We recognize the immense hardships our community in Western North Carolina is currently enduring. The recent disaster has left many without basic necessities, and as an organization, we are fully committed to stepping up during this critical time. Our priority is ensuring that every individual and family affected has access to the support and supplies they need to begin recovering.

With the invaluable support of our partners at NC DHHS yesterday, we were able to quickly assess immediate needs and realign funding for emergency supplies. As a result, we have sent drinking water to the counties of Rutherford, Watauga, Buncombe, and Haywood. Additionally, we have placed orders for Narcan, hand sanitizer, solar-powered cell phone chargers, medication lock boxes, first-aid kits, battery-powered LED lanterns, batteries, and extension cords—supplies that will aid long-term recovery efforts. We are working closely with NC DHHS, our members, and local partners to get these supplies on the ground as swiftly as possible. A special thank you to the leadership at NC DHHS for their collaboration in making this possible!

To ensure that everyone has access to the latest information and resources, we will be sending daily messages this week to keep you updated on news, relief efforts, and opportunities to contribute. These updates will serve as a hub for information, helping us stay connected and aligned as we navigate this challenging period together.

For those of you who are not located in Western North Carolina but are eager to help, your support is invaluable. One of the most effective ways to contribute is by donating to the official North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, which is managed by the state. Your donations will go directly toward helping families and individuals impacted by the disaster. You can make a donation by following this link: North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund.

Please know that we are here for you. If there’s anything else we can do to provide further assistance, do not hesitate to let us know. Together, we will work toward rebuilding our community stronger than ever.

Sara Howe, APNC CEO

From DHHS:

Dear Community Members,

We continue working diligently to connect communities and partners across the state to much needed resources. DMHDDSUS is communicating with the LME/MCOs, sister divisions, and our community partners multiple times each day to understand the evolving impact of Hurricane Helene and to provide support, resources, and care to all North Carolinians in need. We are committed to doing everything we can to help individuals, families, and communities survive and recover.

Catastrophic disasters like Hurricane Helene can be especially challenging for people with mental health (MH), substance use (SU), intellectual/developmental disability (IDD), or traumatic brain injury (TBI) needs. That is why DMHDDSUS, sister divisions, and the LME/MCOs are working together to assess needs and deliver services as fast as possible.

On-Going Actions With LME/MCOs:

• Outreach to all members by Vaya Health and Partners Health Management
• Outreach to all group homes and residential facilities to understand needs and resources
• Collaboration to move individuals to safe shelters or residential facilities
• Collaboration with Medicaid on additional flexibilities for consumers and providers
• Ensuring mental health professionals and life-saving Naloxone are available in all shelters

Emergency Resources:

• Hurricane Helene Recovery Resources: NCDHHS will continue updating this website with information and resources as they become available.
• For those seeking immediate shelter, ReadyNC.gov provides a resource of open shelters with availability.
• Resource requests should be directed to county emergency management agencies.  
• Individuals residing in counties affected by the disaster can now apply for assistance with FEMA by visiting disasterassistance.gov or calling 1-800-621-3362

We will continue sharing information to keep you informed. We encourage you to share this information with your own networks.

My thoughts – and our collective efforts – are with you. Don’t hesitate to reach out.

My best,

Kelly 

Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW

(she/her)

Director

Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

Innovations and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) waiver flexibility due to Hurricane Helene

• The President’s Disaster Declaration for NC from September 26

• Secretary Becerra’s Public Health Emergency for NC from September 29

• Current waivers granted by CMS due to the emergency 

FEMA's efforts in North Carolina

• FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is On the Ground in North Carolina, Biden-Harris Administration Actively Responding and Providing Life-Saving Support

• Biden-Harris Administration Continues Whole-Of-Government Response to Hurricane Helene, Over 3,500 Federal Personnel Across North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina and Alabama

Individuals residing in counties affected by the disaster can now apply for assistance with FEMA by visiting disasterassistance.gov or calling 1-800-621-3362.

Emergency Resources

Hurricane Helene Recovery Resources

NCDHHS is constantly updating their page of emergency resources, they can be found here. 

Resource Requests

Resource requests should be directed to county emergency management agencies.

Financial Resources

The Small Business Administration’s Disaster Loan program is now available for nonprofits in declared disaster areas. Most members should qualify, though larger hospitals may not. Organizations can apply for relief from physical damage or operating losses. If this applies to you, we encourage you to explore the application process. Check out the North Carolina SBA Fact Sheet here. 

Note: There are two separate deadlines: November for physical damage loans and June for economic injury (operating losses) loans.

https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance

The North Carolina Community Foundation is currently raising funds for Disaster Relief. While it’s unclear how these funds will be deployed, we encourage your nonprofit members to stay informed about local community foundations and philanthropic partners for any special grant programs they may offer. The North Carolina Network of Grantmakers provides guidance for donors and can direct you to foundations accepting donations that will be turned into grants. I’ll keep you updated if more options become available.

https://ncgrantmakers.org/Resources/Resources-for-Grantmakers-(1).htm

Open Shelters

To find the most up to date version of this list, click here.

First Baptist Church Swannanoa
503 Park Street, Swannanoa

WNC Ag Center
1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher

Oak Hill Methodist Church
2239 NC 181, Morganton

West Caldwell High School
300 West Caldwell Drive, Lenoir

Haywood County Government Armory
285 Armory Drive, Clyde

Athletics and Activity Center
708 S. Grove Street, Hendersonville

Edneyville Elementary School
2875 Pace Road , Hendersonville

Glenwood Baptist Church
1550 Old US 221 South, Marion

YMCA
348 Grace Corpening Drive, Marion

Polk County High School
1681 NC 108 Highway East , Columbus

West Wilkes Middle School
1677 North NC Highway 16, Wilkesboro

South Toe Elementary School
139 South Toe School Road, Burnsville

WEST YANCEY VFD
6557 US HWY 19, BURNSVILLE

Governor Roy Cooper @NC_Governor: 

Gov. Cooper and Emergency Management officials share an update on Hurricane Helene.

Joe Bruno with WSOCTV @JoeBrunoWSOC:

"Governor Roy Cooper says I-40 East into Asheville has reopened and I-40 West will reopen today. He says 1100 people are in shelters and 57,000 people have applied for FEMA assistance and funds are starting to be distributed @wsoctv"

ASHEVILLE FIRE DEPT @AshevilleFD:

"Drinking water will be distributed today at Pack Square Park from 9 am until 7pm or when the supply runs out. Each person will be provided 2 gallons of water per person, with a maximum of 5 gallons per family. EACH PERSON MUST BRING THEIR OWN CONTAINER, NONE WILL BE PROVIDED"

Taking this survey will help APNC understand the state of the members of our community, and will allow us to better understand the needs of our communities.

For those unaffected by the storm, but still looking for ways to help, you can donate to the official North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund here:

APNC has created a Hurricane Helene Resource Hub on our website. This hub serves as a centralized location where you can find all of our messages, updates, and important resources related to disaster recovery efforts. We will be archiving our daily communications and adding key links to help support individuals and communities impacted by the storm.

You can visit the Resource Hub here: