Whatever it takes: That’s the conviction that is weaved throughout the Asheville City Schools Foundation’s mission, values, commitment, and initiatives.
Based in Western North Carolina, this independent not-for-profit organization works to ensure all city school students have access to enriching and transformational educational opportunities. We spoke with Sara Metzger, the Foundation's Director of Operations, about their character-shaping programs and how OnSIP hosted VoIP supports their crucial work.
Helping Students throughout Asheville, North Carolina, to Flourish
“The Asheville City Schools Foundation (ACSF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing equity and opportunity for all students in Asheville City Schools,” Sara explains. “Our mission is to collaborate with our community to do ‘whatever it takes’ for all Asheville City Schools students to thrive.”
She continues: “For the past 37 years, ACSF has invested in our schools through scholarships, classroom innovation grants, teaching artist residencies, afterschool enrichment, and professional development. Each year, we award over $200,000 in scholarships, bring arts residencies into every school PreK–12, and fund educator-driven projects that inspire creativity and connection.”
The organization both funds and runs K-12 programs grounded in integrity, aiming to recognize student talent, encourage exploration, celebrate success, and support the goals of students, educators, and staff. Key programs include:
- IRL After-School Programming
- Racial Equity Ambassador Program (REAP)
- Teaching Artists Presenting in Asheville Schools Residencies (TAPAS)
ACSF offers approximately 20 unique scholarships each year to students, considering factors that range from academic history and community involvement to extra-curricular participation and financial need. Some notable scholarships include The Asheville Promise Scholarship, The City of Asheville Scholarship, and The Peterson-Stanley Future Educator Scholarship.
Since 2000, over $3.4 million in scholarships have been awarded to Asheville High and School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville (SILSA) graduates.
Hosted VoIP Call Features that Enable Seamless Mobile Connectivity
Serving schools scattered throughout the district, the Asheville City Schools Foundation needed a phone system that could support a mobile staff who conduct much of their work away from the office. “Our team primarily works from our downtown Asheville office, but more than half of our staff are based in school buildings and frequently collaborate with educators, volunteers, and community partners,” Sara notes. “Because much of our work happens beyond the office, flexibility in how we communicate is essential.”
The nonprofit set up OnSIP as its phone system back in 2019. Sara mentions that they’ve been using OnSIP for as long as she’s worked there, and that our phone service was chosen because of our awesome U.S-based customer service!
To keep their always-active team in sync across numerous school locations, the ACSF relies on OnSIP's mobile call features and adaptable routing options. She tells us that many staff members use our mobile app on their smartphones; this app allows you to answer calls, listen to work voicemail messages, and keep in touch with in-office colleagues.
“Using the OnSIP mobile app keeps our team connected and makes phone coverage a shared responsibility. Anyone can answer calls from anywhere, ensuring fairness, flexibility, and shared responsibility."
She also explains how she and her colleagues employ OnSIP's call transfer capabilities and voicemail message options. Staff members can listen to and manage their voicemail messages right on their mobile apps or on the OnSIP desktop app (our softphone available as an in-browser app or downloadable desktop app). Staff members also have the ability to configure the voicemail-to-email feature for themselves. This helpful option automatically forwards all voicemails to a user’s email address, allowing them to listen to audio messages right from their inboxes.
Summing up the impact that OnSIP has had on the Foundation’s staff, Sara says,
“OnSIP has really helped our team communicate more smoothly. We can easily forward calls, check voicemails, and stay connected whether we’re in the office, at home, or out at a school event. It’s made everything feel a lot more seamless and connected.”
She also has engaged our customer support team when she’s had questions about the service or needed to troubleshoot an issue. When asked about her various interactions with them, she sums it up as “Amazing! I am able to connect with a real person who is friendly, capable, and always resolves my problems. I can’t say enough about how wonderful the Support Team is!”
She elaborates: “All of the Support Team members that I have worked with have gone above and beyond and walked me through the process of finding a solution. They are patient, professional, and incredibly friendly.”
For nonprofits like the Asheville City Schools Foundation, reliable communication isn't just convenient—it's essential to their mission. OnSIP's mobile-friendly features and dedicated customer support help the ACSF staff stay connected across community partnerships so they can continue doing whatever it takes for Asheville students to thrive.