We wanted to post this a few days ago but we needed to do maintenance on the site. We hope that this information is useful to everyone and we send our love to all those dealing with the aftermath, in particular those who have lost people in this tragedy.
A Category 4 storm, Hurricane Helene, one of the largest storms to hit the Gulf Coast in a century, collided into the Big Bend area of Northern Florida on Thursday, before moving into neighboring states of Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and the Carolinas. According to media reports, upwards of 60 people have already been confirmed dead, although the death toll is expected to rise as many municipalities have yet to release official numbers as cell phone service and internet remains down and millions are currently without power. Extreme flooding has been reported in Atlanta, GA and Asheville, NC, as whole communities are left stranded and lacking proper shelter and access to clean drinking water.
As Truthout reported, “While hurricanes are no stranger to the Gulf Coast, climate change has intensified their destructive impacts, and Hurricane Helene is the just the latest case of the extreme weather events that are rising in their frequency and ferocity.” Compounding this crisis is the fact that many people on the Gulf coast lack “flood insurance, because repeated strikes by powerful hurricanes have driven up insurance rates to unaffordable levels.”
As someone from Triangle Mutual Aid reported, “The geographic scale of this disaster is beyond anything most of us have dealt with before. It’s most similar to hurricane Katrina in my experience, though over much different terrain and with people completely unprepared for it.”
What follows is a collection of autonomous mutual aid groups and disaster relief resources that are being mobilized in the southeast in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Please consider boosting and donating to these groups and organizing support for supply chains to impacted areas.
Mutual Aid Disaster Relief is actively responding to the impacts of Hurricane Helene from Florida to the Carolinas. Supplies and financial support are needed. Several supply hubs are forming to connect the MADR Supply Line. Locations and drop times are coming soon. If you can donate directly, ALL funds go to on the ground response and recovery efforts.
We will continue to update our socials with information we receive from allies on the ground. If you would like to help, your time is priceless. Drivers, medics, kitchen crews, #foodnotbombs, muck and gut work, roofing, electricians, solar installers, chainsaw crews, clearing debris…All needed. Email us at [email protected] to plug in!
Buncombe county and surrounding counties are currently experiencing widespread flooding. Funds are being collected to support community members affected by immediate and long term damage. Donate to Appalachian Medical Solidarity here:
Our co-op is physically intact and our members are accounted for. Although we’ve fared better than many, we’re experiencing this crisis physically and emotionally. We’re exhausted, largely without power, water, or internet. Cell service is poor, and when we are able to connect, the volume of information is overwhelming. Right now our priority is supporting and facilitating mutual aid efforts and we ask for your patience as we cannot keep up with emails, texts, and DMs.
Firestorm will continue to act as an in-person resource and information hub over the coming days, with staffing from noon to 4pm. A daily meeting at 2pm serves as a space for neighbors to get verified updates and coordinate mutual aid efforts. Other hubs have arisen organically in other parts of town and we’re doing our best to share and connect resources.
In Marshall, NC, Holler Hard Reduction is organizing a supply drive. Rural Organizing and Resilience also has a mutual aid hub set up at Suite 1685 HWY 213 next to DMV.
Charlotte Food Not Bombs is currently organizing disaster relief efforts. You can support them here:
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