Hurricane Helene Anniversary

As we at NC VOAD (North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, we pause to reflect on all that has taken place since so many lives were changed overnight. On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene ravaged 39 counties in Western North Carolina, taking lives and destroying homes and towns with raging rivers, landslides, and downed trees. In the days after the storm, the nation saw the unimaginable destruction Helene brought to the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Yet from this tragedy, we witnessed the resilience of our neighbors in impacted communities, the dedication of disaster response networks across North Carolina, and the support of partners nationwide. The VOAD movement is built on volunteers, and once again, volunteers stood at the heart of response and recovery efforts. There are countless stories of neighbors helping neighbors and of individuals traveling from across the country to distribute supplies, muck out homes, and begin the long repair and rebuilding process.
In the early days, VOAD partners worked tirelessly to provide life-sustaining services, search and rescue, temporary shelter, essential supplies such as food and water, and hot meals. These efforts not only met immediate needs but also offered comfort in a time of great uncertainty. Communities rallied together in numerous ways to care for families.
Responding to Hurricane Helene posed unique challenges. More than 2,000 landslides across Western North Carolina created major obstacles for organizations and communities. Repairs to damaged private bridges and roads quickly became essential to reach people trapped in their homes, something unprecedented in North Carolina disaster response efforts.
While response often makes the headlines, recovery is the longer, quieter work that follows. Over the past year, both long-standing NC VOAD members and newly formed groups have walked alongside survivors, helping them navigate FEMA assistance, access state programs, and connect with a growing network of nonprofit resources.
As this vital work continues, long-term resources will be essential to sustain recovery efforts. The VOAD movement is built on volunteers, yet volunteerism alone cannot meet the immense challenges left in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Every nonprofit active in disaster recovery, whether large or small, national or local, requires direct support to provide meaningful assistance to survivors and to maintain the staff necessary to coordinate and sustain volunteer efforts.
Experience has shown us that recovery from large-scale disasters often takes more than a decade. Too often, funding and resources dissipate long before communities are fully restored, leaving survivors without the support they need to complete their recovery. Sustained investment is critical if we are to avoid repeating this cycle of unfinished recovery.
We are deeply grateful for the federal and state resources already allocated and remain hopeful that further support will be released to aid both individual survivors and the disaster non-profits serving them. The needs across our communities are still profound, and it is our collective hope that this support continues until every eligible survivor is safely returned home. These communities must not be forgotten as we rebuild together: NC Strong.

The NC VOAD board has established the following Quarterly Meeting schedule:
Tuesday, April 8 @ 10:00 am: CCDRA Offices at Neuse Forest Presbyterian Church–2011 Old Cherry Point Rd. New Bern, NC 28560
Tuesday, July 8 @ 10:00 am: Baptists on Mission Rebuild Center (formerly Deyton Elementary School–308 Harris St. Spruce Pine, NC 28777
Tuesday, October 14 @ 10:00 am: United Methodist Church, NC Conference–700 Waterfield Ridge Pl, Garner, NC 27529

January 25, 2024-FEMA has updated the Individual Assistance to Survivors program, streamlining the application process, providing cash quicker, and adding new benefits. details at

The NCVOAD DEI Committee invites our members to attend our community events.  It’s been my passion to do everything possible to get resources and information to folk in ENC before the storm.  The theme is “Getting Ahead of the Storm.”  

This year has witnessed two (2) round-table discussions “Who’s at the Table” format. The Committee is now going into communities of need to share resources and distribute information.  The public is welcome to attend.   

If anyone wants to take part in our vendor process, they must contact me immediately via email- roland@cta-us.com for the Lenoir County and Rev. Pearson-  jpearson001@ec.rr.com for New Hanover and Pender Counties.  Space is limited and we cannot guarantee availability. 

The county, location, dates, times are

1.      Lenoir County

St. James AME Church (See Flyer)

September 17, 2022

11am to 1pm

2.      New Hanover County

St. Stephens AME Church (Flyer coming)

September 24, 2022

11am to 1pm

3.      Pender County

TBD

October 1, 2022

11am to 1pm

Thank you

Rev. Roland Whitley Jr.

NCVOAD and VolunteerNC are thrilled to invite you to our platform for disaster response and recovery in North Carolina. This resource matching platform will allow you to post your needs and offers and will automatically make a match if one is available.

To get started, go to  https://volunteernc.app.needslist.co/issues/NC_Resiliency and click on “Sign up.” After you’ve answered some questions, one of our admins will approve your organization and you can start posting.

If you have any trouble, you can visit the Help section or let me know.

Thank you!

Luz Sanabria-Reyes

Disaster Services Manager

VolunteerNC

Luz.sanabria-reyes@nc.gov

(VolunteerNC is an operation of the Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service.)

National VOAD has produced “50 years of Communication, Collaboration, Cooperation, and Coordination,” a brief history of the organization.

May 4, 2021-Onslow County Emergency Management sent this message to NC Emergency Management Regional Coordination Center East for delivery to NC Emergency Management Headquarters.

Can you pass up to the Raleigh leads that we have sincerely appreciated Team Rubicon’s assistance over the last year and most specifically for me, over the last 4 months of vaccine clinic? While we had one small issue, Shari stepped in and helped me get in contact with who I needed to in an attempt to quickly resolve the issue. Shari and her people were always very responsive and kept me informed as to what staffing level they were able to provide. Their assistance made it possible for us to keep our clinic flow moving and help our most vulnerable populations more efficiently. Shari has been a wonderful ambassador for Team Rubicon as have many of her team members. They were always quick to offer assistance if they saw a need and never hesitated to ask how they could help. I personally was able to work at least 2 different members who really stepped in and helped out when a need arose.

Please let Raleigh know how much we appreciate that resource assistance.

Stacie A. Miles, MPA

Deputy Director

Onslow County Emergency Services

Two years ago with recovery from Hurricane Florence–a “storm of record”–underway, FEMA issued this statement about the importance of volunteers in a prompt and successful recovery. North Carolina VOAD is proud to be recognized as the center for volunteer opportunities for disaster recovery.