• Shelley Henderson

The Salvation Army of the Carolinas Daily Update - Hurricane Helene

Asheville, NC (October 9, 2024)--The Salvation Army’s response is rapidly expanding in North and South Carolina as roads are cleared and areas become accessible. Early on, flooding, landslides, and debris on the roads, especially the secondary roads, made travel very difficult for residents and service agencies trying to get in to help. After the storm, over two million customers in North and South Carolina were left without power. Crews from power companies are working tirelessly to restore service. Still, more than 83,000 customers remain without power, and it is estimated that some areas may not have power restored for several weeks. In Asheville, water has not been restored to much of the city and is expected to be out for several more weeks.

The Salvation Army has teams of trained Emergency Disaster Relief workers from across the nation in the Carolinas to help with the response.

North and South Carolina Relief Operation – Key Statistics 
**Stats as of 10-9-24**

• 63,544 meals served
• 33,001 drinks distributed
• 28,092 snacks provided
• 4,053 Emotional and Spiritual Care contacts made

The Salvation Army’s Response in the Carolinas:

Buncombe County (Asheville NC Area)
Power has been out in the Asheville/Buncombe County area since the storm and, in most places, the water has not been restored. Today, The Salvation Army has mobile feeding units in Swannanoa, Barnardsville, Asheville, and Arden, NC, reaching into places where people are hungry for hot food, cold drinks, and hope.

In Barnardsville, NC, The Salvation Army was the first sight a mother and her sons saw after being trapped in her mountain top home for ten days. Read how The Salvation Army was able to help:  Ten Days on a Mountaintop: A Mother's Story of Hope and Resilience After Helene

Recently, The Salvation Army team in Arden, North Carolina visited an apartment complex with more than 100 senior citizen apartments to provide hot meals, cold water, and plenty of love. The Salvation Army was the first organization to visit this complex and is returning today with more supplies to help the residents. “We are hope givers to people who have lost it. who have not had power or water since the storm. Glory be to God!” exclaimed Major Aaron Goldfarb from The Salvation Army of Fayetteville.

Lake Lure/Chimney Rock Area/Rutherford County, NC

Yesterday, a Salvation Army Rapid Response Unit made its way into Lake Lure and Chimney Rock.  The Salvation Army was able to connect with community leaders and is back on the ground today working in the community. The Salvation Army is assessing the needs and ways we can provide support.

Read More:  Let The Salvation Army Through:  The Salvation Army Arrives in Lake Lure

Henderson County, NC / City of Hendersonville
The Salvation Army in Hendersonville, North Carolina, has power and is serving meals two times a day at The Salvation Army Corps. Power is being restored, but Henderson County was under a boiled water advisory until October 3. A Prayer and Praise wall has been set up in the community center. Colorful post-it notes and markers are in the center of every table. Prayers dot the wall under the cross, thanking God for His grace and love.
Read the story. Prayers of Western North Carolina

Haywood County, NC/City of Waynesville
The Salvation Army serves a shelter in Haywood County, North Carolina, about 35 miles west of Asheville. Haywood County is the third largest county in North Carolina but is rural, rugged, and sparsely populated. Flooding was especially bad in Haywood County, triggering mudslides and washing out roads.

In the mountain town of Canton, North Carolina, The Salvation Army serves up to 300 meals each day at Canton Plaza while a pumper truck provides fresh water to residents. This effort is a lifeline for the community, helping nourish bodies and spirits during this challenging time.

Several businesses in Clyde, North Carolina, were destroyed by floodwaters and cannot afford professional assistance to gut their buildings. The community is uniting to support one another in their recovery efforts. The Salvation Army is on the ground, providing food, water, and prayer to sustain them as they rebuild.

Watauga County, NC/City of Boone
Immediately after the storm passed, The Salvation Army was requested to open a temporary shelter in the mountain town of Boone, North Carolina, offering shelter, food, and drinks to people displaced by the storm while the county shelter was being established. Once the county shelter was established, The Salvation Army temporary shelter closed. The Salvation Army is roving in the Watauga County area, finding pockets of people to serve.

Aiken, Edgefield, and Barnwell Counties, SC
Immediately after the storm, The Salvation Army of Aiken, South Carolina, began serving meals at several locations daily. More than 22,000 meals were served in the week following Helene. The emergency shelter continues to accommodate those affected, including individuals whose homes were destroyed. Salvation Army case managers are working with residents to help them navigate a way forward.

The Salvation Army of Aiken still serves meals daily through their soup kitchen.

Read more about The Salvation Army’s response in Aiken, SC.
Aiken, South Carolina:  Small Town, Big Heart

Through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Galatians 5:13-14

Disaster response is an extension of The Salvation Army's everyday mission to meet human needs, offering compassionate care and hope in Jesus Christ during the most challenging times. In the coming days, The Salvation Army will deploy additional mobile feeding units and Emotional and Spiritual Care officers to provide meals, drinks, and desperately needed support to those affected by the storm.

As relief efforts expand, the Salvation Army urgently needs financial contributions. Those wishing to support the disaster response can donate online at helpsalvationarmy.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. When you support Salvation Army disaster services, 100% of your donation is applied to the disaster relief operation you select. The Salvation Army never applies an administrative fee to any disaster gift. If disaster donations exceed identified needs, excess funds will be restricted to support future disaster services.