How to Help My Home: Asheville Hurricane Relief

If you are able, here's how to make a difference in our community.

My street.

I was born and raised in Asheville—and my husband and I relocated here in 2021.

This vibrant, inclusive and beautiful mountain town is where I climbed Oak Trees in my backyard. It’s where my late father was a fire captain for 25 years with the Asheville Fire Department. The local bookstore downtown is where I fell in love with reading. The trails of the surrounding areas gave me permission to roam and connect to nature, forever giving me a sense of calm among the tapestry of a forrest. The lakes of the area were my favorite place to be growing up—fishing, swimming and roasting hot dogs on the fire with my family. The playground in the East Asheville is where I learned to tie my shoes and do a cartwheel. The teachers in the Buncombe County School System believed in my writing abilities and encouraged me to pursue my dreams of becoming a writer. 

I went to college a few hours away in Boone, NC at Appalachian State University—a smaller town tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but still bursting with the same creativity and kindness. It was here that the strong winds knocked me down in the winter and the sunshine in the commons kept me warm while I studied for exams. I became a journalist at App State—and made many of the best friends I still have today. 

When the pandemic forced my husband and I to re-plan our wedding in less than two weeks, we decided to book a house in Asheville where our closest friends and family could stay with us. We exchanged vows with views of the mountains that raised me—and as it does sometimes in the heat of summer, it down-poured and we sealed the start of our marriage with a kiss under an umbrella and an incredible sunset.

When my husband and I decided to move to Asheville from Boston, I was newly pregnant with our daughter, Josefine. We were newlyweds. My father had passed eight months earlier. There was so much change and turmoil—still thick in the pandemic—and I longed for a sense of belonging. To have community. To have familiarity. More space. Fresh air. A little neighborhood to walk around with my baby in a stroller. The ability to see the trees that soothed me as a child outside my window again. 

And so, we moved.

We bought our first house. 

I gave birth to our daughter at the same hospital I was born. 

We reconnected with old friends and we made new ones. 

We laid down roots. 

We grew our careers and our marriage and our family and though it took time, it became our own. Our home. Asheville became ours as much as it was ever mine. 

Last Thursday night, this city that has given us so much was devastated. 

This is my friend’s street.

In a tragic, unlikely event that only happens every 200 to 1,000 years—Hurricane Helene wiped through Asheville and the surrounding Western North Carolina area, resulting in what I can only describe as utter, terrifying madness and chaos. Hundreds—and I’m sure will ultimately be thousands—of people perished. Trees down everywhere, tangled up in a web of power lines. Rivers reaching and overflowing record-level heights. Flash floods and mudslides. Businesses and home completely underwater. For reference, we are six hours away from the coast: this impact was nothing anyone could have prepared for. 

Our house is okay—our backyard has 20 fallen trees and I count my blessings they didn’t hit our home. We hid in the basement with our daughter and no electricity, trying to make a dark room ‘fun’ with a flashlight and candles—worried if a tree did fall, we needed to be away from windows. We heard one thump after another, wincing and holding our breath it wouldn’t hit our house.

When the storm passed through, my husband hiked to my best friend (and our daughters’ godmother) over trees and power lines to rescue her and her cat from their home. Four trees fell on her house, destroying her garden and backyard, driving water and debris through her home office. 

I feel extremely lucky that everyone I love is physically unharmed. That most of my friend’s homes are in livable-shape. That I’ve been able to reach everyone, including my mom, after two days of absolutely no cell service to connect with anyone. It was days before we could see any news report. When I finally got service, I had more than 200 frantic text messages. We had no idea what was happening or what had happened. It was the kind of isolation I’ve only read about in the news, yet never experienced firsthand. 

All to say: we are as okay as we can be right now. 

But, many others in our community are not okay. Our city is in the earliest stages of recovery. It will take months and years it will take to rebuild Western North Carolina—and so many of these quaint, resourceful mountain towns our area is known for will never recover.

The incredible River Arts District was destroyed. Biltmore Village was under water for days. Chimney Rock is gone. Lake Lure is demolished. Banner Elk, for a while, was only accessible via helicopter, with roads washed away or unsafe for emergency crews to pass. 

I’m mourning and processing the Asheville that raised me. The businesses, the restaurants, the roads I drove every day to buy groceries, take my daughter to the park, meet a friend for coffee, have a date with my husband.

Neighbor’s home.

If you are able to make a monetary donation, I’ve listed local organizations below that need resources to continue operations. 

WHERE TO DONATE MONEY:

BeLoved Asheville
On-the-ground volunteers are collecting and distributing a wide array of supplies. Cash donations can be sent via Venmo: BeLoved-Asheville or PayPal.

Appalachian Community Relief
One of my dearest friends in Asheville is on the board of this non-profit that’s actively helping the community with meals, goods and more in Black Mountain and throughout the WNC area. You can donate via their GoFundMe here.

Perinatal Health Connect
A cause close to my heart from a local organization that supports expecting and new parents in Asheville, including my family, you can help those in need of doula and childbirth services through this fund. Perinatal Health Connect supports families through their perinatal journey with inclusive, culturally responsive resources and care. Through services like the Blue Ridge Doula Collective, accessible childbirth education, inclusive support groups, and low-cost or free prenatal and postnatal yoga, they empower individuals to navigate pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenthood with confidence. Committed to equitable access to care, they strive to nurture thriving families and healthier communities. Learn more and donate here.

Buy Asheville-Made Holiday Gifts from Artists
The vibrant River Arts District (RAD) was heavily impacted by Helene. Many artists lost not only their one-of-a-kind pieces but their studios. Not to mention Helene landed right when Asheville sees the highest peak in tourism in the fall, resulting in many cancelled festival where artists would make the most. You can find local gifts and shop online here.

Manna FoodBank in Asheville
The organization is distributing food, water, and more at the Asheville Farmers Market. Updates will be made available via the FoodBank’s website. Go here to give money to the Manna FoodBank online.

Diaper Bank: Babies Need Bottoms - Asheville
The organization is on the ground already and distributes to local families plus partner charities that serve families and babies. You can donate online or use the non-profit's Amazon Wish List here.

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue
The organization itself saw its facility destroyed in the disaster. All animals are with foster families. The group is fundraising to help provide animals in foster with essential supplies and more. To learn more and donate, go here.

Wine to Water
The non-profit is currently servicing Watauga and Avery counties (also hit by Helene in North Carolina) and is expanding to Asheville and Ashe County as soon as possible. Wine to Water distributes food, supplies, water, and hot meals. To learn more and donate, go here.

Homeward Bound in Asheville
The organization provides supportive housing to the homeless community in Asheville and it distributed essentials and clothing as the storm approached. To donate, visit Homeward Bound’s website.

Source & more ways to help.