Hurricane Helene Relief for Southern and Central Appalachia

Over a period of three days, Southern and Central Appalachia experienced unprecedented rainfall from a combination of a historic rain event and Hurricane Helene. Catastrophic flooding, landslides and extreme wind gusts ravaged the region. Entire towns were isolated by flooding and landslides, which destroyed roads and bridges and severed power and phone service. Reports indicate that some areas received up to 30 inches of rain.

Access to these areas is gradually being restored, as roads are being repaired and power and cell service is being reconnected, but the impacts were widespread and many communities still remain cut off. It will take months — or perhaps years — for these communities to recover from the damage.

Below are some ways that you can help during this difficult time. We welcome updated or new information on resources, donation dropoffs, volunteer opportunities and more. Please email your suggestions to: floodresources@appvoices.org

RESOURCES

Regional/National

Area-specific resources

 

WAYS TO GIVE

REGIONAL / NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

STATE & LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

North Carolina (general)

Asheville, North Carolina

The High Country of North Carolina

More WNC Communities

Kentucky

Tennessee

South Carolina

Virginia

SHELTERS

Kentucky

  • No shelters open in Kentucky

North Carolina

  • All Red Cross shelters are closed; we are checking for the latest on any other shelters available. 

South Carolina

  • All South Carolina shelters reported as closed

Tennessee

  • All Tennessee shelters reported as closed

Virginia

  • All Virginia shelters reported as closed

DONATION DROPOFF CENTERS

Many donation centers in flood-impacted areas are no longer accepting general items. Contact local relief centers to see what items are still needed, or consider making a monetary donation to one of the relief organizations or local groups listed above.

North Carolina

Organizations are in need of culturally appropriate food items to send to WNC. Including, rice (25lb bags), noodles (Mama, Shin Ramen), leafy greens (bok choy, beans, mustard greens, etc.) sauces (fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, etc.)

  • Research Triangle Area
    • Back Alley Bikes -- 100 Boyd St., Carrboro, NC 27510 (Open Tues. thru Sat. 11 a.m.- 6 p.m., closed Thanksgiving week)
    • Democracy Green Drop-Off Site & Distribution Center #1 – Anchorlight 1415 S. Bloodworth St., Raleigh, NC Drop off Wed-Fri 2-6:30 p.m., Sat. 12-5 p.m. Contact LA Whittington at 910-813-3757 with any questions
    • Democracy Green Drop-Off Site & Distribution Center #3 -- NC Diaper Bank 437 Dimmocks Mill Rd. Suite 1, Hillsborough, N.C. 27278 (Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.) Distribution to airdrop sites
    • The Scrap Exchange -- 2050 Chapel Hill Rd., Durham (10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.)
  • Asheville
    • 1298 Patton Avenue, West Asheville *prioritizing cold-weather items   
    • Arden Presbyterian Church — 2215 Hendersonville Road, Asheville  *prioritizing cold-weather items 
    • Harrah's Cherokee Center — 87 Haywood Street (9 a.m.-5 p.m., seven days a week) *prioritizing cold-weather items 
  • Arden
    • 6 Commerce Way, Arden *not taking cold-weather items
  • Black Mountain
  • Burnsville
    • Bald Creek Elementary — 100 Bald Creek School Rd, Burnsville
    • West Yancey Fire Department — 6557 US-19, Burnsville
  • Charlotte
    • SEAC Village -- 500 Bradford Dr. (10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Mon-Fri)
    • Carolina Migrant Center -- 3400 Shamrock Dr. (8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Mon-Fri)
    • Central Law Group -- 6769 Albemarle Rd. STE B (9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Mon-Fri)
    • Patagonia Charlotte -- 101 W. Worthington Ave. (11 a.m. - 7p.m. Mon-Fri, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sun)
    • Common Market Oakwold -- 4420-A Monroe Rd. (8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Mon-Sun)
    • Curio, Craft & Conjure -- 3204 N Davidson St. (Tues-Sat 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Sun 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.)
  • Concord
    • Concord Walmart Parking Lot -- 5825 Thunder Rd NW (starting Sunday, Sept. 29, for Operation Airlift)
    • Cox Mill High School -- 1355 Cox Mill Rd.
  • Foscoe
    • Foscoe Home Team/Grandfather Mountain Community Center — 233 Park Road, Banner Elk (9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily, see website for updated needs)
  • Greensboro
    • Democracy Green Drop-Off Site & Distribution Center #2 – Guilford College Alumni Gym, 5510 George Fox
  • Hot Springs
    • Hot Springs Elementary -- 63 N Serpentine Ave.
  • Mayodan
    • Basecamp -- 101 E. Main
  • Swannanoa

Kentucky

  • Gospel Light Baptist Church -- 100 Independence Dr., Hazard, Ky.
  • Gospel Light Baptist Youth Center -- 250 Chavies School Rd., Hazard, Ky.
  • Jaxon Flower Shop -- 241 KY-15, Jackson, Ky.
  • Rosseau Volunteer Fire Department -- 9421 KY-30, Jackson, Ky.
  • Jenkins City Hall -- 9409 Highway 805, Jenkins, Ky.
  • Whitesburg City Hall -- 38 E Main St., Whitesburg, Ky.

