ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A year after Tropical Storm Helene tore through Buncombe County, the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County has emerged as one of the lead organizers of relief and recovery, channeling nearly $4.5 million into local aid and mobilizing more than 7,000 volunteers.
When the storm displaced families, destroyed homes and disrupted schools, United Way stepped in to coordinate supplies, connect volunteers and help chart a path toward long-term recovery.
“Helping our neighbors make connections to tackle tough challenges across our community isn’t new for us, it’s our superpower,” Dan Leroy, president and CEO, said. “We’ve been doing this very thing for more than 100 years.”
In the weeks after Helene, the organization took over a 41,000-square-foot warehouse at the request of Buncombe County officials. The site became a central hub for donated goods, with more than 400 volunteers sorting and moving supplies to 68 community partners who distributed them directly to neighborhoods.
United Way’s downtown office also doubled as a Volunteer Reception Center, where more than 350 walk-in volunteers were matched with urgent assignments in the first 17 days after the storm. Since then, thousands more have signed up for service through the organization’s online platform.
“I thought I’d just be sorting donations, but then I found myself helping an elderly couple load supplies into their car,” one volunteer said. “They cried, and I cried with them. It reminded me how powerful something simple — like showing up — can be.”
Alongside relief work, United Way has funneled nearly $4.5 million into 52 local groups providing housing assistance, student support, food access and mental health services. Another round of funding is planned for January.
“The immediacy with which United Way showed up with funding and the simplicity of how they made those funds accessible to us was essential,” said Madi Holtzman of Equal Plates Project, which produces and distributes healthy food to vulnerable residents.
The organization is also playing a leading role in long-term recovery. It serves as fiscal sponsor of the Buncombe County Long-Term Recovery Group, providing interim leadership, grant management and office space for the effort.
More than 12,000 homes in the county were damaged or destroyed, and experts say rebuilding could take a decade.
“This work is about ensuring that our community not only recovers from this disaster, but that we all come out stronger on the other side,” Leroy said. “The most important lesson our community can learn from Hurricane Helene is what we are capable of when we all work together.”
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