About the creators of wncHelp and the tech team
Flori Pate : Co-Founder
Headquartered in Asheville, NC
Flori Pate : Co-Founder
As a dedicated social entrepreneur and nonprofit leader, I am passionate about fostering community initiatives that uplift and empower others. I am also an artist and creator, as well as a proud dog-lover. I founded Gah-lee and Dig Local to promote local resources that benefit our community. Additionally, I established the 501(c) Food Connection, leveraging my nonprofit experience to address food insecurity. I was honored to be recognized by ABC WLOS News 13 as their 'Person of the Year.'
Ted Pate: Co-Founder
Headquartered in Asheville, NC
Flori Pate : Co-Founder
Social entrepreneur, leader, and writer with decades of marketing and digital experience, I am a native of North Carolina. I have a strong background in nonprofit experience and am passionate about community initiatives. As the founder of Gah-lee and Dig Local, I focus on connecting individuals with local resources.
Headquartered in Asheville, NC
Headquartered in Asheville, NC
Headquartered in Asheville, NC
Ted and Flori Pate are Asheville-based social impact entrepreneurs utilizing DigLocal.com to support local resources and celebrate their community initiatives. Gah-Lee.com develops technology for social good, launching projects such as ActiveAlamance.com to equitably connect wellness resources to North Carolinians, drawing on their nonprofit experience.
Ben Greign-Lautier
Headquartered in Asheville, NC
Senior Software Engineer
With a focus on community initiatives and local resources, I bring nonprofit experience to my work with Firebase, gRPC, Flutter, Kotlin, and Blockchain technologies.
Asheville, NC
Rejan Munir
Software Engineer specializing in Django, Rails, React, and Node for Full Stack Development, actively engaged in community initiatives and leveraging local resources to enhance nonprofit experience in Dallas, TX.
Patrick Tillman
Chief Technology Officer
Senior Software Engineer
Asheville, NC
With a focus on community initiatives and utilizing local resources, this position also values nonprofit experience.
Technology for GOOD
The Mission: Technology for Good
Innovators in Community-Centric Technology Solutions
Gah-lee's software has evolved to meet the demands of the ever-changing digital landscape, ensuring exceptional user experiences and robust functionality. "At Gah-lee, we believe in harnessing technology for good to enhance community connections and support community initiatives. By leveraging local resources and drawing on our nonprofit experience, we can work together to make the world a better place!" -Flori Pate, creator
Bringing Nonprofit Experience
Nonprofit Experience
Flori Pate founded the Asheville-based nonprofit Food Connection 11 years ago. Through various community initiatives, she and her team have successfully rescued and connected over 1 million chef-prepared meals with our Western North Carolina neighbors in need. Born from a blend of technology and compassion, discover more below about the creation of the 501(c)3 nonprofit, Food Connection, and how it serves as a vital local resource.
A Locally Owned North Carolina Business Committed to Community Initiatives
Gah-lee Enterprises is a North Carolina–based company dedicated to strengthening communities through technology. Their platforms help people find local resources, engage in community initiatives, and create a positive impact.
Mission
Gah-lee Enterprises partners with nonprofits, leveraging their nonprofit experience, public agencies, and local businesses to build secure, easy-to-use digital tools that improve resource navigation, reduce barriers to care, and drive measurable community impact.
Vision
A future where every community member can easily find and access the local resources, services, and opportunities they need to thrive, supported by trusted, integrated technology.
NONPROFIT EXPERIENCE
GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY: Dig Local launches a 501(c)3 nonprofit!
Flori Pate, co-founder of "Asheville's App" Dig Local, brought years of marketing and technology experience to the table when she discovered a troubling fact during a marketing meeting with Pack's Tavern. Restaurants, universities, venues, and retirement centers were discarding a significant amount of surplus, unserved gourmet food. Shortly after, she and a few partners started rescuing this food and delivering it directly to local shelters that provided meals for neighbors in need. This innovative approach quickly gained traction, and now the culture in and around Asheville has transformed into one that prioritizes community initiatives aimed at reducing food waste. Chefs are now actively donating to Food Connection.
Food Connection is born!
In 2016, Food Connection became its own 501(c)3 nonprofit, having since rescued and delivered over 1,000,000 fresh meals to seniors, working families, veterans, and more. This effort has saved an astonishing 450 TONS of prepared food from ending up in the Buncombe County landfill. For the People! For the Planet!
The Free Food Truck Experience
Currently, "Fran," the free food truck, offers open meal distributions five days a week, where individuals can order heat-and-serve meals to go. The only question asked is, "Would you like beef brisket, crab cakes, veggie lasagna, or one of each?" Flori believes that "access to fresh, delicious food is a human right," and that "no fresh food should ever end up in the trash while our neighbors go hungry." See Schedule HERE
Furthering the Connections
Flori and the team at Gah-lee Enterprises are dedicated to leveraging their nonprofit experience over the past decade to streamline essential services and make support easier to access. Through the WNCHelp.org app, they are providing Western North Carolina with a modern, reliable way to stay connected with local resources, community programs, and the help that matters most.