Hurricane Resources and Support

• Call 9-1-1 for rescue or other life-threatening situations.
• Call 2-1-1 for shelter and supplies.
• Call local emergency management (click here for a list of contacts) to report damage and get help with issues like downed trees. Some are also assisting with wellness checks.
• Call American Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) if you need assistance, including shelters.
  • American Red Cross Midnight Shelter Count: North Carolina: 28 shelters, population of 1,134, or 211 more than yesterday. Find shelters at https://www.readync.gov/stay-informed/open-shelters.
• Call Crisis Cleanup at 844-965-1386 to be connected with volunteer organizations who can assist with issues like trees, debris, tarps, and mucking out. Note: Crisis Cleanup cannot assist with social services such as food, clothing, shelter, insurance, or FEMA registration. 
• Disability & Disaster Hotline: Call/Text: +1 (800) 626-4959, Email: hotline@disasterstrategies.org. The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies’ Hotline “provides information, referrals, guidance, technical assistance and resources to people with disabilities, families, allies, and organizations assisting disaster impacted individuals with disabilities and others seeking assistance with immediate and urgent disaster-related needs.
• Locating loved ones: 
  • Call 2-1-1 for their reunification service.
  • Red Cross has this form.
  • In Buncombe County: Call 828-820-2761 (Buncombe County Register of Deeds). More information at BuncombeReady.gov.
• FEMA has begun taking applications for the Individual Assistance Program which includes money for emergency housing at hotels, immediate recovery needs, and more. See details on how to apply below.
  • Take pictures or videos of everything.
  • Legal Aid of NC and Pisgah Legal are ramping up their disaster legal services programs to assist with applications and appeals to FEMA, for homeowners and rentals dealing with damage and displacement, and for fraud support. 
  • Immigrants and undocumented persons: emergency benefits are accessible to all individuals, regardless of citizenship and immigration status; minor children are eligible to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance for their household.
• Veteran Disaster Assistance: See here for support.
• Mental Health: https://www.naswnc.org/general/custom.asp?page=DisasterResources
• The Emergency Prescription Assistance Program helps people in a federally identified disaster area who do not have health insurance to access prescription drugs, vaccinations, medical supplies, and equipment. Find out which pharmacy near you is open online with this map.
• Locating lost dogs: Reach out to Wilkes Rescue Group if you need help finding your lost dog, or have found a lost dog. If you need supplies such as: dog food, leashes and collars, towels, blankets, cedar shavings, dogs houses, etc Find us on social media or email us at WilkesRescueGroup@gmail.com.

• Disaster Resources & Engagement Opportunities for Organizations Supporting Under-Served Communities
• Cash donations are best. Look for local mutual aid, voluntary organizations, or philanthropies that are setting up disaster relief funds both for immediate needs and for medium/long-term recovery.
  • Blue Ridge Public Radio has this list. 
  • The state has activated the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund.
  • NC Community Foundation: “In the wake of the devastation left by Hurricane Helene, we are encouraging donations to groups working to address immediate health, humanitarian and safety in western NC. However, we know the recovery needs will remain great in the months and years to come. The North Carolina Community Foundation is also accepting donations for its Disaster Relief Fund. The fund will provide grants to charitable organizations on the ground in affected communities to support long-term recovery. We will be creating a page on our website of local and regional relief funds, so please send information about your efforts to Amy Dominello Braun, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, at abraun@nccommunityfoundation.org.
• If you do want to collect supplies, make cleanup kits (“flood buckets”), with these items. Contact NC Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster at sert@ncvoad.org or make an offer here.
• Join volunteer and donations response coordination calls daily at 12:30 PM (time may change) hosted by NC Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NCVOAD). On Zoom or call 646-931-3860, Meeting ID: 96954774349, Password: 744752.
  • NCVOAD is establishing committees for action-oriented calls. Sign up here.
• Sign up as a volunteer:
  • VolunteerNC is looking for volunteers to help serve our state with disaster services. Sign up here.
  • NC Emergency Management and the Red Cross are looking for volunteers to staff mass shelters. While experience is helpful, the Red Cross can provide just-in-time training as well. Fill out this form or call the Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS. 
  • Sign up to answer calls to Crisis Cleanup hotline. English and Spanish volunteers ARE DESPERATELY needed for our hotline. Info is located here. You must be affiliated with an organization to volunteer. If you don’t have an organization contact Laura.Block@teamrubiconusa.org
  • Other volunteer sites will be posted to this website as they become available. 

