Rebuild Erin's Home and Family Farm After Hurricane Helene

Help Rebuild Erin's Family Farm After Hurricane Helene

We are MyHealth1st, a holistic medical clinic located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and we're reaching out on behalf of our Holistic Health Coach, Erin, and her family. Erin was set to start with us this month, but tragically, her family farm, Riverview Farm, in Asheville, NC, was severely impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Riverview Farm has been a family-owned and operated farm since 1995. Nestled along the Swannanoa River in the beautiful mountains of east Asheville, Erin and her family raise grass-fed cattle and lamb, organic soy- and corn-free chickens, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables using regenerative practices.

Unfortunately, the farm and Erin's home were devastated by the flooding caused by the hurricane. Erin, her husband, and their young son were forced to evacuate after their home was flooded with mud, leaving it unlivable. The farm sustained incredible damage: hundreds of feet of fencing need to be rebuilt, a barn was lost, and their enclosed garden structure was severely damaged.

Here’s a message from Erin, sharing the impact the storm has had on their lives:

"I’m sure most of you are well-informed on the tragedy that’s occurring in western North Carolina. My family’s small farm, located directly on the river, was severely impacted by the storm and flooding that has devastated this region. At the moment, my family and I feel fortunate to be alive. For days there was no way in or out of our property, as our driveway and access road along the river was completely destroyed. Huge fallen trees and thick layers of mud covered the sections of road that remained. Many of our close neighbors’ homes are gone - completely washed away with nothing left but rubble. Bridges close by have become disconnected from the streets. Nearby businesses (including my mom’s) were obliterated.

My family’s home (located very close to the river) flooded badly and was filled with mud when the water receded. It is currently unlivable, and it will be a long road ahead before we can move back in. We lost much of our furniture, appliances, and belongings, and there is a lot of water damage, mud in every nook and cranny, and soaked insulation in all of the walls. We are grateful that we all got out (including our two cats) and that our home is still standing, as hundreds of others did not get so lucky.

At the moment, my husband and I and our 20-month-old son are staying with my parents, whose home is located on higher ground and thankfully was not damaged. There was extensive and devastating damage to the farm. It’s unrecognizable in some places. Thankfully all of our animals survived the storm and flooding. Hundreds of feet of fencing need to be repaired or rebuilt to make our pastures usable for our cattle again. We lost a barn, some of our hay supply, several gates, and some other farm structures. Our enclosed garden structure was badly damaged as well.

Any assistance or help we can get would be beyond appreciated. It will be put directly to use to repair our home and our farm, so that we can continue our mission of growing food the right way. If anything, we believe in the power of prayer. Please pray with all your heart that our community and the surrounding communities can one day heal and come back from this unbelievable devastation. It’s been inspiring beyond words to watch care and assistance of all kinds pour in through all borders, and neighbors come together to help support, comfort, and rebuild. There is so much strength in community, and in people helping people. Much love to all."

Before Hurricane Helene:

After Hurricane Helene:

We are setting up this GoFundMe to help Erin and her family rebuild their home and farm, and we are deeply grateful for any support you can provide.

Let’s show them the power of community and help Erin and her family get back on their feet.