It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Captain White House gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Graham, NC is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“I couldn't be happier with the help of Stephen Carlson. He helped move my mom from a really bad situation to a really great one. Our first phone conversation he said "you are going to have to trust me." And I'm so glad I did. He told me that the place he thought best for my mom was maybe might not the most convenient but he knew how caring and loving the environment would be. I'd much rather be inconvenienced than have my mom treated poorly. So I trusted him and we are forever grateful! He gave me the 1st hand information on much closer places and still thought this farther away place would be the best scenario. He reassured me that no matter where we did move her to, we could always update him on how things were going. And he takes that information into consideration for all his clients and that's how he knows the scoop! I believe the families he works with trust him because he is honest and open. People report back to him the necessary details so he knows where and where not to suggest to his clients. My mom was in a facility we were really unhappy with. After going to the hospital and speaking with a social worker, she suggested I speak with Stephen and assured me he would help us find a better situation. My mom has Alzheimer's so she can not advocate for herself. Aside from having family to help her navigate this, we really needed someone who knew where we could trust her being taken care of properly. I feel like he made this transition from awful to wonderful so easy and removed the stress from our lives in a pretty stressful time. He was so fast and accommodating. I will absolutely pass his name on to any and everyone in the future. He continues to check in with me and my mom and I couldn't love him more. Thank you Stephen! Thank you Always Best Care Senior Services for doing what you do!”
“We had the pleasure of being introduced to Stephen Carlson from a referring social worker and from the moment we spoke we knew we were in excellent hands. Stephen is diligent, communicative, efficient, compassionate, and a true professional. He went above and beyond investigating our needs for our elderly relative and stayed in contact over the Christmas period to ensure we were happy. I would highly recommend Stephen and his team; Always Best Care is a rare godsend in times of need and uncertainty when it comes to placement for your elderly loved one. Thank you Stephen for everything. We truly appreciate you!”
“I hired these folks on a recommendation from the assisted living facility where my Mom lives, to facilitate Mom’s attendance at our family Christmas party on Christmas Day. The contracting was seamless and the aide who signed up, Serenity, was great. She was on-time, brought all the paraphernalia we requested for Mom’s safety and comfort, made the 80 mile round trip without a hitch, and provided Mom with nearly invisible, but reassuring care at our party. Thank you to all!”
“Stephen Carlson with Always Best Care was a tremendous help to my sister and I when seeking out assisted living communities for our Mother. Stephen helped ease our anxieties by setting up tours for us, answering the many questions that we had, and guiding us through the process. I give Stephen the highest recommendation if you are considering qualify senior living facilities for your loved one!”
“"Always Best Care" Senior Services in Greensboro, NC helped our family find the perfect fit placement for our mother in an assisted living facility. Stephen Carlson, Director of Community Relations, was very instrumental in providing us with 5 Star, phenomenal, personal attention to what we were wanting and expecting in her care. When our mother fell and could no longer walk, we had to make quick decisions in the hospital and had no clue or guidance as to how we were going to navigate this new journey. When she was moved to a rehab facility, that is where we were introduced to Stephen Carlson. He was our saving grace as he rescued us from all uncertainty we were facing. As he himself in his own family faced these same circunstances, he had tremendous empathy and knowledge, along with compassion, to help us get through this transition. He was so easy to talk to, and listens to all questions and goes far and beyond to seek out the answers. Stephen is a sweet soul who really cares and what is amazing is he always answers your phone call promptly and if you need a shoulder to cry on, he is there. May God bless Stephen Carlson back for the blessings he blessed us with. He was truly a gift to us! Thank you! He still continues to be if we need help.”
“Wonderful to work for. They care about their employees and go above and beyond to take care of their employees and clients”
“1. My time at ABC has been fantastic! The team is amazing and works hard to find great caregivers for seniors who need help. If you want a good job or a place for a senior family member, ABC is the best choice.”
“I love working for Always Best Care! They're understanding, have a wonderful team in the office that helps make our jobs easier as caregivers! Easy to talk to and communicate which makes the days so much easier! Flexibility and communication is key! Amazing Clients, Amazing Staff, Amazing caregivers!! Yeah, pretty amazing!! ????”