• The stated policy of the US Department of Homeland Security is that ICE and CBP do not conduct immigration enforcement activities at protected areas of emergency assistance. But our grassroots and advocacy partners are clear: even when they stay in-bounds on their policies, the very fact of ICE being there in uniform with marked cars creates a chilling effect and is contrary to the spirit of the protected areas policy. Please take photos of any issues or violations of this policy and send to npatton@nlihc.org to be escalated to federal advocates.” (Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition)
• Blue Ridge Public Radio: Live Updates 
• Noticias en Espanol: 
  • Enlace Latino
  • Blue Ridge Public Radio,
  • ReadyNC.gov (“Select Language”),
  • FEMA

FEMA has declared Individual Assistance (IA) for Hurricane Helene. What does this mean for you? It means that you can apply for disaster assistance from FEMA to help offset your disaster-related expenses.  You can apply online at https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or by telephone at (800) 621-3362. Otherwise, you can download the FEMA weather app from Google PlayStore or the Apple Store and you can apply for assistance on the app and upload receipts. Whichever method you choose, the form has a few questions that are tricky. To avoid delay, please follow the following tips:

1. One of the questions that FEMA will ask when you register is “Do You Have Emergency Needs”? This means during your evacuation or since staying at home during the disaster, do you need help with Gas, Medication, Food (meals, water, had no power and everything spoils), Shelter (you are staying with friends, family or in a hotel); Clothing; or Durable Medical Equipment (oxygen, walkers, cane, glasses, all major equipment, etc). If this is true, say “YES” to this question. That will result in your receiving Displacement / Critical Needs Assistance, which is $750.

2. When asked if your home is/was accessible, answer “NO” if there was debris, tree branches, continued flooding, loss of power, damage or destruction that prevented you from staying there after Helene. This question is asking whether you can stay at your home or apartment and will trigger the ability for you to receive assistance to pay for hotels or provide funding to use while you stay with family or friends.

3. When asked if utilities are out, say “YES” even if your utilities were out for a few days. This triggers assistance $ to stay somewhere other than your home or to buy fuel to power a generator.

4. When asked “Are you willing to relocate” say “YES” if you cannot live in your home due to damage, loss of power, etc. This question means you are willing to stay in a hotel or apartment temporarily, and triggers that funding for you. It is not asking if you are willing to move away from your home permanently.

5. If you bought or buy a generator, FEMA will reimburse you up to $629, but you must submit the receipt. If you bought a chainsaw, FEMA will reimburse you up to $219. Again, you need to provide the receipt. Save your receipts.

• Episcopal Church
  • Helene Relief Info Hub – Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina
  • Asheville Relief Facebook Page – Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina 
  • Ways to Help with Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts – The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina
• Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
  • Hurricane Helene Response: Pray, Give, Go
• Christian Church in NC
  • Clean-Up Bucket Goal – 1,000 Clean-Up Buckets
  • Drop Off Locations
    • Hillyer Memorial Christian Church, 718 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27603; 919-832-7112
    • First Christian Church Winston-Salem, 2320 Country Club Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27104; (336) 722-2714
  • Clean Up Bucket Items
• NC Synod
  • Hurricane Helene: How Can You Respond?
• United Church of Christ
  • Hurricane Helene Recovery Appeal: The National Ministries of the United Church of Christ has a long history of supporting communities as they recover from disaster and their plight fades from the headlines. Your support of this appeal will ensure that communities are supported and accompanied for years as they rebuild. Donate HERE.
  • Hygiene and Cleanup Bucket assembly: One of the biggest requests is the need for cleanup buckets. UCC congregations interested in assembling cleanup buckets are eligible for a matching grant through the Global HOPE office.
• United Methodist Church
  • The Western NC Conference needs UMCOR cleaning kits to distribute in their community. We are collecting kits to send to Western North Carolina, and we need your help! 
    • We encourage you to help build cleaning kits or gather kit supplies at your church! Several churches across the Conference are serving as collection centers to gather completed kits and kit supplies. We will continue to update our website as more centers are established. If you are interested in serving as a collection center, please complete our form.
  • NC Conference Disaster Ministries is in contact with the Western NC Conference to discuss how we can support their relief efforts. They are continuing to assess storm damage and will let us know when they need Early Response Teams and equipment. Once we receive an invitation and teams can access the affected areas, we will contact our Early Response Teams.
    • If you feel called to serve on an Early Response Team and would like to become ERT-certified, join us for a basic ERT training or recertification class on October 12 from 8 am – 4 pm at the NC Conference Office in Garner.