There is SO MUCH good being done in the high country the last month, it has been amazing to play our part in the process. The NC DOT continues to clear roads, machinery is everywhere repairing and recreating key roadways. There will be areas that have long term travel issues, but improvement is visible every day.
Today was the first two deliveries of RVs that were purchased by an amazing group of donors and delivered to families we have connected with from the beginning. Your donations continue to go directly to solving the needs of these communities.
We were back to air ops today as we hosted a dozen North Carolina Senators in Craigstown to hear the stories of loss and frustrations with the pace of progress for many of the most impacted families in the area. We appreciate the support of NC Senator Ted Alexander who organized the group, understanding the importance of seeing the devastation for themselves. We hope that their presence will increase the State’s ability to send funding where it is needed most, the people.
Safe home delivery update! The first of many safe homes was delivered today. Because of you, we are able to provide immediate support for families in need. Support has come in the form of supplies (generators, chain saws, heaters, life-saving medication, food, water, fuel, etc.). We have covered necessary bills, we have flown supplies into every county, city, town, holler you can name, and now – safe spaces to live.
Today we were able to move forward with eleven tiny homes, one immediately available, ten arriving in less than two weeks. We will furnish these homes with essentials – beds, heaters, and storage. We are working with families that have submitted an application through our website, as well as families we have supported along the way. These homes will save lives with winter fast approaching and temperatures falling into the 30s.
We are happy to come with an update of the prototype safe homes being delivered for our review. We are sponsoring ten families with our initial order, furnished, insulated and powered. This is a solution to get families out of the cold and into a safe home that we can heat easily during the winter months. We will also be able to place these on their land or in a location they are safe if their property is no longer accessible.
This week, cold temperatures have had a significant impact on those without power and fuel sources for heat. As mentioned previously, our attention has quickly turned to heaters, generators, and warm clothing, in addition to the chainsaws and fuel we have been supplying along the way. Many locations throughout the high country are inundated with general supplies, but specific needs are still being met.
The outpouring of support continues to amaze me. We are receiving messages daily from donors all over the world who are following the progress in the high country. Our mountains are beautiful, and the people who call it home are as well. As we continue our mission, we are seeking applications from individuals directly impacted from the storm. Applications have been pouring in this weekend, and we look forward to telling their story.
Today was a big day as we continue to deploy our resources, volunteers, and supplies to those in need. Our direct support applications are open on our website. We received requests for assisting with bills, transportation, housing, and heating supplies. The general consensus from the initial applications is that their jobs are gone – restaurants are closed, tourism jobs are on hold, and the economy is rocked to the core. During COVID, these same issues existed, but the government was providing support to individuals in need. Today, the support is on us. Individuals that care and put others first.
Success for us is defined by the support we provide. We are directly impacting lives by receiving real time updates from the boots on the ground, responding promptly with the necessary goods, and most importantly projecting what those needs will be. We have been fortunate through this campaign to raise funds for continued support over the longevity of this disaster. These funds are not used for overhead, they aren’t used to pad pockets, they are used to directly support the families impacted by Helene in Western North Carolina.