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“I have had the pleasure of working with Stephen Carlson in assisting me with getting residents placement. Stephen is beyond helpful and as a social worker in skilled nursing it can be difficult to get residents placed who have complex needs or behavior concerns. Working with Stephen has been a tremendous help to not only myself but the families I work with as well. Special thanks to him for going above and beyond for patients and their families! He is truly appreciated!”
“Steven was really great. His knowledge of the various senior living centers made our decisions easier and the process smoother. Highly recommend Steven”
“Stephen took so much time with us family members. He helped us immeasurably. He added his knowledge insights and even threw in some humor. He made this process so much quicker and easier.”
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“From: Tom and Laura McAdams Steven Charelston was such a big help to my husband, myself and our family. Without him I don’t know where my husband with dementia would be right now. He found us long term care at Greenhaven. He helped explain so many things to me and the family about how the care works and how Medicade works. From the start Steven made us all feel like family and friends thanks for everything you are a special person. We thank you so much for everything.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Graham Regional Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Passion Fusion Grille or visit Graham Historical Museum, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Graham, NC, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Graham, NC understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Graham, NC 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
When Shaun Adams was laid off by Stanley Furniture in 2014, he was beyond frustrated. Not only was he losing his job at the furniture manufacturing plant, but Graham County was losing its largest employer and last major manufacturer.In the year after Stanley left, the unemployment rate in Graham County rose to the highest across ...
When Shaun Adams was laid off by Stanley Furniture in 2014, he was beyond frustrated. Not only was he losing his job at the furniture manufacturing plant, but Graham County was losing its largest employer and last major manufacturer.
In the year after Stanley left, the unemployment rate in Graham County rose to the highest across North Carolina. Adams’ frustration grew as he saw the Robbinsville facility lay almost entirely vacant for more than a decade. Why weren’t town and county officials courting another company to use the factory space and create more jobs?
Adams ran for mayor, determined to bring manufacturing jobs back to Robbinsville. He won the office in 2021.
Last week, he got his wish: the Chinese biodegradable paperware company EcoKing announced an $80 million investment to reopen the same shuttered facility, promising 515 jobs in one of North Carolina’s most economically distressed counties.
“We have lost so much population over the years because of factories closing and our low median income,” Adams told Carolina Public Press. “This means a lot of people will get to come home.”
EcoKing manufactures for fast food restaurants like Chipotle, Chick-Fil-A, and Panda Express. When the Robbinsville facility comes online in 2026, it will be the biggest employer in Graham County, providing an average wage of $46,700, nearly double the median individual income in the county.
But first, the abandoned Stanley plant needs major renovations — to the tune of $21 million.
“If you walked through the plant with me, you would say they ought to do a series of The Walking Dead here, because it just looked abandoned and neglected,” Robin Sargent, owner of Old Town Brokers, a firm that helped orchestrate the sale of the plant.
“At one time, it was a vibrant place, but holy cow, someone just let it go to hell. Taking the pictures was like getting it ready for a dating site. It takes a special person to be able to have a vision for a space like that.”
The facility needs major HVAC, plumbing and electrical work. But EcoKing wasn’t scared off by the state of the plant.
Partially they were wowed by Graham County’s natural beauty. Partially they were swayed because of the cheap, abundant power supply in the area.
The deciding factor, however, was incentives: between the town, the county and the state, EcoKing was offered $12 million over five years to pick Graham County instead of a site in the other Southern states they were eyeing.
EcoKing’s customers — those big name fast food restaurants — wanted paperware products made domestically. With the tariffs coming down from Washington, the company had to act quickly.
“The tariff is high,” John Lin, EcoKing’s representative for this project, told CPP. “And 80% of our customers are here in the United States. So is most of our raw material. That taught us to make a decision: we’re going to land right here, and be Made in the USA.”
The EcoKing investment is a lifeline for this Western corner of the state. Graham County once had more than 1,100 manufacturing jobs across four factories and a sawmill. Now all of that is gone.
