In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, the American Red Cross focuses on providing safe shelter, food, emotional support, and first aid. At the storm’s peak, the organization opened more than 15 shelter locations in Western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. You can volunteer to serve with the American Red Cross or you can donate blood, which assists medical facilities in responding to disasters.

• American Red Cross North Carolina
• WNC Chapter

Appalachian Medical Reserve Corps is coordinating volunteers with state and national emergency response teams. Sign up by filling out this interest form: https://forms.gle/AaKy78d2pL7V2sNk7

Appalachian Service Project brings thousands of volunteers from around the country to rural Central Appalachia to repair homes for low-income families. It is assisting with recovery efforts, both immediately and in the months to come.

On-the-ground volunteers with BeLoved Asheville are collecting and distributing a wide array of supplies.

Cash donations can be sent via:

• Venmo: BeLoved-Asheville
• CashApp: $BeLovedAsheville
• Zelle: 828-412-2054

Specific items are needed, including: food, bottled water, contractor-size trash bags, blankets, first aid supplies, feminine hygiene products, diapers and baby clothes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, paper towels, bleach, shovels, brooms, gloves, coolers, propane, cook stoves, flashlights, batteries, fans, dehumidifiers and generators.

Volunteers are needed to help deliver supplies. Truck owners and truck drivers are needed.

Drop-off and staging updates are available on the organization’s social media pages:

• Facebook
• Instagram

BeLoved Asheville is located at 32 Old Charlotte Hwy, Asheville, NC 28803.

McDowell Chamber of Commerce and McDowell Chamber Community & Business Impact, Inc. are taking donations here and the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation is accepting contributions here.

In-Person Opportunity with the Diaper Bank of North Carolina – Volunteers will count and wrap diapers/pull-ups and prepare them for distribution to families in need across the state.

Link to Hillsborough opportunity: https://x.gldn.io/e/4Xv99OSUgNb

Link to Charlotte opportunity: https://x.gldn.io/e/WP729VtObNb

Seven regional Food Banks provide food to pantries all over the state. With the onset of the pandemic, the need for food for the hungry is greater than ever – 1 in 5 adults, 1 in 4 children are food insecure. Join us in Feeding the Carolinas!

• Food Bank of the Albemarle 
• Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC 
• Inter-Faith Food Shuttle
• MANNA Food Bank
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina 
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast NC

The catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene has overwhelmed the Asheville Humane Society, and countless animals are in desperate need of safety. Forsyth Humane Society needs emergency fosters to help take in these animals!

If you’ve never fostered before, that’s okay! Fostering is completely free—Forsyth Humane Society will provide you with all of the supplies you might need to help care for one of these animals. Every foster home we can secure is another life we can save!

If you can help, please email foster@forsythhumane.org with the subject line “Hurricane Helene Foster”, or check forsythhumane.org/foster for incoming animals.

The nonprofit helps residents connect to a wide array of resources via its 2-1-1 hotline. The local United Way plans to help with immediate natural disaster response and long-term support for flood victims. Donations can be made online.

The organization has created a page of resources and active efforts. HandsOn NWNC mobilizes the people and organizations that inspire community change in Forsyth, Guilford, Davidson, Davie, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin counties.

The mission of the Hunger and Health Coalition is to transform Boone’s hunger into health through compassionate, community-centered hunger relief, medication access, and wellness services.

Historically, the group has helped with emergency housing, including storm victims. Plans and information on response to Hurricane Helene were not available as the group is based in Waynesville, which was hit with flooding.

In-Person Opportunity – Mandatory Training – Volunteers provide immediate child care to families in an emergency. You will be deployed when the family calls the crisis line for emergency child care.

The State Disaster Relief Fund, managed by United Way of NC, is now accepting contributions for hurricane damage. Contributions help with the unmet needs of hurricane victims. The Fund, with assistance from the United Way of North Carolina, will help provide for immediate unmet needs through reimbursements to nonprofits working with disaster survivors. If the scope of the disaster requires long-term recovery work and if sufficient donations are collected, the North Carolina Community Foundation’s affiliate foundations and statewide grants committee will work to ensure that all remaining donations are distributed to nonprofits that can best serve unmet needs in affected communities.

Help serve our state with disaster services. The information you provide will be shared with NC VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster), a network of organizations that collaborate to support disaster response and recovery efforts in North Carolina. As we remain in the response phase, VolunteerNC kindly asks for your patience, as many of the organizations involved are still in the process of setting up their sites.

Operation Airdrop is mobilizing to provide critical assistance in response to Hurricane Helene. Its mission focuses on delivering essential supplies, hot meals, and support to communities affected by the storm.

Overflowing Hands serves children in our neighborhoods, across the United States and around the world.

The organization’s warehouse was prepped prior to the storm. There are many ways to get involved, volunteer, and donate.

Mutual Aid Disaster Relief is a grassroots disaster relief network based on the principles of solidarity, mutual aid, and autonomous direct action

The foundation’s disaster fund is activated after natural disasters in the state.

Loading Dock (1053 E. Whitaker Mill Rd., Suite 115, Raleigh) is hosting a drive for RUMAH. You can deliver items from 9:00-5:00 Monday through Thursday near the front desk. Here are the items they’re collecting:

• WATER
• MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS
• BABY FORMULA
• TENTS
• TARPS
• CHARGED PHONE POWER PACKS
• FOOD
• NON-PERISHABLE FOODS
• MANUAL CAN OPENERS
• TRASH BAGS (13 GAL)
• CLEANING SUPPLIES
• BLEACH
• FANS
• GAS CANS
• FLASHLIGHTS

The organization has historically worked to provide meals and support to residents and rescue personnel in WNC communities hard-hit by disasters.

The organization is responding to the High Country (northwestern North Carolina) and eastern Tennessee. The community of Boone, where Samaritan’s Purse is based, has been deeply impacted.

The Durham Rescue Mission will be collecting supplies to help out those in need suffering from the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Supplies Needed:

• First Aid Supplies
• Non-Perishable Foods (Pop-Top Cans, Shelf Stable Foods, & Water Bottles)
• Personal Hygiene Supplies (Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Deodorant, Shampoo, Feminine Products, Baby Wipes & Diapers)

This Raleigh-based nonprofit is partnering with agencies that are providing critical crisis response assistance to women and children across the state of NC. The biggest way to help them meet emergent needs is by directly shopping their Amazon Wish List to help them fulfill incoming referrals for women and children experiencing a crisis because of a natural disaster.

Based in Canton, the livestock center is working to help farmers and animals who were affected by flooding. You can donate toward helping local farmers who need to buy feed for animals. The center also helps supply fencing and other essentials.

WCK is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.