Who We Are
How it all began…
In 2016, Barbara Morgan discovered through a family member in crisis that personal care, soap, and other non-food items cannot be purchased with food stamps. She learned that low-income and homeless women could often find shelter and food, but have no place to turn when it came to feminine hygiene products.
In an attempt to preserve their dignity and sense of self-worth, girls often skip school and women who work in low-paying hourly jobs forfeit income when they miss work because they lack access to menstrual products. Barbara gathered several friends and founded Project Dignity of Western North Carolina. The challenges were daunting. They needed to find financial support, locations where donors could drop off products, a place to store them, and an efficient way to distribute the products to charitable organizations and schools throughout Western North Carolina.
Project Dignity of WNC Inc. 501(c)(3), a nonprofit whose mission is to provide period products to women and girls in Hendersonville and surrounding areas who might be homeless, low-income, or victims of domestic abuse.
Meet our board
Tom Morgan
President and Treasurer
After retirement from a fun career at FedEx, Tom’s volunteer duties in Western North Carolina have included serving friendly meals to seniors on his Meals on Wheels route, and serving on the boards of The Free Clinics, the Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Catholic Social Services.
Tom works with the Project Dignity of WNC board and volunteer staff to make their mission a success for the women and girls who have come to depend on its services.
In 2013, Barbara and Tom Morgan created Carolina Fiduciary Services, LLC, a daily money management and fiduciary agency for seniors, aimed at helping preserve their clients’ dignity during stressful transitions in their lives. Tom tries to use spare any time for reading, hiking, golf, and visiting grandchildren.
Debbie O’Malley
VP Warehouse Management & Logistics
Eight years ago Deb traded in her “Mouse Ears” and moved from Orlando to Hendersonville, having retired as Director of Religious Education in the Orlando Diocese. Active in her new parish, Deb was looking for something to make a difference in our community. Deb was invited to join the Board of Project Dignity and was immediately instrumental in developing the processes needed to meet the demands of providing period products to the women and girls in our area. Deb works to successfully sustain the logistics of our program, including inventory management, product delivery, and telling the Project Dignity story to everyone she meets.
Tabitha Long
Member-at-Large, Grants, Media
Stacy Martin
Member-at-Large, Media
Born and raised in New York City, Stacy worked in the publishing industry for 25 years as a magazine designer and Creative Director. Looking for a more fulfilling second career, she left the corporate world to become a professional organizer and loves to help people get rid of their clutter, reorganize their homes and reduce their stress. Stacy and her husband moved to the Asheville area in December 2019.
Doug Rostick AAMS
AAMS, Member-at-Large, Polk County Outreach
Doug is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Mills River. He resides in Tryon with his wife and two school age children. He serves as our liaison to Polk County.
Nancy Rice
Member-at-Large, Marketing, Fundraising
Beth Fagan
Member-at-Large
Beth left the beaches of New Jersey for mountain life in 1996. Beth had a long career in the insurance industry spanning over 35 years. finally retiring in 2018. A casual meeting in a local coffee shop with Debbie O’Malley led to discussions about the need for period products in the area. Beth became an advocate for Project Dignity to the international educational organization to which she belongs PEO – .Philanthropic Educational Organization. Beth organizes packing parties and handles some correspondence for Project Dignity.
Carol Ann Larimore
Born and raised in Bergan County, New Jersey, Carol had a 44-year career in healthcare beginning as a Registered Nurse working as a clinician in the Operating Room and Emergency Department. After completion of a Bachelor (Summa Cum Laude) and Graduate Degree in Healthcare Administration worked as Chief Nursing Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer. As CNO, Carol was the Nurse Executive of the Year for a healthcare corporation based in Florida. As COO was the clinical liaison with an architectural and construction companies for the building of a new facility in Utah. As CEO, she took a hospital into bankruptcy protection- which is still open over two decades later as a Critical Access Hospital in Western Virginia. After leaving hospital operations, Carol worked as a Field Representative for The Joint Commission surveying hospitals throughout the United States and Territories for quality of care based upon National Standards of Practice.
Emma Alexander
Member-at-Large
Judy Derr
Board Secretary
Judy moved to Asheville in 1994 and began a 24-year career as a paralegal for a prominent law practice in the area. Judy was asked to join the Project Dignity Board from its inception and has been committed to its mission. Judy hadn’t realized the problems low-income women and girls face trying to obtain period products. She found out that many women miss work and girls miss school during for lack of products during “that time of the month.” She wanted to help in any way she could. It’s been a gratifying and awakening experience.