After Stanley Furniture was the last to leave, a company called Oak Valley Hardwood occupied a small corner of the same building starting in 2016, but left when COVID hit. Other than that blip, hardly any economic investment has come to the area.
“For decades we struggled with the closing of textile plants and furniture plants and the tobacco industry being more or less sunset,” Sargent said.
“This area has just been hammered in a way that is not well understood — 500 jobs is a big deal here. This is a really great story of how we were able to capture the interest of an Asian company to launch a big investment in their industry here.”
There’s a certain economic irony to EcoKing’s investment. Many of the manufacturing jobs that left Graham County — and Western North Carolina more broadly — went to China as companies chased cheaper labor. Now, a Chinese company is bringing manufacturing back to the exact same building where American workers once made furniture.
EcoKing will use the same pulp supplier that served the Pactiv paper plant in Canton, whose 2023 closure resulted in the loss of 1,200 jobs and a lawsuit from former attorney general and current governor Josh Stein.
The one downside of US manufacturing is the cost of labor, Lin said. In China, the company can get away with much lower wages. EcoKing plans to use some automated manufacturing to offset this inflated cost.
But still, the plant will need 515 workers. In one of the state’s smallest counties, that won’t happen overnight — it will require coordinated workforce development.
Hiring is projected to happen in two phases. The first phase will take place over the next three to five years, and create about 300 jobs. The second, on a longer timeline, will bring on 215 more. The company is partnering with Tri-County Community College and Western Carolina University for workforce development.
“We’re going to take a slow-burn approach,” Josh Carpenter, director of economic development group Mountain West Partnership, told CPP. “That’s what we did with Harrah’s Cherokee Casino: built a workforce of 900 to 1,200 over the years.”
Construction crews are already at work on the $21 million restoration. And for the first time in over a decade, Graham County has concrete reason for economic optimism.
This article first appeared on Carolina Public Press and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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One of North Carolina’s least-populated counties received a big jobs announcement on Tuesday from a company based in China.Eco King Solutions, a new subsidiary of China-based Zhejiang Kingsun Eco-pack, plans to invest $80.5 million in the western North Carolina town of Robbinsville to create 515 jobs at its first North American manufacturing site, the state announced Tuesday.Eco King Solutions will manufacture disposable dishware such as bowls, plates and trays used in supermarkets and other food service industries. The c...
One of North Carolina’s least-populated counties received a big jobs announcement on Tuesday from a company based in China.
Eco King Solutions, a new subsidiary of China-based Zhejiang Kingsun Eco-pack, plans to invest $80.5 million in the western North Carolina town of Robbinsville to create 515 jobs at its first North American manufacturing site, the state announced Tuesday.
Eco King Solutions will manufacture disposable dishware such as bowls, plates and trays used in supermarkets and other food service industries. The company expects to hire 300 people in the next three years and then add the remaining 215 workers in a second phase, says Graham County Commissioner Lynn Cody.
“For Graham County, this is just a true blessing to bring these jobs to this county,” says Cody. “And it’s not just for Graham County. It’s for the surrounding counties, too. This is for the whole region of western North Carolina.
With a population of about 8,050 residents, Graham County ranks as the third-least populated county in the state. Its population has declined by about 800 residents in the past decade, according to the Census Bureau. Robbinsville, located about 90 miles west of Asheville, has a population of about 563 residents, about 190 less than it had in 2010.
Tuesday’s announcement should help change the county’s so-called brain drain, says Cody.
“People had to move away to find jobs,” says Cody. “We’re hoping this will bring some people back.”
The new jobs will pay an annual average salary of $46,707 a year, slightly above the current Graham County average of $46,628.
Zhejiang Kingsun Eco-pack was founded in 2008 more than 7,000 miles away from Robbinsville. It operates three high-capacity factories in China, where it employs approximately 1,200 people.
“We have been impressed by how welcoming Robbinsville, Graham County and North Carolina have been to our company and this important project,” said Ping Zhang, chairman of Eco King Solutions in a release. “We worked very hard to find the right location for our business to thrive. We know we found it right here due to the excellent workforce, quality of life and friendly business climate. We are excited to be a part of the community, and we are excited for our company to prosper here.”
