How to Help Western North Carolina Communities Affected by Hurricane Helene

Salvation Army mobile feeding units and disaster teams from across the country have been providing food, drinks, and emergency supplies to survivors and rescue workers in Buncombe county.

Headquartered in Asheville, Manna Food Bank has been coordinating donations for and distribution of food and essential supplies across Western North Carolina.

Serving Asheville and Buncombe County, United Way is working with local government and their Emergency Operations Center to coordinate immediate and long-term needs in the area.

Since the storm, Mercy Chefs has distributed over 170,000 meals in the Asheville, NC, area and other communities affected by Helene, including to hospitals and healthcare workers.

Over the last few weeks, Project Hope has not only deployed for on-the-ground aid but has also set up a 4x emergency match donation system for North Carolina.

Food Connection has been delivering meals to the hardest hit communities, bringing meals directly to people in Asheville as well as to outlying, rural communities of Leicester, Fairview, Candler, Swannanoa, and more.

Resources for Resilience is a nonprofit that helps those dealing with high-stress environments. They are offering daily listening circles for those affected by Hurricane Helene, weekly listening circles for therapists, and twice-weekly trainings for first responders, healthcare workers, volunteers, and others.

In coordination with government, nonprofit, and business partners, the American Red Cross is supporting Community Care Centers in Asheville and Swannanoa, and conducting mobile feeding in impacted areas across Western North Carolina.

In the aftermath of Helene, the Appalachian Sustainable Agricultural Project (ASAP) has been coordinating support, recovery resources, and grants for the region's extensive farming community.

The Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity has been partnering with North Carolinans in the region to build sustainable, affordable homes. Hit hard by Helene, they are looking for a new warehouse space for their ReStore to get operations up and running again and are primarily taking donations, as they're not yet in the position to engage volunteers.

Working towards long-term goals, Greenworks is committed to building a climate resilient future by planting more native trees, protecting pollinators, reducing waste, and cleaning up rivers. In response to Helene, they are asking for donations and volunteers so they can resume their mission when it is safe to do so.

In the aftermath of Helene, the Asheville Humane Society has been coordinating recovery efforts and food distribution for pets in the area. They have opened five free pet food distribution sites in Asheville and have set up a lost and found system for stray pets.

Operating in Western North Carolina, Babies Need Bottoms is a diaper bank that has worked in partnership with community-based organizations to provide diapering supplies for families in the region.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina selects and matches mentors with children facing adversity and provides ongoing activities, training, and support services to sustain those relationships and connections. In response to Helene, the staff has immersed themselves in the communities they serve to provide as much support for disrupted families as possible.

BeLoved Asheville is a community organization that provides assistance to underserved communities, and is dedicating resources to those most affected by Helene, focusing on critical areas like food, clean water, and healthcare, and securing warm and safe housing for those displaced for the winter.

A program of Asheville's Poverty Initiative, 12 Baskets Café has been distributing meals and supplies to those in need.

Based in Hendersonville, NC, Safelight provides support for survivors of interpersonal violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.

Founded following Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Hearts With Hands has been coordinating disaster relief in the area, distributing food, medicine, and household needs. On their site, you can find a list of supplies most needed as well as a link to donate monetarily.

The Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM) has been coordinating donations and distribution of aid in the region for those impacted by Helene.

Along with providing immediate aid, the Haywood Christian Ministry (HCM) is also working on plans for long-term recovery.

Committed to preventing and ending homelessness, Homeward Bound has been setting up resources for the unhoused and is assembling resources to meet the rise in housing precariousness across Western North Carolina following the storm.

Colaborativa La Milpa is a group of grassroots organizations based in the Emma neighborhood of Buncombe County, NC, that is currently sharing all donations with those affected by Helene.

Following the storm, the Equal Plates Project has been preparing 1,000+ daily meals to distribute to those affected, especially those in public housing and other underserved populations in the area.

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue's shelter was flooded during the storm, endangering the lives of animals in their care. They are urgently soliciting donations to meet their care needs and to one day rebuild their shelter in Asheville.

Partnering with Hearts With Hands, Lee Industries has been coordinating relief donations and distribution for those affected by Helene, including maintaining an up-to-date Amazon wishlist for the most essential needs.

Vecinos provides healthcare to farmworkers and uninsured adults in the area, with a focus on the Latinx community. They have been providing urgently-needed medical care and wellness support to low-income and uninsured peoples in Western North Carolina since Hurricane Helene.

GoFundMe created a campaign to provide direct relief to people in need after hurricanes, delivering cash grants directly to those impacted by storms.

Bounty & Soul is a community-based nonprofit providing access to fresh produce and wellness education for all. They have partnered with World Central Kitchen to distribute food and hot meals in the Black Mountain and Swannanoa Valley areas.

North Carolina Reproductive Care Disaster Relief coordinates support for mothers and pregnant and postpartum families affected by Helene across Western North Carolina. They are accepting monetary donations.

Holler Harm Reduction works to help people in the area who use drugs and the people who care about them. Since the hurricane, they have not only maintained critical community centers providing harm-reduction supplies, power, and wifi, but has also coordinated the collection and distribution of essential supplies across the region.