Artists heal their businesses and communities in the wake of devastating floods

Volunteers with BeLoved Asheville are bringing Asheville residents water so they can flush toilets, wash their hands and shower amid the water scarcity caused by Hurricane Helene. These improvised distribution systems have become crucial to ensure residents can maintain their hygiene and prevent illness until their normal water access is restored.

The SAB Foundation is an independent trust set up by South African Breweries (SAB) as part of the government’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment scheme. It helps businesses — particularly underserved entrepreneurs like women and people with disabilities — grow and thrive. Since 2010, the Foundation has backed more than 6,400 social impact businesses in their early stages.

After learning that the number of lesbian bars across the U.S. was dwindling, two filmmakers launched the show “The Lesbian Bar Project” which spotlights the bars’ significance to their communities. Along with the show, they crowdfunded $300,000 to help financially support the surviving bars.

The Save Business Now initiative in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, is helping businesses to relocate from dangerous areas of the country. Businesses fill out an online application about their needs so the organization can help them through the process of looking for a new location and connect them with experts and other businesses for support.

Through the Achieving Sustainability Through Education and Economic Development Solutions (ASEEDS) Creek Rangers program, teens and community leaders are raising awareness of the effects of climate change in their small Mississippi town. They’ve fixed their community’s drainage system to help mitigate floods that have impacted the area for years. While some people were skeptical of their efforts, they’ve been able to work with pastors and other people to show how climate change is already impacting them.

Project 1975: A Vietnamese Diaspora Commemoration Initiative is a public art installation to memorialize the Vietnamese who fought alongside U.S. soldiers in the Vietnam War, as this group is often forgotten. The memorial tells stories from the perspective of the Vietnamese, highlighting the impact of war on families and communities.

The Heurich House Museum in Washington, D.C., has created two targeted initiatives—the Urban Manufacturing Incubator and the DC Makers' Guild—to support local small-scale artisan businesses facing barriers to growth such as high rent fees and limited visibility. These programs provide mentorship, business coaching, market entry opportunities, like various mini markets throughout the year, and advocacy support to improve market conditions for these small businesses.

Cooperatives in Morocco, like Biosalim Cooperative, help women farmers access capital and provide training in agricultural methods, personal development and entrepreneurship to help them achieve financial stability and greater representation in their communities. Since launching in 2018, Biosalim has helped more than 4,000 women.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene and Milton, mutual aid groups across the country are emerging to get essential supplies to thousands of people in isolated communities and working to combat misinformation and government mistrust surrounding climate change. Because mutual aid groups aren’t bound to the bureaucracy of government organizations, they’re able to act quickly and connect with community members on a deeper level.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, several community-led organizations are joining forces to help those in need by gathering and distributing supply donations and helping those affected apply for FEMA assistance, unemployment and other relief support.