The Tocqueville Society

from ASPIRE · 2022 · VOLUME 4

Chai Pani Wins James Beard Award

A catalyst for positive change

The Tocqueville Society is a vital branch of the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, aimed at not only bringing the community together but also ensuring that family, friends, and neighbors are cared for.

“United Way has made a big impact on our whole region in various ways,” said Amy Hanks, who is co-chair of the Tocqueville Society and president of Beverly-Hanks Mortgage Services. “At its foundation are a lot of like-minded people who want to put back into our community. It’s about helping people move forward.”

The core of United Way’s mission is to be a catalyst for positive change. In terms of the Tocqueville Society, that means bringing together people from all walks of life, backgrounds, and skill sets and combining forces to bring about the growth needed to sustain and perpetuate the culture of a place and its people.

For Amy, getting involved in the Tocqueville Society with her husband, Neal, who is the president of Allen Tate/Beverly-Hanks, was a way to put their life experiences, skills, and connections to work in a charitable context, amplified by a network of community and business alliances that feed into what is a dynamic support system for the nonprofit.

“We quickly realized that the Tocqueville Society was a group of individuals and couples throughout our community who were not only giving financially, they were also giving their time and expertise in ways that could help United Way better serve its mission,” Amy said.

Formed in 1990, the Tocqueville Society in Asheville and greater Buncombe County is composed of individuals who donate $10,000 or more each calendar year. Nearly 23 years since its inception, the organization has garnered more than $21 million in donations directed toward issues in the community of utmost importance.

“It’s important for us to give back,” Amy said. “We have employees, clients, and friends who can all benefit from the services we’re able to support through monetary donations directly put back into our community.”

Kevin Montgomery, Vice President of Resource Development for United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, says the Tocqueville Society “makes up roughly 20% of our annual fundraising efforts through 87 households. [Tocqueville raised] over $1.6 million in 2021, a 33% increase over the previous year.”

“Tocqueville Society members are a network of like-minded philanthropic leaders that help to sustain our work and strengthen our community,” Montgomery said. “They play a vital role in every United Way community across the globe by engaging in the work and giving of their personal treasures at a high level.”

The Asheville and Buncombe County chapter is shifting its focus by putting a spotlight on the issue of education. The organization’s goal is to make certain each child in its backyard is given a quality education.

“Specifically, for the next 13 years, we’re hyper-focused on achieving the bold community goal that all Asheville and Buncombe County students graduate from high school ready to pursue their dreams and goals,” says Montgomery.

For Amy and Neal Hanks, and the Allen Tate/Beverly-Hanks family of agents, it’s about actions speaking louder than words. The two believe leaning into our community as an active participant goes a long, long way, as opposed to sitting on the sidelines.

“You have to focus on those little steps of helping people, which leads to bigger things happening overall. If there’s a need you can serve, you can make a difference,” Amy said. “We encourage everyone to come to one of our events and to see for yourself how you can get involved, and how much need there is for your help and expertise in the community.”

If you’re interested in joining or learning more about the

Tocqueville Society, contact Kevin Montgomery at kevin.montgomery@unitedwayabc.org, or scan the QR code to donate. Tocqueville Society fundraising event at Little Jumbo.