How to help people affected by Hurricane Helene

If your organization would like to be added to this list, please email news@charlotteobserver.com with the subject line “How to Help NC.”

Western North Carolina communities remained largely cut off from the outside world Monday as floodwaters receded slowly and search crews continued to scour devastated towns for people stranded by Hurricane Helene.

At least 11 people were killed in North Carolina by the storm, which made landfall in northern Florida as a Category 4 hurricane and weakened to a tropical storm as it crossed the Carolinas.

President Joe Biden on Saturday approved Gov. Roy Cooper’s request for FEMA help in 25 counties, and federal aid began arriving in Asheville and Charlotte on Sunday. Crews set up base camps and waited for some of the 280 closed roads to reopen as Red Cross planes and helicopters searched for people stranded in the towns near the Appalachian Mountains, said American Red Cross Vice President of Disaster Response Jennifer Pipa on Sunday.

Floods severed towns from nearby roads, leaving emergency services struggling to reach those suffering without using aircraft.

How to help people affected by Helene

If your organization would like to be added to this list, please email news@charlotteobserver.com with the subject line “How to Help NC.”

“Cash is best,” according to FEMA’s website. It’s the most effective, flexible way to aid organizations. FEMA recommends donating to verified organizations directing money to on-the-ground groups that know what communities need. A list of organizations can be found on the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster website. Those same organizations accept volunteers, too.

FEMA cautions people to not self deploy to affected areas — especially any still-flooded areas.

Hurricane Helene GoFundMe

GoFundMe, a crowdfunding platform that allows individuals to create their own fundraisers, launched a Hurricane Helene Relief page with verified fundraisers Friday. As of Sunday, it had nearly 400 fundraisers on the verified landing page.

In Charlotte, a tree struck down during Helene fell onto a Hoskins home and killed a man inside. That man, according to a GoFundMe page set up by his nephew, was Anthony “Tony” Taylor. His wife and four children survived, but he did not.

Neighbors said half the tree fell onto another home months before. It should have been cut down already, they said.

“For some time, we had been trying to get the tree removed, but since it wasn’t on our property, there was little we could do,” wrote Taylor’s nephew, Stephen Taylor, in the post.

Also in Charlotte, a group of pilots is asking for money to help air-drop supplies to those in communities surrounded now by water instead of roads.

“We believe that small aircraft can deploy resources faster because we don’t need to wait for roads to be cleared. We’ll use funds to purchase supplies like nonperishable foods, hygiene items, and baby supplies,” wrote Benjamin Spells.

In Swannanoa, host to some of the state’s worst flood scenes, a couple and their children — ages 2 and 7 — took refuge in their attic as orange floodwaters moved sludge and debris through their neighborhood. The Zara Family last frantically called family at 11 a.m. Friday, after hours without contact. A neighbor with a kayak rescued them and their home was destroyed.

Jessica Allred, the wife’s sister, is asking for funds to help The Zara Family. Hundreds of more families with harrowing stories are listed on GoFundMe.

American Red Cross of North Carolina

The Red Cross sent 745 responders across North Carolina and facilitated more than 500 storm rescues. People can volunteer with the American Red Cross or donate blood to help treat those injured in the storm.

Text Helene to 90999 make a donation, or visit the organization’s website here.

United Way

United Way, a nonprofit that runs a 2-1-1 hotline connecting people to relief resources, accepts donations for short-term and continued relief efforts. United Way’s Helene recovery fund aims to help “meet the critical needs of those impacted” as residents and officials navigate life-threatening conditions.

Local chapters are listed on the organization’s website.

Americares

Americares, a global health-focused nonprofit, set up a donation page to address medical needs in areas affected by Helene.