Tennessee

  • Carter County
    • TLC Community Center: 145 Judge Don Lewis Boulevard, Elizabethton, Tenn.
  • Johnson City
    • Boones Creek Church- Student Ministry -- 2684 Boones Creek Rd.
  • Jonesborough
  • Trade
    • Stateline Resource Station — 11878 US-421, Trade. Accepting specific donations 11 a.m.- 4 p.m Mondays and Fridays

South Carolina

  • Union -- 220 N. Duncan Bypass, Union, SC, 29379

Virginia

  • Abingdon
    • Southwest Virginia Association of Realtors -- 128 Reedy Creek Rd.
  • Big Stone Gap
    • Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards -- 113 E 4th St S
  • Blacksburg Area
    • Groundworks Garden and Hydroponic Supply Co. -- 1590 Roanoke St, Christiansburg, VA (11-7 Monday-Saturday and 10-2 Sunday)
    • 1711 North Main St. Blacksburg  **Lower Level** (Parking at bottom of driveway (not Dance Studio in upper level). Drop off anytime in the glass lower-level vestibule; large items accepted @ warehouse entrance.) 
  • Floyd
    • Floyd’s Lichen or Knot Plant Company -- 105 East Main Street
  • Roanoke
    • Common Clay Pottery -- 1111 Shenandoah Avenue NW
  • Tazewell
    • The Labor of Love Mission – 1379 Tazewell Ave. North Tazewell VA  2463 (276) 970-5323 No clothing or furniture

Flood relief supplies to donate

Current Priorities

  • Generators (solar or gas-powered)
  • Propane and kerosene heaters
    • hose attachments, battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors, fuel
  • Camp stoves and fuel

Essentials

*** Check with the donation centers before purchasing these any of these supplies - many are overstocked and may add to a storage issue.

  • Non-perishable food
  • Instant/powdered milk
  • Instant coffee
  • Hot chocolate
  • Can openers
  • Baby formula
  • Diapers (including pullups)
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Compostable body wipes
  • Toilet paper
  • Batteries (C and D especially)
  • Flashlights
  • Lamp oil
  • Lanterns
  • Candles
  • Charged power bricks and power cords
  • Ice packs
  • Butane for camp stoves
  • 20 lb propane tanks for grills/smokers
  • Camp cooktops
  • Handheld radios
  • Insulin needles
  • Blood sugar monitors

Personal items

*** Check with the donation centers before purchasing these any of these supplies - many are overstocked and may add to a storage issue.

  • Laundry soap
  • Pre-made first aid kits, including chewable Benadryl
  • Children’s medicine
  • Menstrual care items
  • Adult diapers
  • Dry shampoo
  • Toiletries
  • New bedding
  • New bath towels
  • Brand new undergarments
  • New blankets (still in packaging)

Cleanup items

  • Heavy duty trash bags
  • Work Gloves
  • Shovels
  • Rakes
  • 5 gallon buckets
  • Pump sprayers
  • Crowbars/pry bars
  • Hammers
  • Wheelbarrows
  • Dehumidifiers
  • Pump sprayers
  • Paper towels
  • Kitchen dishwashing gloves or nitrile gloves
  • Utility knives
  • Box fans
  • Bleach
  • Disinfectant
  • N95/KN95 face masks
  • Tarps
  • Scrub brushes
  • Duct tape
  • Chainsaw oil and two-stroke gas mix
  • PPE: nitrile gloves, goggles or safety glasses
  • Tyvek suits or coveralls (all sizes)
  • Rubber boots (all sizes)

 

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteers will be needed for months across the region. Many crews are organizing locally. Here are operations that are signing up volunteers for future work. We will add more as they become available.

North Carolina

Tennessee

Virginia

  • Damascus -- If you would like to assist residents in cleaning up their property and homes, please sign up at the Volunteer & Donations Coordination Center, 744 N Beaver Dam Ave, Damascus, VA. They are open 10am-5pm, Mon-Fri. Financial donations welcome as well, but supply donations no longer being accepted
  • Giles County -- **New volunteers are no longer being accepted
  • Pulaski County -- Call 540-994-2574 with your contact information and how you are willing to assist.
  • Radford -- **No longer accepting volunteers

WELL WATER RESOURCES

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Southwest Virginia residents who rely on well water should take immediate steps to ensure the safety of their water supply. Flooding can lead to private wells being contaminated by bacteria, chemicals and other pollutants. Drinking contaminated water poses serious health risks; therefore, it is critical to ensure your well water is safe.

To ensure well water safety, it is important to have your well tested as soon as possible, especially if it was submerged during the flooding or if your water smells, looks, or tastes unusual. Testing will determine if your well has been compromised by pollutants and will guide you in any necessary disinfection or treatment steps. 

By acting now and ensuring your water is safe, you can help protect your household and community from the potential hazards of post-storm contamination.

General information:

Below are some resources available in your area to assist with well-water testing.  If your municipality isn’t listed, reach out to your local government to see if assistance is available.

North Carolina

South Carolina 

Tennessee 

Virginia