First and foremost—our hearts and minds are with all of us who fell prey to Hurricane Helene. Whether you lost power for a couple of hours or have a house submerged in water, we’re thinking of you. I’ve lived here for almost a decade, and never before have I seen such destruction and heartache. My family has friends in Western NC whom we have not been able to get in touch with—and I know we’re not alone in this.

I can’t stress this enough: Please, please make sure you’re getting your information from verified and trustworthy sources. I’m not going to make recommendations for those sources in this forum, of course, but I do have my go-tos, and if anyone is interested in my opinion, feel free to contact me directly.

If you’ve been affected by Helene and need help from your fellow Mensans, please let me know, and I’ll do my best to find you help.

In the meantime…please stay safe, and take care of your families and neighbors.

Government Resources for Hurricane Relief

• nc.gov/donate to give to the State of North Carolina’s Disaster Relief Fund. All contributions will be distributed by United Way directly to organizations helping folks on the ground.
• DriveNC.gov — Active map with incidents list and road closures
• Open Shelters — Shelter information for Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Polk and Yancey counties
• Disaster Distress Helpline — National hotline for crisis support and counseling for emotional distress. Multilingual including ASL
• FEMA’s General NC Hurricane Helene Page — General NC resource page from FEMA
• North Carolina Voluntary (NCVOAD) Organizations Active in Disaster — General information on reputable North Carolina organizations providing disaster relief services
• NC 2-1-1 — Call 2-1-1 to report a missing person or request a welfare check on a loved one

Western NC local organizations

Manna FoodBank in Asheville

• The organization’s warehouse was prepped prior to the storm.
• Updates will be made available via the FoodBank’s website.
• There are many ways to get involved, volunteer, and donate — including online. Go here to give money to the Manna FoodBank online.

BeLoved Asheville

• On-the-ground volunteers are collecting and distributing a wide array of supplies.
• Cash donations can be sent via:
  Venmo: BeLoved-Asheville
  CashApp: $BeLovedAsheville
  Zelle: 828-412-2054
• Specific items are needed, including: food, bottled water, contractor-size trash bags, blankets, first aid supplies, feminine hygiene products, diapers and baby clothes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, paper towels, bleach, shovels, brooms, gloves, coolers, propane, cook stoves, flashlights, batteries, fans, dehumidifiers and generators.
• Volunteers are needed to help deliver supplies. Truck owners and truck drivers are needed.
• Drop-off and staging updates are available on the organization’s social media pages. BeLoved Asheville is located at 32 Old Charlotte Hwy, Asheville, NC 28803.
• For volunteer info and more, visit the organization’s website.

Foothills Food Hub

• Working to source water and shelf-stable goods to distribute in McDowell County.
• Requesting monetary donations, which can be made online here.

Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry

• The ministry helped run and provide shelter in Asheville and is partnered with the Red Cross. Donations help pay for motel and food vouchers for local residents and long-term support for those displaced.
• To help: Donate food, clothing, or funds at abccm.org/donations/ministry-fund/.

Homeward Bound in Asheville

• The organization provides supportive housing to the homeless community in Asheville and it distributed essentials and clothing as the storm approached.
• For more information on year-round work and to donate, visit Homeward Bound’s website.

Mountain Projects

• Historically the group has helped with emergency housing, including storm victims.
• Plans and information on response to Hurricane Helene were not available as the group is based in Waynesville, which was hit with flooding.
• For more, visit the organization’s website.

WNC Regional Livestock Center

• Based in Canton, the livestock center is working to help farmers and animals who were affected by flooding. You can donate toward helping local farmers who need to buy feed for animals. The center also helps supply fencing and other essentials.
• Contact: Yvonne Coburn with Civilian Disaster Response at 828-216-4496.
• More information is available here.

American Red Cross of North Carolina

• At the storm’s peak, the organization opened more than 15 shelter locations in Western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina.
• You can volunteer to serve with the American Red Cross or you can donate blood, which assists medical facilities in responding to disasters. 
• You can make an online donation or give by texting Helene to 90999.
• More information is available here.

Salvation Army of the Carolinas

• The organization has historically worked to provide meals and support to residents and rescue personnel in WNC communities hard-hit by disasters.
• For information on donating and more, visit the Salvation Army of the Carolinas’ page with Hurricane Helene updates.

Baptists on Mission

• North Carolina Disaster Response volunteers will serve in communities as conditions allow. If you are interested in serving in flood recovery, chainsaw and temporary roof repair, you can volunteer on the organization’s website.
• Donations are accepted online and by check. Click here for more.

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County

• The nonprofit helps residents connect to a wide array of resources via it’s 2-1-1 hotline. The local United Way plans to help with immediate natural disaster response and long-term support for flood victims.
• Donations can be made online here.

Samaritan’s Purse

• The organization is responding to the High Country (northwestern North Carolina) and eastern Tennessee. The community of Boone, where Samaritan’s Purse, is based has been deeply impacted.
• Volunteers are needed for deployment starting Sept. 30. 
• Donations are accepted online. Click here for more info. 

North Carolina Community Foundation

• The foundation’s disaster fund can be activated after natural disasters in the state.
• Plans and information are pending. For more information, visit the website.

Operation Airdrop

• The group is focusing operations on North Carolina after it aided Helene victims in Florida. Pilots and volunteers will deliver essential supplies and food to disaster-stricken areas in the mountains. 
• For more information, visit the website.

United Way of NC

• https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/1nSUgw?vid=17vvg9

National organizations

American Red Cross 
https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html

Salvation Army 
https://give.helpsalvationarmy.org/give/166081?c_src=web-header#!/donation/checkout

Mutual Aid Disaster Relief
https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/mutual-aid-disaster-relief

Resources

• Find Red Cross shelters
• Duke Energy power outage map
• Duke Energy: 1-800-419-6356 (to report outages call 1-800-543-5599 or text “OUT” to 57801)
• NC Highway Patrol: 828-298-4252 / Road Conditions: DriveNC.gov
• Emergency Call Center: 828-356-2020
• Buncombe County Non-emergency: 828-250-6650
• Canton Police: 828-648-2376
• Waynesville Police: 828-456-5363
• Maggie Valley Police: 828-926-0867
• HEMC: 828-452-2281
• Haywood County Animal Control: 828-456-5338
• Haywood County Department of Social Services: 828-452-6620
• Haywood County Missing Persons: 828-452-6666
• Canton Water: 828-648-2376
• Waynesville Water: 828-456-3706