.

As the slogan of the effort says, “When you are hungry, nothing else matters.” According to Eblen Charities, one out of five children does not have enough food at home. This effort seeks to make sure those children don’t have to face hunger.

Eblen Charities’ work extends throughout the counties of Western North Carolina to numerous families and individuals in need. From helping families in need with the rising cost of medication, to the Eblen Energy Project that assists with electric bills for families in the Asheville community living with illnesses and disabilities, the Eblen Charities are on the front lines of supporting those who need it the most.

Remember to #jointhefight against hunger by participating in #headlockonhunger or #hoopsagainsthunger during this year’s SoCon championships in Asheville.