Hurricane Helene Update 11-1-24

Our work in western North Carolina continues in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Thousands of volunteers have been ministering to hurting people at more than a dozen locations, providing hot meals, showers, mud-out, tear-out, chainsaw and tarping roofs.

We are now moving into the first stage of rebuilding homes. In this first phase we are trying to get people back into their home and make it safe, sanitary and functional (not finished) before the worst of winter. Right now we are doing pilot projects on homes to do Essential Rapid Repairs (ERR). It won’t be a completely finished home but will provide the basics; insulation, flooring, sheetrock, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, a functional kitchen and bathroom. The cost for the materials needed to do an ERR home is approximately $12,000-$15,000 per home on average. With the labor provided by volunteers, this will be home repairs that would have cost the homeowner more than $30,000 and taken many months to complete! We feel that this is one of the greatest needs that can be provided. Our goal is to help 500-1000 families get back in their homes before the worst of winter.

Would you challenge your church or Sunday School class to help a family get back in their home? There is a place below to give. On the comment section just put Helene/ERR and 100% of what you give will be used to help a family get back in their home. A gift of any amount will help!

When registering for rebuild, please make sure at least one person from your team has some basic construction skills. Let us know if you have any licensed electricians, plumbers or general contractors. Give us your first, second and third choice of your location to serve.

Right now we are not charging for lodging and meals, but at some point we will need to charge a minimal amount to help offset the lodging and meal expense costs. We want all the money that has been donated for Helene to go toward the home building materials costs.

Schedule:
Very soon we will only be operating sites on a Monday-Saturday schedule. At some sites the schedule many vary.

Lodging:
We are housing volunteers in a number of different churches. In most all housing locations we are able to have mobile shower units and provide meals and coordinate all work. If you have tools, please bring them.

Here are some ways you and your church can help, now and in the future.

Pray

Please continue to pray for those affected by Helene and the volunteers who are serving.

• Pray for Western NC churches and pastors.
• Pray that the volunteers will be the hands and feet of Jesus to hurting people.
• Pray that God will be glorified and made known through all that is done.

Give

You may give directly to the Hurricane Helene relief fund where 100% of gifts will be used to help those in need. To give online or get instructions for giving by check, click the button below.

We also encourage every church to support the NC Missions Offering which provides for the on-going disaster response ministry.

Go

Many people want to respond right now. We will especially need volunteers in the weeks, months and years to come. Click the button below to learn how you and your church can get involved.

Thank you for praying, giving and going in response to Hurricane Helene. The impact of this storm will be felt for many years.

Visit our website or follow us on Facebook for the latest updates on our response.