ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — On most mornings, Lily Korpella works behind the scenes at the Asheville Humane Thrift Store, sorting through bags of donated clothes, toys and household items before they reach the sales floor. It’s quiet, physical work, but for Korpella, 27, it represents something deeper: stability, purpose and a way to stay connected to a community she loves.
Korpella has worked as lead intake at the thrift store since February, a new chapter that followed an abrupt turning point in her life. Before Asheville Humane, she was an assistant manager at Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. That job ended suddenly after Tropical Storm Helene disrupted operations, leaving her unemployed and searching for a new direction.
“I’ve always wanted to get into nonprofit,” Korpella said. “Supporting animals and people in the community — that’s what matters to me.”
A journalism graduate, Korpella once imagined herself working in news. But finding steady work in the field proved difficult in Asheville, and her path shifted toward nonprofit service instead. At the thrift store, she found a role that blends organization, teamwork and daily interaction with the public.
As intake lead, Korpella manages the steady flow of donations. Hundreds of items move through the back room each day — everything from children’s clothes to pet supplies — all destined to support Asheville Humane’s mission.
Her favorite part of the job isn’t the logistics, she said, but the people.
“Most donors come in because they care,” Korpella said. “They love animals. They want to support people in need. And the same with the people who shop here. Getting to hear why they’re here and talk with them — that’s the best part.”
She believes strongly in what the store represents: a community space where affordability matters.
“We process hundreds of items every day and try to keep prices as low as possible,” Korpella said. “Kids are expensive. Pets are expensive. We want people to be able to have nice things at a reasonable cost.”
Outside of work, Korpella spends much of her time outdoors, hiking trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway and visiting waterfalls like Triple Falls. One of her favorite hikes, which she’s nicknamed the “Dragon Head Trail,” winds past a tree she says looks unmistakably like a dragon halfway along the path.
“I think it’s the Looking Glass trail, but it’s got a dragon tree when you get halfway through it,” Korpella said. “And then Triple Falls, that one’s pretty well-known, but I do love that one. It’s beautiful.”
When she’s not hiking, she often travels to Chicago, where many of her family members live. A lifelong Cubs fan, Korpella said sports and trips to the city are how she stays connected to home. On a recent visit, she marked a major milestone — getting engaged in front of the Sears Tower.
Travel fuels another dream, as well. A certified scuba diver, Korpella said her dream job would be to go to Roatán, Honduras, to become a dive master.
“I would leave tomorrow,” she said with a laugh, before adding, “even though I love this job.”
For now, Korpella is content where she is — helping donations find new life, supporting animals in need, and building a sense of community one bag at a time.
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