Friends & Neighbors,
Faced with the loss, wreckage, and trauma of Hurricane Helene, I’ve seen our community showing up with courage and compassion to take care of each other from mountains to valleys, from cities to hollers. As we share in grief, we also share resources as we knit an even stronger community and work towards a hopeful future together.
Contacts & Staying Informed
- Contacts
- Emergencies including downed power lines: 911
- Non-emergencies (missing persons, shelter, power outages): 211
- Community Paramedics 24-hour hotline: (828)772-1294
- Homelessness Outreach w/ Homeward Bound: (828)768-3435
- Staying Informed
- Daily updates from Councilmember Kim Roney on Instagram and Facebook; Weekly newsletter signup (typically 6-8 weeks)
- City of Asheville Daily Updates
- Sign up for the City of Asheville’s AVL Alerts
- Sign up for Buncombe County alerts: text “BCalert” to 99411
- Vote Nov. 5th: Register during early voting Oct 17th-Nov 2nd
- The Helene Resource & Rebuild WNC Resource Guide is live, crowd-sourced, and organized by county
Water, Showers, Laundy, and a Hot Meal
- Food & Water Points of Delivery (POD’s): bring water containers
- AC Reynolds High School, 1 Rocket Drive, Asheville
- Asheville Middle School. 211 S. French Broad Avenue until 7pm
- Big Ivy Community College, 540 Dillingham Rd., Barnardsville
- Buncombe County Sports Park Complex. 58 Apac Dr., 2-4pm
- Black Mountain Ingles, 550 NC-9, Black Mountain, 12-4pm
- Fairview Elementary School, 1355 Charlotte Highway, 12-4pm
- Swannanoa Ingles, 2299 US 70
- Leicester Elementary School, 31 Gilbert Road, 12-4pm
- Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Road, until 7pm
- Lucy Herring Elementary, 98 Sulphur Springs Rd. 9am-7pm
- North Windy Ridge Intermediate, 20 Doan Rd, Weaverville, 12-4pm
- Pack Square Park, 70 Court Plaza, 1 p.m. until dark
- Oakley Elementary, 753 Fairview Rd, Asheville
- William W. Estes Elementary, 275 Overlook Rd, Asheville, 12-4pm
- Non-potable water for flushing: sign up your neighborhood at flushAVL.com
- Public Showers, Laundry, and Charging Stations:
- Buncombe County’s Community Care Stations provide, “space for the public to shower, do laundry, use the bathroom, access cell towers and WiFi, get potable water and non-potable water, and access counseling services. It’s open daily from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Hot meals are served between 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Please bring towels, shower shoes, and toiletries if possible; otherwise, items will be provided.”
- Swannanoa Community Care Station, 2319 Hwy 70
- AC Reynolds High School, 1 Rocket Drive
- Reuter Family YMCA in Biltmore Park: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. for showers, charging, WiFi, and playground.
- Corpening Memorial YMCA in Marion: 2-6 p.m. for showers and charging.
- Trinity Baptist Church showers (216 Shelburne Rd)
- Truist Bank showers (1343 Parkwood Rd)
- Laundry: Basilica of St. Lawrence, 97 Haywood St., 9am-6pm
- Buncombe County’s Community Care Stations provide, “space for the public to shower, do laundry, use the bathroom, access cell towers and WiFi, get potable water and non-potable water, and access counseling services. It’s open daily from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Hot meals are served between 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Please bring towels, shower shoes, and toiletries if possible; otherwise, items will be provided.”
- Hot meals:
- @grassrootsaidpartnership: 969 Haywood Rd.
- @wckitchen from Noon-5pm: @bearsasheville Smokehouse, 135 Coxe Ave.
- @mercychefs multiple locations:
- Redeemer Anglican Church, 531 Haywood Road
- @artspace_charter_school, 2030 U.S. 70, Swannanoa. Lunch at noon and dinner at 5 p.m.
- Marshall Community Housing Coalition, 798 Walnut Creek Rd. Lunch at 12:30 p.m. Dinner at 5:30 p.m.
- More by county at WNC Resource Guide
Financial Resources
- Apply for FEMA funds: disasterassistance.gov
- FEMA application tips in 90-Seconds w/ Councilmember Kim Roney
- FEMA application support: (800)621-3362
- In-person assistance:
- AC Reynolds, 1 Rocket Dr, 9am-6pm
- Additional in-person locations list here
- Ayuda en español: Collaborativa La Milpa, 528 Emma Rd
- Small Business Association Loans
- Brief overview, including loan terms
- In-person support: Asheville Chamber of Commerce, 36 Montford Ave. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9am-6pm and Saturday, 9am-3pm
- Apply for Helene-related unemployment through NCDES
Collaborating in Recovery: You’re invited to join the work to take better care of our neighbors and our mountain home, whether you dwell on this ancestral land of the Cherokee or you’re able to contribute to efforts from afar!
- Contribute
- CoThinkk: (social change philanthropy, established grants process, experience in 12 WNC counties)
- LGBTQ2S+: Blue Ridge Pride, Tranzmission, Youth Outright
- ArtsAVL (grants sustaining arts, music, and culture in WNC)
- Colaborativa La Milpa
- Asheville-Buncombe Community Land Trust
- Volunteer
- Asheville Greenworks (tree canopy maintenance and repair, water quality, neighborhood cleanups, and more)
- BeLoved Asheville (direct aid, street medics, Tiny Home Village)
- Bountiful Cities (community garden network, Food Policy Council)
- Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care (private/public partnership to reduce homelessness through budgets, plans, and policies)
- Asheville on Bikes (complete streets, bike/pedestrian safety and infrastructure)
May healing be our focus, resiliency our goal, and equity our demand for how to get there. We’re in this together. #MountainStrong
With gratitude, Kim