The following are ways you can help businesses and chambers affected by Helene. If you are affected and need resources, click here.
There are a number of ways to support Western North Carolina. The following are opportunities to support businesses in the area as they attempt to recover and provide opportunities for people in their community to earn a living.
- The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation is accepting donations to help with community and business relief here.
- The Brevard/Transylvania Chamber’s Transylvania Tomorrow Small Business Emergency Relief Fund provides critical relief to the Transylvania County business community.
- The Haywood County Hurricane Helene Relief Campaign is helping Haywood County businesses with cleanup efforts.
- McDowell Chamber of Commerce and McDowell Chamber Community & Business Impact, Inc. are taking donations to help individuals and families recover and rebuild their lives here.
- The Mountain Strong Fund is managed by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Community Betterment Foundation and will support Asheville and Buncombe businesses.
- Avery County Young Professionals’ Build Back Avery is a grassroots fundraising effort dedicated to helping Avery County residents recover and rebuild.
The following are additional ways to help, provided by our federal partners.
- Boots-on-the-Ground WNC Support: If you would like to donate transport supplies or provide services *within* the effected WNC disaster area, you MUST coordinate plans and movement into the area through the NC Emergency Management Business Emergency Operations Center (NCEM-BEOC). You can email your request to BEOC@ncdps.gov, making sure to begin your subject line with: “Logistics Support.” Please include the following info:
- What you are moving? Why you need special access.
- When do you plan to move and from where?
- Where are you going?
- When will they arrive at the “border to Western NC” and where?
- Volunteer: If you are interested in volunteering, you can register at nc.gov/volunteernc or www.unitedwaync.org or by contacting one of the NC Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOADS) www.ncvoad.org/members
- Financial Donations: North Carolina state government has established the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund which is managed by United Way of North Carolina and donations can be made at www.nc.gov/donate. Similarly, the North Carolina Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster is collecting donations to distribute to vetted disaster relief nonprofit organizations at www.ncvoad.org/members
- If possible, cash donations are preferred as they offer voluntary and faith-based organizations the most flexibility to address urgently developing needs
- Supply Donations: North Wilkesboro Speedway is currently serving as a drop off point for supplies https://x.com/NWBSpeedway/status/1840815112594079808
- North Carolina state government is currently looking for space to house donations in the Wilkesboro/Hickory/Shelby corridor with air conditioning, loading docks, parking, etc. If there is space that you know of, please send it along
- For Private Pilots: Airspace is also limited due to ongoing air missions by the North Carolina National Guard. Private pilots should coordinate with Lindsay Duke at 828-851-0777 before flying humanitarian relief missions in Western North Carolina