How to bring holiday cheer to Western NC children
Plus: FEMA to provide 100 more temporary housing units; Unemployment rate triples in Buncombe County; Those living in tents face hypothermia; Buffalo Bills team manager promotes WNC nonprofits
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The Smoky Mountain Toy Run, which is an annual toy drive and motorcycle parade that started in 1981, was held last month to raise money and collect Christmas gifts for Asheville-based Eblen Charities’s Saint Nicholas Project. (Photo courtesy of Rey Castillo Jr.)
Last week, The Ledger shared a shopping guide to Western North Carolina businesses during this holiday season. (If you’re looking for unique gifts that double as support for the mountain economy, check it out here.)
There’s also the “Potters Market” happening Dec. 14 in Charlotte at the Park Expo and Conference Center. Handcrafted pottery from more than 30 Western North Carolina artists will be for sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sounds like the perfect place to shop for a gift and support local artists affected by the storm.
This season, I’ve also been thinking about the children who have been affected or displaced by Tropical Storm Helene. Hundreds of families lost so much, and this holiday might look different for many.
Christmas is just a few weeks away, so some initiatives have already closed their windows for donations, but I’ve rounded up a few ways you can still help families fill their kids’ stockings and provide gifts under the tree:
Unclaimed Baggage: Country music stars Mark Herndon and Leah Seawright have partnered with Unclaimed Baggage, a lost luggage store, and its philanthropic arm, Reclaimed for Good, for a donation drive called “Forgotten to Fulfilled: A Holiday Hope Project.” Donations can be made through Dec. 14 to help reach the goal of filling 1,000 stockings for North Carolina families and children affected by Helene.
Asheville City Schools: Asheville’s school district’s annual “Holiday Dream Project” provides holiday gifts for students and their siblings who are facing substantial challenges. To personally shop for a student, email levette.campbell@acsgmail.net to receive a student’s wish list. There are also two Amazon wish lists if you would prefer to have things directly shipped to the school — one for high schoolers and a general wish list. You can also make online donations to the program or send gift cards to LeVette Campbell, SSW (Holiday Resources), 90 Montford Ave. Asheville, NC 28801. All donations and items are needed by Dec. 13.
N.C. Cooperative Extension: The N.C. Cooperative Extension is participating in an Angel Tree program for Western North Carolina. You can select items off an Amazon wishlist and have them shipped to a site in Buncombe County by Friday, Dec. 13.
Eblen Charities: Asheville-based nonprofit Eblen Charities and its Saint Nicholas Project provide toys, clothing and other items to more than 1,900 families during the holidays. You can order gifts from one of the program’s online registries at Walmart, Target or Amazon.
The Salvation Army: With The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, you can adopt a child and purchase the items on his or her Christmas list. To find an Angel Tree in Henderson, Polk or Transylvania counties, contact bill.bricker@uss.salvationarmy.org.
Western North Carolina Toys for Tots: This weekend, families are invited to one of the distribution sites to pick up toys for their children. Last year, the campaign, which is operated by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation, provided Christmas gifts to 4,202 children across the region. There’s still time to donate to the campaign.
The Petty Family Foundation: Operation Appalachian Christmas, which NASCAR’s Petty family operates, is accepting monetary donations to support Western North Carolina through food, clothing, hygiene products and shelter support during this holiday season.
Here are the latest updates from Western North Carolina:
FEMA provides temporary housing: FEMA reports that over 1,000 people in Buncombe County are staying in hotels under its transitional sheltering program, while 27 families are housed in FEMA units. A total of 100 temporary housing units have been sent to North Carolina, with 46 households across 11 counties provided temporary housing. (WLOS)
Unemployment rate rises: Unemployment in Western North Carolina surged in October, with Buncombe County’s rate rising to 8.8% following Helene's devastation. The storm disrupted businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, causing job losses and a 70% decline in tourism revenue. While disaster-related unemployment claims are stabilizing, a housing shortage exacerbated by the storm is complicating the area’s economic recovery. (Asheville Citizen Times)
Why we don’t know the names of the deceased: Tropical Storm Helene claimed 103 lives in North Carolina, but officials have not released the victims’ names. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services cited incomplete investigations and privacy concerns, promising names in “a few months.” While state law allows access to autopsy reports, local agencies like Buncombe County defer to the state for victim information. Over 80% of fatalities were identified within two weeks of the storm, with most victims from WNC. (Blue Ridge Public Radio)
Helene survivors turn to tents – or yurts: Temperatures are dipping into the teens in Western North Carolina. Many families who lost their homes are living in donated yurts or temporary shelters as they wait for FEMA assistance or rebuild their homes. Relief organizations emphasize the urgent need for permanent solutions, as makeshift shelters pose risks of fire and hypothermia. (Blue Ridge Public Radio)
Some displaced folks are moving into ‘tiny cabins’: Groups like Cabins 4 Christ have stepped up to provide temporary shelters and rebuild damaged properties. Volunteers and donations from across the country have contributed to the building of more than 90 cabins and repairing homes. (Charlotte Observer)
WNC holiday events: Blue Ridge Public Radio rounded up a list of holiday events and traditions that are still happening and open to the public. If you’re planning a trip to the mountains, check it out here.
Teppers give to WNC: The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation, Coca-Cola and the Carolina Panthers brought their “Joy to the Carolinas” event to Swannanoa’s W.D. Williams Elementary on Wednesday. The event included gifts for every student, support for local businesses and appearances by Panthers legends like former running back Jonathan Stewart. The Tepper Foundation pledged ongoing support for Western North Carolina’s recovery efforts. (WLOS)
Sneakers for a cause: Buffalo Bills General Manager Brandon Beane highlighted Western North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Helene during the NFL's “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign. His sneakers featured logos of Manna Food Bank and Brother Wolf Animal Shelter, two nonprofits aiding the region. (WLOS)
Lindsey Banks, a native of the Buncombe County town of Swannanoa, is a staff reporter with The Charlotte Ledger. Reach her at lindsey@cltledger.com.
How to help
Many organizations have deployed groups across the region, tasked with distributing food, water and supplies. You can donate to their efforts at the links below.
Hearts with Hands, a local disaster relief organization, has a donation page to provide food, supplies and water.
United Way of North Carolina has established a fund to help residents affected by the flooding.
MANNA Foodbank, which serves 16 counties in Western North Carolina, is accepting food, supplies and monetary donations. The organization’s warehouse on Swannanoa River Road in Asheville was damaged by the hurricane.
The American Red Cross is accepting donations to help residents in the Southeast.
Samaritan’s Purse, which is headquartered in Boone, is scheduling volunteers to help with debris cleanup.
Operation Blessing has a donation page to provide food, supplies and water.
E4E Relief, a Charlotte-headquartered provider of emergency financial relief programs on behalf of corporations, is accepting donations for their newly established Hurricane Helene Community Fund, offering financial support to individuals with long-term impacts from Hurricane Helene.
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman