Climate Calamity & HOW TO HELP after Hurricane Helene
Photo credit: Island Free Press
Like us, we suspect you’re heartbroken and searching for ways to make a difference in the southeastern region of the United States following Hurricane Helene. A listing of 13 important resources follow.
Newground Social Investment thanks its colleagues at ImpactAssets for compiling this list of 13 verified nonprofits who are focused on delivering immediate assistance to those most affected by Hurricane Helene.
If you feel called to support hurricane victims, the compilation in section C below may prove useful – and because the need is so great, please share this resource with friends, family, and beyond.
Three items follow:
A. Climate Calamity
Climate Change – or perhaps more aptly put, Climate Calamity – is now an ever-present reality, and humanity is seeing and feeling its effects acutely.
Hurricane Helene was an insanely powerful Category 4 storm that left a devastating trail of destruction across the Southeastern US – affecting North & South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia (in some of the regions where Newground's Bruce Herbert grew up). With torrential rains, storm surges, and tornadoes, Hurricane Helene caused widespread flooding, landslides, catastrophic property damage, power outages, and the tragic loss of life.
Hurricane Helene is being called North Carolina’s “own Hurricane Katrina.” While it made landfall as the largest storm ever to hit Florida’s Big Bend region, its effects were felt more than 800 miles (several states) inland. The landfall near Perry, FL, marks the third storm in 13 months to hit that region – including Hurricane Debby last month and Hurricane Idalia in August 2023.
B. What’s Needed
As communities grapple with the immediate and long-term challenges of our warming planet, rebuilding and the need for strategic disaster relief is more urgent than ever. The groups listed in section C below are focused on delivering:
- Search & rescue efforts
- Medical response
- Basic needs, like food, water, and shelter
- Emergency cash assistance
C. The List
Here are thirteen NGOs ready and able to provide meaningful assistance on the ground in the areas most devastated – starting with 5 regional organizations, followed by 8 state-specific entities:
Southeastern United States
(5 groups)
1 | All Hands and Hearts | EIN: 20-3414952
All Hands and Hearts arrives early for first response and stays late to rebuild schools and homes in a disaster-resilient way. They have deployed teams across Florida and North Carolina and actively coordinate with local partners to assess damage, remove debris, and clear hazardous trees. As conditions improve, they plan to expand efforts to reach remote, heavily impacted areas to provide further disaster relief and recovery support. Their goal is to raise $2 million and launch a 12-month response to Hurricane Helene in support of the long-term recovery these devastated communities will require.
2 | CARE | EIN: 13-1685039
CARE, established 78 years ago, provides emergency relief across the region including: (1) Cash assistance for essentials such as food, medicine, and hygiene supplies; (2) Livelihood support to help rebuild and ensure long-term recovery for families and individuals; and (3) Protection for the most at-risk populations – including women and girls whose needs are often overlooked during a crisis.
3 | Feeding the Carolinas | EIN: 27-3181226
The Feeding the Carolinas network unites ten Feeding America Food Banks serving North and South Carolina. The most urgent need early-on is water and food boxes, and then (as recovery evolves and people move back into their homes) the need shifts to become the replacement of spoiled food in freezers, refrigerators, and pantries. The member Food Banks are hard at work assessing the impact at the local community level.
4 | Good360 | EIN: 54-1282616
Good360’s focus since 1983 has been on helping communities become more resilient amid the urgency of extreme weather events, and persistent poverty. Good360 collaborates closely with disaster recovery partners to assess the hardest-hit areas and identify unmet needs and provide the right resources at the right time. Good360 is pre-positioned to provide relief supplies such as tarps, water, hygiene kits, and cleanup kits.
5 | World Central Kitchen | EIN: 27-3521132
World Central Kitchen is early to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. WCK currently operates in four states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Fueled by their “Chef Corps” members, restaurant and food truck partners, and volunteers, WCK works shoulder-to-shoulder with local communities to blanket the devastated region with much needed food, water, and aid.
North Carolina
(2 groups)
In Appalachia, western North Carolina residents are trapped by fallen trees, landslides, downed bridges, and destroyed roads. Hundreds of thousands of people remain without power, safe running water, or cell service.
6 | The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina | EIN: 56-1223384
The Community Foundation, established in 1978, has built a permanent pool of charitable capital for the 18 counties of Western North Carolina, including the Qualla Boundary. CFWNC, Dogwood Health Trust, and WNC Bridge Foundation are work together to mount coordinated responses. CFWNC has activated its Emergency and Disaster Response Fund to accept and disburse funds and will ensure that frontline nonprofits have the resources they need for the critical early response and continuing recovery.
7 | United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County | EIN: 56-0576157
United Way is working in partnership with local government and nonprofit partners in North Carolina’s Buncombe County on three key issues: (1) Collect information and ensure that NC 211 has the most up-to-date resources for callers seeking information and assistance; (2) Manage and distribute both financial donations (for immediate & long-term recovery) as well as donations of supplies and materials; and (3) Recruit and support local volunteer efforts.
