American Red Cross North Carolina

UPDATE 10/8/2024 11:00AM Here is a list of the current shelters open in Western North Carolina. This list is constantly changing. Please download the Red Cross Emergency App to stay up to date on all open shelters. - AB Tech Community College 340 Victoria Road Buncombe County, NC 28801 - Ashe County High School 184 Campus Drive Ashe County, NC 28694 - Avery County Rock Gym 185 Shady St Newland, NC 28657 - Blue Ridge Elementary School 910 Cane River School Rd. Yancey County, NC 28714 - Corpening Memorial YMCA of WNC 348 Grace Corpening Dr. Marion, NC 28752 - Edneyville Elementary 2875 Pace Rd. Henderson County, NC 28792 - Glenwood Baptist Church 325 Saco Lowell Road Pickens County, SC 29640 - Gold's Gym 1815 Hendersonville Rd> Asheville, NC 28803 - Haywood County Armory 258 Armory Drive Haywood County, NC 28781 - Henderson County Recreation Center – 28792 708 South Grove Street Henderson County, NC - Holmes Convocation Center 111 River Street Watauga County, NC 28608 - Jet Middle School 1095 Columbia Road Edgefield County, SC 29832 - Madison County Wellness Center – 5734 U.S. 25 #70 Marshall NC 28753 - Maudin Methodist Church 100 E Butler St Maudin, SC 29662 - Mitchell County High School 416 Ledger School Road Mitchell County, NC 28705 - Newberry High School 3113 Main St. Newberry County, SC 29108 - Oakhill Methodist Church 2239 North Carolina 189 Burke County, NC 28655 - Pineville United Methodist 110 S. Polk St Pineville, NC 28134 - The Ridge at Laurens 301 Exchange Dr Laurens, SC - Rutherfordton Presbyterian 252 N. Washington St Rutherfordton, NC 28139 - State Shelter 3305 Kellina Ln Hudson, NC 28630 -Transylvania Parks & Rec 1078 Ecusta Rd. Brevard, NC 28712 - WNC Agricultural Center - Shelter Shelter Buncombe County, NC 28732 1301 Fanning Bridge Road __ Our team is continuing to work with local officials and community partners to provide aid, support, and shelter to those needing help from #Helene. Download our RC emergency app to stay up to date w/ shelter locations near you.

Along with shelters, the Red Cross is continuing to work with partners and provide meals for those impacted by the flooding and aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Additionally, we are supporting the two state-run Community Care Centers in Buncombe County with meal deliveries. Those Community Care Centers are located at: - Ingles Market, 2299 US Hwy 70 Swannanoa, NC - AC Reynolds High School, 1 Rocket Drive Ashville, NC - Morgan Hill Baptist Church, 594 Barnardsville Hwy Weaverville, NC - At Home, 980 Brevard Rd. Asheville, NC - Firestone Auto Repair, 85 Tunnel Rd, Asheville These locations will be open seven days a week from 9am to 7pm until further notice. Community Care Centers will offer the following free amenities: · Showers · Laundry · Internet Access (Wi-Fi) and Charging · Blankets · Water · Meals (Hot and Shelf Stable) · Other supplies

“I served in the Marines for 10 years.” Horace Taylor is one of dozens of US Military veterans who were displaced after Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic floods to Asheville, NC. “The flood that came through where we used to stay and the whole first floor got wiped out,” Horace said. “All the vets that were there, we had to evacuate 5:30 in the morning. I’m 65 years old and I’ve never seen a storm like this. I am from Virginia, so I know about hurricanes, but nothing like this.” He said at first, they brought them to the Civic Center to ride out the storm, and once it passed, they were split into two groups and transported to two different Red Cross shelters. “You guys have been so sweet, and I’ve really enjoyed being here with everyone,” Horace said. “It’s truly bittersweet to have to leave. Y’all were just so kind to us and really helped us out.” The American Red Cross has worked with active-duty members, veterans, and their families for more than 135 years. Learn more at redcross.org/SAF

