Ways to Help with Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts

Updated: October 5, 2024 | 5:15 p.m.

As the storm has passed, and the damage done by Hurricane Helene becomes increasingly clear, we understand the depth of desire to help.

There are a multitude of ways both individuals and churches can help. What’s most helpful is to respond to the needs as requested by those on the ground in affected areas, and to use the distribution channels being organized or already in place. Do not self-deploy. This is a request from every organization with whom we have been on a call this week.

The area is not yet in the recovery stage; it is still considered to be in the search/rescue/lifesaving stage and will be for several more days. Conditions are changing throughout every day, and traveling to the area on your own right now can actually hinder response efforts. This situation is incredibly complex and unlike any faced before; please be patient and give the certified and authorized responders on the ground the space and time they need to put in place the infrastructure and systems that will facilitate wider response efforts.

From FEMA: Donating and Volunteering After a Disaster

We will update this page as often as we receive updates, requests and information on relief efforts. If you are working in partnership with response organizations, please let us know.

FINANCIAL DONATIONS

Having financial resources to respond is one of the most critical needs. Today, the best way to help is to provide responding agencies with the financial resources they need. We encourage donations to:

• Affected dioceses: Funds donated directly to affected dioceses will be used at the discretion of that diocese's leadership.
  • Diocese of Western NC: Select "Partners in Mission" from the drop-down menu, and add "Hurricane Helene" in the memo box.
  • Diocese of East Tennessee: Give to the 2024 Flooding Relief fund as directed on the page.
  • Diocese of Georgia: To direct your funds toward hurricane relief for the Diocese of Georgia, you can give to the Bishop's Fund; the money raised in the Bishop's Fund will go directly to disaster relief in the diocese. Alternatively, you can text "EDOG Relief" to 73256 to give using your mobile device. This number will never send unsolicited texts to you. To cancel further messages, text STOP. If you need assistance with text giving, text HELP. Standard text message and data rates may apply.
  • Diocese of Florida: Click the button to "Make a Gift" and select "Other" from the dropdown menu and include "Hurricane Helene" in the memo line.
  • Diocese of Southwest Florida: Simply give to the "Hurricane Helene Relief Fund."

• Episcopal Relief & Development: The disaster response team is in contact with the dioceses in all affected areas. Funds collected will be used for long-term relief efforts as well as emergency grants, which are for churches in affected areas that are in a position to respond to needs in their local community. “Your gift will provide our partners on the ground with critical supplies, such as food and water, pastoral care and other urgent needs. You’ll also help us assist with the long-term efforts needed to rebuild and heal.” Donate

• American Red Cross: Working with officials and community partners, almost 1,400 Red Cross disaster workers are focused on providing shelter, food and comfort to thousands with more help on the way. In addition, the Red Cross has deployed more than 45 emergency response vehicles to get help to where needed and about two dozen more are enroute. Where it is safe to do so, Red Cross disaster responders are driving these vehicles throughout affected communities, assessing the damage and distributing meals and relief supplies.” Read more | Read about the American Red Cross response in North Carolina | Donate

HOW YOU CAN HELP (BEYOND DONATIONS)

PRAY
Those in affected regions are overwhelmed and exhausted. They need your ongoing prayers. Episcopal Relief & Development has offered some liturgical resources for use in services and other channels.

ITEM COLLECTION
We know how good churches are at collecting items needed! We do encourage in lieu of item collection, please consider a financial donation to those agencies in a position both to purchase the items most needed AND deliver them to affected areas.

Because self-deployment should not be considered (this cannot be stressed enough), we are working to find item collection opportunities being done in partnership with organizations with established distribution systems. In other words, organizations that are already authorized and able to get to parts of the affected regions. If your church is working with such an organization and is willing to serve as a collection point, please be in touch with us.

VOLUNTEER
Volunteers will be needed in countless capacities for a long time to come. A few things to consider:

• If you feel a call to volunteer in impacted areas, now is not the time. Not yet. That time will come, and when it does, you’ll need (at least in the early days) to be working through an agency authorized to be there. We'll share options soon, as some relief agencies are starting to gather volunteer information to be ready when the time comes.

• Support local initiatives. There are countless nonprofits, organizations and networks across NC working together to support our siblings in western NC, and they need your gifts, too. Supporting those doing the work in your local area does help those in the western part of the state! Remember, too, local organizations are expending resources for hurricane relief and might need help replenishing those resources to continue their work serving local communities.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

AGENCIES

American Red Cross

CHARLOTTE AREA

OPERATION AIRDROP is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes "volunteer pilots and a diverse fleet of aircraft to deliver essential supplies to areas cut off from traditional aid routes." They are currently delivering goods to the western part of NC.

Item collection sites for Operation Airdrop (item request list):

*Update: Operation Airdrop is no longer accepting donations as of 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 3. If you anticipate arriving after this time, please email [email protected] with 'INCOMING SUPPLIES:' in the subject line, and they will redirect you as needed. Per their Facebook post, "We are getting reduced demand for airplane deliveries due to more and more roadways opening. The places that remain cut off are only accessible via helicopter and specialized bush planes."

• Christ Church, Charlotte: donations to the Rotunda by this Sunday (October 6); they are in contact with Operation Airdrop regarding the donations as mentioned above.
• St. Martin's, Charlotte: through Sunday, October 6; they are in contact with Operation Airdrop as mentioned above
  • Volunteers also needed to help sort and transport items to Operation Airdrop site. Contact Michael Toth or the Rev. Josh Bowron.

ADDITIONAL RELIEF INFORMATION SOURCES

Diocese of Western North Carolina: Asheville Relief Facebook page
Blue Ridge Public Radio (Western NC) | List of ways to help