The company also considered sites in Tennessee before choosing Graham County. Locating in Robbinsville will help the company grow its U.S. customer base and reduce shipping costs, according to the company.
The state will provide state incentives valued at about $4.5 million, including a Jobs Development Investment Grant of almost $2.9 million. The company will also receive about $1 million in workforce training and a $500,000 grant through the state’s building reuse program. Graham County and Robbinsville will add local incentives totaling at least $2.9 million, with Graham County putting in almost $1.6 million and Robbinsville more than $1.3 million over the next five years, says Cody.
Cody says he has spoken with the Chinese leaders of Eco King Solutions and found them friendly. He says they were able to converse without using someone to translate the language barrier.
“They’ve been very open-minded and supportive,” says Cody.
“Good news is good news,” he added.
Eco King Solutions will locate in the former Stanley Furniture building, an economic mainstay for the mountain community for decades until it closed in 2014, putting 400 people out of work.
Attracting Chinese direct investment comes amid continuing friction in U.S.-China trade relations as President Donald Trump threatens higher tariffs with the Asian nation.
The U.S. had a $101 billion trade deficit with China during the first five months of this year, with $148.5 billion in imports and $48.6 billion in exports, government data shows. The deficit totaled more than $1.3 billion over the past four years.
NOTE: This story has been corrected. A release from the governor’s office states Eco King Solutions will bring 515 jobs to Graham County.
A mobile home park was hit by flood waters on Sunday night, damaging at least a dozen homes in the neighborhoodGRAHAM, N.C. — A quiet mobile home community along Little Alamance Creek woke up to devastation Monday morning after floodwaters surged into the neighborhood overnight, submerging homes, sweeping away cars, and leaving behind a widespread path of destruction.The waters rose rapidly around 8 p.m., catching many off guard.“We found the whole street flooded,” said Juan Hernandez, who lives in one ...
A mobile home park was hit by flood waters on Sunday night, damaging at least a dozen homes in the neighborhood
GRAHAM, N.C. — A quiet mobile home community along Little Alamance Creek woke up to devastation Monday morning after floodwaters surged into the neighborhood overnight, submerging homes, sweeping away cars, and leaving behind a widespread path of destruction.
The waters rose rapidly around 8 p.m., catching many off guard.
“We found the whole street flooded,” said Juan Hernandez, who lives in one of the affected homes. “The water was almost inside the house.”
Home video shared by residents shows water up to waist height, decks submerged, and neighbors wading through floodwaters to safety.
Juan Hernandez’s vehicle was pushed 20 feet by the rushing current.
“The car was parked here,” he said, pointing. “It got pushed back 20 feet. The bumper was ripped off.”
Cleanup was already underway by early morning.
“I’m just throwing all this away,” Hernandez said, tossing soaked debris into a pile.
Sylvia Newman, a resident of more than 25 years, was stunned by what she saw.
“It was bad,” she recalled. “I walked through water up to here just to get to my truck.”
The foundation beneath her mobile home partially collapsed. Her air conditioning unit now rests sideways in the mud. Cinder blocks that once provided support are scattered around the yard.
“Bricks, debris, pipes — everything moved,” said another neighbor surveying the damage.
One video shows neighbors pushing vehicles to higher ground as water overtook the area. Less than 12 hours later, the floodwaters had receded, but the damage was evident: mangled skirting, busted sewage pipes, and mud-caked yards.
“I’ll have to redo the skirt,” one resident said. “The foundation is off. I have to fix up a lot.”
The flood came with little warning.
“That instinct told me — get up and look at the front door,” said one woman. “When I did, it was coming.”
“I didn’t have no time,” another added. “Police came and told us to get out. It was dangerous.”
Authorities knocked on doors urging evacuations around 9 p.m., residents said.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported. But for those who live here, the recovery is just beginning — and not everyone has insurance.
“Some folks do, some don’t,” one resident said.
The flood left more than a dozen homes in need of repairs. For this close-knit community, the next few days — and likely weeks — will be about clearing out, rebuilding, and leaning on one another.
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