“We are right along the river.” Nora Augustine and Silias Heying live in Newland, NC, a community that experienced extreme flooding from Hurricane Helene. “The rains were pretty heavy starting on Wednesday, and we were going to stay,” Silias said. “But then about Thursday, we saw that the river was rising fast. And so, we managed to get out in time.” Both went to a hotel to wait out the storm. “The hotel also lost power, so we were stranded there for a while,” Silias said. “There was like a raging river on the road was just completely impassable for days. We managed to get back here (home), and we saw that it was pretty--pretty destroyed. Our house stood still but many others weren’t as lucky.” The home was elevated but they still experienced two feet of water inside their home and lost most of their belongings. “It’s a mess out here. We knew this area was going to be hit, and we had heard that the college where we work was monitoring the situation and was thinking about what we would do to manage things on Thursday and Friday. But I really wasn’t expecting it to the extent that it was,” Silias said. Nora explained, it’s comforting to see the community and other organizations, like the Red Cross, come show their support and provide relief. “We’re just trying to clean up. It’s nice to see so many people coming out and driving by and helping each other out. It definitely makes us feel hopeful,” Nora said. “It's yeah, it will definitely be months, maybe many months before or whatever we have any sense of normalcy again.” Silias agreed and said “it’s comforting to see people are looking out for us. Thank y’all, the Red Cross for helping. It’s still a mess but thank you so much.”

“Lost everything we had, everybody -- I ain’t the only one.” ? 68-year-old Darrel Coffey is an Army Veteran who had been living in a veteran’s community in the Swannanoa area. Originally from Monroe, NC, Darrel moved to Asheville a year and a half ago looking for a fresh start – starting his new job in factory production. Darrel was at work when he found out that almost his entire community was devastated after Hurricane Helene came sweeping through his east Asheville neighborhood. “Before I left home, the police came by and said, ‘emergency evacuation,’” said Darrel. “Then I went to work, and they called me. Thirty minutes after I left, they said the whole area was evacuating...We lost everything—everybody around here did.” Local Asheville emergency officials, supported by the Red Cross, had set up a shelter at A-B Technical College, where hundreds sought shelter during and after the storm. Darrel was one of them, after having first visited other shelters that ended up also being evacuated for safety. “I’m 68-years-old and I’m sleeping on a cot but – you know, you’ve got to lay your head somewhere,” said Darrel. Darrel says he knows a lot of his neighbors at the shelter, many of them also veteran friends who had lived in his same community...and needed support even before the rains came. He’s been helping them get around in his car – no small feat, as many roads remain difficult to navigate due to flooding, unstable infrastructure, and downed trees. Still, Darrel says he got lucky. “If I didn’t go to work Friday, I wouldn’t have a car because everybody else’s cars went down the stream.” ? Darrel shows the remains of his wardrobe at a nearby parking deck, muddy clothes laid out to dry near his car...which he says were hanging in his closet, proof of how high the waters had risen. “I never even got to wear my [new] shoes,” said Darrel, gesturing to a barely distinguishable pair of muddy Nikes. ? Now, Darrel says he’s thankful to be safe and will be waiting at the shelter until more support happens, though he says the needs are great. He also says the bond between veterans–especially here in Asheville—is strong, and knowing that he has supporters around him inspires him to keep going and keep helping. “Before all this happened, me and the veterans up there were like ‘this,’” said Darrel, linking his hands and fingers together. “They keep me alive; they keep me together. I hope I’m doing the same for them.” Darrel continues to check in and offer support to those staying at the shelter, an air of peace around him despite his circumstances. He says he’s “been through it before” – a cancer and stroke survivor, an Army veteran…and he says he will survive this, too. “I just want people to see what we’re going through…and I hope this never happens to anyone else.” You can help by making a financial donation, an appt to give blood or platelets, or by becoming a volunteer -- visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS for more.

The American Red Cross is reaching into rural communities in Western North Carolina, identifying and fulfilling unmet needs of our partners. One such partner is the Nesbitt Chapel Church along Garren Creek in Buncombe County, which saw devastating floodwaters destroy roads and wipe away low-lying homes. In the days after Helene, the church – like many of its counterparts throughout the area – quickly became a distribution hub where local residents impacted by the flood could get food, water, first aid and other needed supplies. As they scaled up, they have kept a running list of what resources people need and what people are offering: debris removal, heavy machinery to divert newly formed creek channels, veterinary services, acupuncture, crafts, crisis counseling, clothes, hot dogs and a jam session and much more. When they connected with the American Red Cross, one of their unmet needs was the ability to do laundry. In response, our team helped procure three sets of laundry machines and Red Cross volunteer Brian Delmas delivered them to Nesbitt Chapel, navigating a rented box truck with six heavy appliances through eroded roadways and fallen tree limbs. “The operation that groups like Nesbitt Chapel have going on has been great,” said Brian. “And it has been really rewarding to be able to come in and figure out how we can support the work they are already doing for their community. I think we are helping build new relationships for the Red Cross that will be helpful for this storm as well as the next one.” Please consider supporting the Red Cross so we can continue to help those in WNC. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text "HELENE" to 90999.

