Support WNC Organizations
Community based organizations in Western North Carolina to support with donations now and over the long haul
Small nonprofits and community groups that already have a strong local volunteer base and know the landscape and communities are critical right now. These are the people and organizations that can overcome some of the structural inequities that are preventing support from reaching everyone. Please don’t just give once but become a monthly donor and plan on supporting these groups for the long haul. We need them.
This list is based on first hand information about marginalized communities with barriers to access to resources for disaster relief and recovery. These organizations were doing good work before this disaster.
Contents
Listed by county where the organization is based; some working in multiple counties
REGIONAL WNC
JMPRO Community Media – Regional WNC
https://checkout.square.site/merchant/1GF5V3GQ1BKA3/checkout/IIB4H6DBFJ3SY654XAD4QUKO
JMPRO is a grassroots media organization informing and sharing resources with Latino and immigrant communities in Spanish and indigenous languages. With a wide reach across multiple media channels (radio, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X), JMPRO broadcasts critical news and information to Spanish speakers across WNC.
AVERY COUNTY
Feeding Avery Families – Avery
https://feedingaveryfamilies.org/support-faf/
Working daily with emergency crews to provide food and supplies to everyone in need, even in the most remote areas. Our goal is to reach every household in Avery County (population of 16,000) and make each home a food hub for neighbors in the coming weeks.
BUNCOMBE COUNTY
Aflorar Herb Collective – Buncombe
https://southernvision.ourpowerbase.net/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=106
Mutual aid and community care hub in Asheville distributing supplies and supporting multiple community aid efforts in Asheville and Buncombe County with resources ranging from funding to relief supplies to infrastructure. Aflorar founder and organizer Sarah Nuñez is raising money to preserve the land and farm where this mutual aid hub is based: https://gofund.me/56ae622c
Asheville Buncombe Community Land Trust
https://mailchi.mp/abclt/our-post-helene-response-plan
As an organization focused on establishing permanently affordable housing, ABCLT is dedicating resources to both immediate relief efforts and long-term strategies to ensure an equitable recovery. ABCLT staff have been working in Swannanoa and other parts of Buncombe County helping meet immediate needs and keeping long-term affordable housing top of mind as we begin to imagine reconstruction.
Bounty and Soul – Buncombe
https://bountyandsoul.org/ways-to-give/
Bounty & Soul has mobilized since Day 2 of the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and has to date opened up 17 locations where we are providing hot meals, fresh food, and essential household supplies and equipment for the most devastated areas of Black Mountain & Swannanoa Valley. They have been a crucial partner for our mutual aid/community resource hub.
Bridging the Gaps – Buncombe
https://www.ymiculturalcenter.org/emergency-response
A collaborative initiative of the YMI Cultural Center, The People’s Place, Noir Collective AVL, JD Ellison & Co., OG Synergy, OURavl, and Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ). Organizing to ensure that the most marginalized members of our community are being connected with necessary supplies and support in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Our top (though not exclusive) priority is ensuring the safety of Black community members.
Colaborativa La Milpa – Buncombe
https://www.colaborativalamilpa.org/donate
Based in the Emma community of Buncombe County, delivering supplies, medicine, and more to trailer parks, public housing, and surrounding areas. In the first week, served over 10,000 people. Deep roots in the neighborhoods of Emma building community there for the long haul with strong relationships, leadership, and infrastructure.
Hood Huggers International – Buncombe
https://hoodhuggers.com
A Black-centered cultural center and business incubator distributing supplies in neighborhoods in Asheville.
Buncombe
Hurricane Relief Fund: Reparations Stakeholder Authority of Asheville –
https://www.rsaasheville.org/helene-relief
“RSAA is committed to providing immediate and long-term support to those affected by this devastating storm. . .Our team is actively on the ground, working around the clock to assist individuals and families impacted by Hurricane Helene. From providing essential supplies to offering emotional and financial support, RSAA is dedicated to standing by our community through every step of the recovery process.”
Operation Gateway – Buncombe
www.operationgateway.org
OG works to reverse recidivism rates amongst individuals who are in recovery or were formerly incarcerated by providing opportunities for employment, support, and healing. They have been running distribution efforts out of several community centers and focusing on bringing supplies into public housing and Black neighborhoods around Asheville.
Root Cause Farm – Buncombe
https://www.rootcausefarm.org
A nonprofit farm growing food to give away. After Helene, Root Cause immediately started distributing fresh grown produce free in the Fairview Community (Buncombe County) and in the Swannanoa Valley through partner organization Bounty and Soul.
Semilla de Vida
https://ashevillecreativearts.org/get-involved/donate-to-our-partner-organizations/donate-to-semilla-de-vida/
Semilla de Vida (Seed of Life) is a Latinx women and youth-led grassroots initiative serving the Latinx and Afro-American communities to recover their ancestral agriculture knowledge and to build awareness about food justice, climate change, and mutual aid. In response to Hurricane Helene, they are coordinating and distributing basic supplies, food, water, and economic relief. Bilingual outreach volunteers are visiting hard hit neighborhoods that have barriers to accessing resources.