South Carolina
(1 group)
South Carolina’s western region was inundated by Hurricane Helene’s heavy rains, with some areas received over one foot of rain. Hundreds of thousands remain without power. The state’s National Guard has been deployed to assist in clearing roads and distributing aid.
8 | Lowcountry Food Bank | EIN: 57-0751835
Lowcountry Food Bank, founded in 1983, has a mission to lead the fight against hunger throughout the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina. It is headquartered in Charleston with a Southern Regional Distribution Center in Yemassee and a Northern Regional Distribution Center in Myrtle Beach.
Florida
(2 groups)
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s sparsely populated Big Bend region, though flooding and strong winds were felt throughout the state. Some parts of Florida saw a 16-foot storm surge. The Tampa Bay area was most heavily impacted with homes, streets, and businesses flooded. Six locations in Florida logged their highest-ever storm surges.
9 | America's Second Harvest of the Big Bend | EIN: 59-2610345
Second Harvest of the Big Bend is based in Tallahassee, Florida. It provides healthy food for neighbors facing hunger and food insecurity throughout the 16-county Big Bend service area. As the region's primary source for charitable food, its facility acts as a storage and distribution depot for over 149 smaller frontline agency partners, including emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, children's homes, homes for the mentally disabled, and domestic violence shelters. Second Harvest is working around the clock to provide food, water, and essential supplies to those affected by the storm.
10 | The Community Foundation Tampa Bay | EIN: 59-3001853
Community Foundation Tampa Bay is a 501(c)3 public charity that connects people, ideas, and resources in Florida to create meaningful, lasting impact. To address these unexpected needs, Community Foundation Tampa Bay has created the Critical Needs List for nonprofits to share those urgent, unexpected needs with community philanthropists.
Georgia
(1 group)
Parts of Georgia received over a foot of rain. Harsh winds and heavy rain sheared through 159 counties in Georgia, and hundreds of thousands remain without power. Georgia is additionally impacted by an unrelated chemical fire in Conyers which is also drawing an emergency response.
11 | Food Security for America | EIN: 30-0720156
Food Security for America (FSA) operates programs in Georgia and expands its reach by training non-profit and faith-based organizations across the country to start and manage their own Food Security Groups.
Tennessee
(1 group)
The state’s eastern region was flooded. As-of this writing, over 100 people remain unaccounted for in the state, and thousands do not have clean running water.
12 | East Tennessee Foundation | EIN: 62-0807696
East Tennessee Foundation (ETF) is a public charity and community foundation created by and for the people of East Tennessee. ETF’s Neighbor-to-Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund will provide prompt and effective grants to empower local nonprofits and agencies to rescue and recover their own communities amid devastating impacts from Hurricane Helene.
Virginia
(1 group)
Hurricane Helene caused devastation throughout Southwest Virginia and the New River Valley in communities such as Damascus and Taylor's Valley, requiring emergency evacuations and swift-water rescue efforts. Thousands of residents were forced from their homes with only the clothes on their backs, and even more were left without electricity and safe drinking water.
13 | United Way of Southwest Virginia | EIN: 54-0718860
United Way of Southwest Virginia has activated the 2024 SWVA Regional Disaster Relief Fund to assist those impacted by flooding. All 2024 SWVA Regional Disaster Relief Fund donations will go directly to support those impacted by the September 2024 Hurricane Helene flooding. United Way of Southwest Virginia works with authorities and partners in the affected localities to distribute funds.
In closing
We're sure you’ve seen the images, videos, and read the reports. There is such pressing need – please use the organizations above to give a glimmer of hope to our neighbors in the Southeast, and please share the resource list widely.
Especially now – in a time of such perilous division politically and culturally – it’s critically important for us to extend a hand, to help, and to stay connected.
Our humanity depends on it.
We close with every good wish that you, and your friends & loved ones, are safe.
Here is the list with URL addresses spelled out:
1. All Hands and Hearts | https://www.AllHandsAndHearts.org
2. CARE | https://www.CARE.org
3. Feeding the Carolinas | https://FeedingTheCarolinas.org
4. Good360 | https://Good360.org/disaster-recovery/hurricane-helene
5. World Central Kitchen | https://WCK.org
6. The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina | https://cfwnc.org
7. United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County | https://www.UnitedWayABC.org
8. Lowcountry Food Bank | https://LowcountryFoodBank.org
9. America's Second Harvest of the Big Bend | https://FightingHunger.org
10. The Community Foundation Tampa Bay | https://CFTampaBay.org
11. Food Security for America | https://FoodSecurityForAmerica.org
12. East Tennessee Foundation | https://EastTennesseeFoundation.org
13. United Way of Southwest Virginia | https://www.UnitedWaySWVA.org
~ ~ ~
Note: This material is intended for educational purposes only. As with all our public writing, blog posts do not constitute tax or financial planning advice; likewise, they are neither an offer to sell nor solicitation to buy any investment or security.
Photo credit: Island Free Press
