WNC Hurricane Helene Relief

We are AVL Fast — a team of friends, locals, and volunteers from across the country. Together we are leading ongoing efforts to provide widespread relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene across Western North Carolina, extending far beyond our base in Asheville to include smaller communities like Bat Cave, Middle Fork and Pensacola that have been cut off from resources and reliable assistance.

Seeing the devastation left behind as the storm began to clear, we felt compelled to take immediate action to help our community. By September 30th, less than 48 hours after flooding swept through homes and destroyed businesses, we had established a basecamp for our operations from The Venue — a family-owned wedding venue in downtown Asheville, owned by AVL Fast team members Darien & Deandra Bodenhorst. Within 24 hours, we were already stocked with early supplies and distribution to the community was underway. During this time, we focused on the most vulnerable and isolated communities – visiting senior care centers and nursing homes, and using chainsaw teams to literally cut our way through wreckage that was blocking access to multiple areas. That effort has continued now for two weeks of working around the clock, making connections with incredible people who have supported our mission and helping countless residents across the WNC region who were left in desperate need of assistance following Hurricane Helene.

Together with many of our friends and members of our community (and even some that have come to help from far away), we have transformed The Venue into a hub for the community. From the early stages of this process, our doors were open to the public – anyone who needed supplies or support was welcome, and those who were in a position to offer their time to others knew they could make an impact as a part of this team.

Now that the initial chaos has started to subside, it has left us with just enough breathing room to streamline our operations to provide more efficient aid to everyone affected. As we push forward on our mission to ensure no one in need is forgotten, we are asking for your help. It is not possible to overstate the urgency with which aid is needed in so many communities and for so many families. Truthfully, if you have not been on the ground and witnessed the destruction yourself, you can safely assume the reality is worse than you can imagine. Whether you can support our mission through financial donations, skilled labor or physical supply donations, everything helps. Nothing is too small, and each contribution goes a long way towards helping a person in need.

What began as a seemingly never-ending dash to coordinate life-saving rescue missions and distribute “Phase 1” supplies has now evolved (thanks in part to the aid of larger organizations and the generosity of donors across the country) into a more focused goal of accessing and rehoming displaced and isolated residents before the North Carolina winter brings plunging temperatures and adds to the complexity of relief efforts. While we have succeeded in providing basic supplies to many people, their current situation – destroyed homes, lack of heat, limited rations of food & water, etc. – means we need to act quickly.

To share a real-world example of what we hope to provide through your donations, we have recently established a relationship with Emmanuel’s Hammer – a non-profit general contracting & disaster relief organization – to provide us with the industry experience, connections, and volunteer labor needed to begin a rebuilding project in a local neighborhood in Swannanoa, NC — one the hardest hit areas in the region. As of October 20th, we are in discussions with a group of Swannanoa homeowners who are organizing community information and coordinating efforts with our teams/partners to get their neighborhood reconstructed as quickly, efficiently, and affordably as possible. Through our association with Emmanuel’s Hammer and our own team members with general contracting experience, we plan to move immediately to begin the process of inspection, planning, and rebuilding.

Our greatest needs to achieve this goal currently include monetary donations and construction/rebuilding supplies (i.e. flooring, plywood, generators, electrical wiring, power cables, fuel & propane, and satellite communication devices such as Starlinks. Your donations will make it possible to purchase and deploy these resources as efficiently as possible, providing the funds needed to gather equipment in bulk, transport it across the region, and complete builds/installs/education for residents. Likewise, if you have connections to help us source these materials at discounted pricing, that would also be incredibly helpful.

Considering our current objectives and the needs mentioned above, together with the fact that the situation on the ground is evolving continuously, monetary donations are the fastest and most efficient contribution to help us continue the work we are doing. We understand not everyone is comfortable providing cash donations, and while we do have other donation methods available, we encourage you to connect with us on Instagram @AVLFast where you can ask us questions and see first-hand the people you are supporting, our team members in action, and messages shared with us from community members that we have impacted.

In closing, we want to reiterate that our mission for Hurricane Helene relief across WNC is to do everything we can to make sure every person affected is provided for, comforted, and properly taken care of. We will continue towards this goal for as long as aid is needed. Right now, though, time is of the essence. The urgency that existed in the immediate aftermath of the storm still exists – and for many, it has only been amplified. Every dollar has the power to make a difference in someone’s life. We sincerely thank you for taking the time to read this, and hope you will donate if you are able, as well as share our message with anyone you know who may be interested in helping us and our community. This fight is only just beginning, and we need all the help we can get.

Thank you.

-AVL F.A.S.T.