Southside Community Farm – Buncombe
Helene Relief work: https://southsidecommunitygarden.org/hurricane-helene-relief/
“Since Saturday morning 9/28, we have been on the ground every day in the Southside neighborhood getting water, food, and other necessities directly to people’s homes. We are focusing on getting resources to those who do not have cars, access to gas, who are caretakers of small children and/or other residents, or are elders who are unable to leave their homes. The Southside community cares for one another in ways that we could never replicate and our goal is to support this care and provide relief in any way we can. We are continuing to keep the Southside free fridges and pantries well stocked.”
Umoja – Buncombe
https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=5CQ6AWYVNKTMS
Umoja supports the health and wellness of community members with a particular focus on disrupting generational trauma and incarceration in Black community. They have also been running distribution efforts out of several community centers and into Black neighborhoods.
HENDERSON
Tierra Fértil Coop – Henderson
https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3555443511134211133&created=1728917049.8494658&printed=1
Cooperative Farm in Henderson County. They have opened a distribution center to serve farm workers and community members in the Fletcher and Hendersonville areas, and are distributing fresh produce and other essential supplies. Also have engaged volunteers in cleaning up flooded farmland and helped spread the word to Spanish-speaking community members about locations for relief supplies.
MADISON
Community Housing Coalition of Madison County – Madison
https://chcmadisoncountync.org/donate/
Since Helene, CHC’s emergency response work has included: Taking care of our staff, family and friends, many who have lost homes and loved ones throughout the area. Directing volunteers, supplies and information as we receive them to Madison County distribution stations. Making outreach/wellness calls to every active CHC client to check on their well-being and needs so that our team can fully assess where and how to provide the most support when we are able to send teams out. Facilitating the most dire emergency home repairs for those affected by Hurricane Helene and in need of financial assistance. Helping with childcare for volunteers. They are also re-orienting their ongoing work related to housing in Madison County.
ROAR – Madison
https://ruralorganizing.wordpress.com/donate/
Grassroots, all-volunteer group bringing support directly to Madison County and adjacent rural communities. Since Helene, ROAR has done over 100 supply runs to directly impacted communities in Madison, Yancey, Mitchell, Avery and Buncombe Counties and delivered lifesaving supplies to areas cut off by the flood. They have also opened a mutual aid hub in Marshall that operates 6 days a week where people can pick up the supplies they need, no questions asked. They are delivering generators and coordinating chainsaw crews to dozens of locations to remove trees from roads, homes, vehicles and driveways. Now they are ramping up their free firewood program.
Venmo: @roar_wnc / Become a monthly donor: https://www.patreon.com/roarwnc
Woodson Branch Lighthouse Project – Madison
https://www.madisoncclc.org/donate
This school in Madison County near Hot Springs has opened up to any children in the community who are out of school to come and participate in educational programs. The Lighthouse Project at Woodson Branch Nature School is supporting the healing process, creating a safe space for the children in Madison County and surrounding areas while the community rebuilds.
MCDOWELL
Centro Unido – McDowell
www.culawnc.org
Serving the rural communities of McDowell County and surrounding areas. Created a mutual aid distribution center and are ensuring supplies and support get to Latino and rural communities.
West Marion Community Forum – McDowell
https://www.westmarion.org
Distributing emergency resources (food, water, supplies), supporting FEMA applications (in both Spanish and English), conducting wellness checks, and holding space for discussions on equitable rebuilding efforts. Community-led group working in structurally excluded neighborhoods in Marion and Old Fort.
MITCHELL
Mitchell Giving Gardens – Mitchell
https://www.mitchellgivinggardens.com/hurricane-helene-1
A nonprofit that grows vegetables for distribution free of cost, creates opportunities for people to learn how to grow food, and helps bring partners together to build a stronger local food system.
Tractor Food & Farms – Mitchell
https://tractorfoodandfarms.com/
Providing food to people in Mitchell County. In normal times, TRACTOR is a community food hub that has been focused on building a network of farmers, growers and producers to feed their communities. “Even before the hurricane, rural access to fresh, healthy food was slipping away, as was rural mountain communities’ ability to raise those foods.” TRACTOR will continue working to increase access to fresh food for people in rural communities during and after the immediate crisis.
YANCEY
Dig In Community Garden – Yancey
https://diginyancey.org/
Distributes food to the community through free harvest share programs. Their farm was destroyed and they need funds to rebuild.
PATH – Yancey
https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/8MI6juH-lqG5_2RlkIXNxg
PATH is running Volunteer Coordination and Community Information/Liaison efforts in Yancey County and will work to distribute any donations to Mitchell and Yancey counties evenly as they serve both counties and both were hard hit by Helene. Normally they run or partner on community wellness, social determinants of health, chronic disease prevention, food security, and substance use initiatives. They focus on coalition building to solve emerging community health issues.