“We house 250 veterans at our old facility,” said Anatoli Stapleton, leader of the Asheville Buncombe Christian Community Ministries. Anatoli explains, they were displaced by Hurricane Helene the morning it hit the Carolinas. The group were sent to Red Cross Shelters to seek refuge from the fast-rising flood waters. “We are making people feel as comfortable as they can, given the circumstances they find themselves in,” Anatoli said. “There's a group of 81 original vets here at the AG Center site by the airport, and then there's another group of guys at the AB Tech Medical and AB Tech general population site.” On October 10, the ABCCM were able to find a new intermediate housing location for the veterans, just 13 days after the storm. “The biggest help was having the North Carolina incident management team step up and provide showers, laundry services, power costs and working with the Red Cross to help provide food, blankets, cots, security, and keep the morale up,” Anatoli said. “It was a unified effort between local organizations and the Red Cross, coalescing into one unified mission ready focus.” Anatoli said they are thankful for all the support and outreach, and now it’s time for them to recover and rebuild. “We are transitioning into a hotel, near the local VA and we are going to continue operations at this other shelter, in the same manner as we did before. We'll still operate in the same capacity, providing shelter, prescription medication classes, laying that foundation, helping guys recover from PTSD, substance abuse, mental health, family relationships, and building those core foundations that people need to prosper in life.” He added our veterans are strong people. “It's going to look a little differently than it used to, but our guys are super resilient, and they understand that.”

As the Spiritual Care Manager, Zonia prepares her team to help those in need. She’s responded to numerous disasters, with Hurricane Katrina her first in 2005. This disaster brings back harrowing memories. “The first and most important task is to treat everyone with dignity and uphold the principles of the Red Cross. I tell [my team], it’s going to be tough,” said Zonia. “We don’t even have knowledge of what is out there because there are so many people that are missing, so many communities we’ve been unable to reach yet. People can’t come down, and we can’t get to them. We know that frustration.” “We plug our phones in to recharge them, to get energy and function. For us, it’s the opposite. We need to remember to unplug so we can recharge and perform to the best of our ability.” Zonia Quero Ziada is the Spiritual Care manager for the American Red Cross Hurricane Helene relief operation. She’s one of dozens of volunteers deployed to Western North Carolina as part of the Spiritual Care Team, helping people with their spiritual and emotional needs, as well as their physical needs for food and shelter. Zonia is originally from North Carolina and says seeing the devastation is heartbreaking. “It’s daunting to see all that is destroyed. To send my Spiritual Care Chaplains out in the field—to the unknown, that’s difficult.” Zonia said. Red Cross spiritual care is nondenominational – in keeping with the basic Red Cross principles of impartiality and neutrality. Spiritual care teams include members of all faiths. “Spiritual care is here for the community to help you. Reach out to your faith family—your faith community. Reach out to your pastor, your congregation, they’re there for you,” said Zonia. “We’re also here for you.”

“I just want to help.” David Lesser flew to North Carolina from Tallahassee after Hurricane Helene devastated the Western part of our state, but he hasn’t been “home” for weeks. “I’m from New Hampshire but traveled to North Carolina after deciding to extend my deployment.” David helped stage an evacuation center in Jacksonville before Hurricane Helene made its way up the Southeast. He then decided to extend his deployment with the American Red Cross after seeing how much he was needed in North Carolina. “There’s something about [deploying] that’s truly amazing to me.” David says he’s been a volunteer with the Red Cross for 10 years and will continue to help people who need it. “I get so much from this, and I meet so many incredible people. I can’t fully describe it.” Sign up to volunteer with us so that you can help people affected by disasters like Helene: https://rdcrss.org/4eEyYb3

Thomas Trang is one of thousands of volunteers who have flown into the Carolinas to help with Hurricane Helene relief efforts. He is from Illinois and said helping people is his passion. “I signed up to help people and they send me wherever the disaster is,” Thomas said. “I have the availability to help people.” He is a shelter volunteer in Asheville, NC, to help ensure people who have been displaced have what they need during these challenging times. “The Red Cross is here to help them,” Thomas said. “A lot of them have no place to stay anymore, so they are thankful that we are here for them. We provide shelter and help with whatever they need.” You can find shelters near you and other resources by downloading the free Red Cross Emergency app or visit redcross.org/gethelp. For people unable to access the information they need, call 1-800 RED CROSS.