Hurricane Helene Ways To Help
TRUSTWORTHY PLACES TO DONATE CASH
(always the most HELPFUL, most versatile option):
Second Harvest Food Bank - Metrolina (taking weekly trucks to impacted areas)
North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund
Beloved Asheville - Asheville-area relief efforts
Bounty and Soul - Food distribution in Black Mountain and Swannanoa Valley
Charlotte ToolBank - Funding to deploy tools and resources WNC
Swannanoa group - https://www.heartswithhands.org
And don’t forget that MeckMIN also needs your support as we play a coordinating role from here.
Some trustworthy places to donate things:
Please be mindful to only donate requested items for your drop-off location. Please call before donating to be sure that donations are still needed and space is available. Needs are changing daily, sometimes hourly.
NC Diaper Bank Donating diapers, formula, menstrual products and more
NC 211Donation needs with multiple drop-off locations
DISCOVERING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
North Carolina Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (NCVOAD)
Multiple opportunities available by county or volunteer agency
American Red Cross
Give blood and/or get trained to volunteer
Hands-On Asheville-Buncombe
Multiple opportunities available
KEY MESSAGES FROM GROUPS ON THE GROUND IN WNC
DO NOT bring in donations or volunteers unless you have a local partner! There is a great need, but self-deploying is dangerous and can strain limited resources, block critical supply routes, and complicate rescue efforts while putting yourself and others at risk. Many donations are being left on the side of the road as warehouse space is limited right now.
Unsolicited donations are overwhelming donation centers. Sorting through excess donations uses limited volunteer hours. At this point in the recovery process, it’s much better to connect with people in the affected areas, learn what they need, and only bring
the supplies they request.
There is still a great need for heated housing with running water for volunteers. Until there’s greater housing availability, local volunteers, or those that live close enough to do day shifts, are preferred to those that need overnight accommodation. Volunteer Housing in impacted areas continues to be a great need. If you have housing supports or ideas, please contact Kristy Kolberg at president@NCVOAD.org
Electricity, water/sewer, and internet are slowly becoming available with significant variation across the region.
NC INCLUSIVE DISASTER RECOVERY NETWORK (NCIDR)
If you would like to represent MeckMIN on these calls, please contact LeDayne
The NC Inclusive Disaster Recovery Network (NCIDR) is a collaborative of public, non-profit, and faith-based organizations seeking avenues for community voice and equitable access to resources in our disaster recovery system. Our network was
formed in October 2016 in response to Hurricane Matthew. It serves as a way for statewide mainstream organizations to be allies to community-based leaders.
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Next meeting: Oct 22 at 2:00 PM
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Meeting focus on policy responses to Hurricane Helene, including housing or other investments of public funds.
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Everyone is welcome – to receive an invite, please fill out this form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NCIDR-Membership
NCIDR also hosts a living resource guide available here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_a0WzqRiJNtPo4Rr63iBCxpB4zMqexEI73o7pImx6KA/edit?usp=sharing
There are also calls related to disaster response in several areas. All are currently active.
If you would like to represent MeckMIN on one of these calls, please contact LeDayne. We are particularly interested in being representing over the next few months on these calls: DEI Committee, Donations management, Spiritual and Emotional Care, and Volunteer Management.
See the full list of communities here: https://www.ncvoad.org/join-a-committee/
CRISIS CLEANUP HOTLINE
Crisis Cleanup (www.crisiscleanup.org) is a website tool and hotline used throughout the US. It connects disaster survivors who need property cleanup assistance with volunteers who can help. The hotline is staffed by volunteers like you who work from home as they have time. Survivors call the hotline, and phone volunteers take the call, and enter the information on the website. Volunteer organizations claim cases, do the work, and then close the case. Everyone is working from the same list which minimizes duplication of efforts and saves time, so more people get help. All services are free.
MeckMIN is an approved Crisis Cleanup Hotline volunteer-sending agency. Reach out to us if you want to sign up as a volunteer.
-Something you can do from home, answering calls, fill up a case and upload it to their website
If you have a crew or crews willing to assist families, you can also use the web site to learn of families who have requested help
United Way 211: https://nc211.org/hurricane-helene-volunteer-opportunities/