'We're trusting in God's economy': Asheville church provides low-barrier rent relief to vulnerable residents

The Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, North Carolina, is providing rent assistance, including same-day eviction protection, for people impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Water Mission is helping ensure Western North Carolina residents have access to safe water following Hurricane Helene. The group installed four of its proprietary mobile water treatment systems which produce 15,000 liters of clean water a day. The group has also distributed and gassed 400 generators for people to power their wells.

A network of local organizations in North Carolina are supplying people impacted by Hurricane Helene with clothing that can keep them warm as winter arrives. They run clothing drives and then sort the donations to meet specific requests, which is more helpful than giving out boxes of random clothes.

The Cabins 4 Christ initiative is providing shed-like shelters for people who lost their homes in the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. The structures include a composting toilet, mattresses, plenty of insulation, and supplies like water and a cooking stove.

A resident of Western North Carolina started a google form and spreadsheet to connect community members with volunteers offering the help they need to recover after Hurricane Helene.

The nonprofit Footprint Project is helping communities in North Carolina restore electricity after Hurricane Helene by delivering and installing solar equipment donated by companies or purchased with donated funds.

As flood risk and severity increase, homeowners are lifting their houses to avoid catastrophic damage. Hydraulic lifts raise the structure several feet up in the air, though it’s an expensive process, costing $75 to $200 per square foot. For some eligible families, low-interest disaster loans from FEMA are available to cover 75-100% of the costs. The organization has already raised nearly 22,000 homes nationwide since 1999.

In the aftermath of Hurrican Helene, hospitals in Western North Carolina are working to keep healthcare services operational with methods like staff adjustments, backup power systems, coordination with local emergency services and creating disaster preparedness plans. These efforts have allowed the hospitals to stay open during the storms and continue providing care to those who need it.

Young Power in Social Action helps families displaced by extreme weather, like hurricanes, by building weather-proof homes and helping those who lost their jobs find new work by providing them with goats or sewing machines to help them create a new livelihood. The group has already helped rehome eight families and plans to rehouse eight more families by April 2024.

Community land trusts, like the Florida Keys Community Land Trust (FKCLT) help people access affordable housing and aid in disaster recovery by stopping land from entering the real estate market and increasing in price. FKCLT rents land trust units to families earning 80% or less of the local median income at about $1,000 per month.