Six months after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, communities across the region are still navigating the long road to recovery. The October 2024 storm brought catastrophic flooding and landslides to Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Polk, and Rutherford Counties, damaging roads, homes, and essential infrastructure. The estimated $59.6 billion in damages included not just physical destruction but widespread disruption to daily life—especially access to healthcare.

In the days immediately following the storm, Blue Ridge Health (BRH) mobilized emergency operations to reach the hardest-hit areas. With support from a BBF grant, they were able to provide urgent care and pharmacy services at no cost to patients—many of whom had no other options. As recovery efforts continued, BRH extended their outreach to shelters, churches, mobile home parks, and community centers, delivering services ranging from wellness checks and vaccinations to counseling, debris cleanup, and food and water distribution.

Much of this work was unbudgeted and not billable. BBF’s funding helped BRH offset the financial strain of providing free, emergency care to thousands of residents and supported their ability to maintain ongoing, integrated services in the months that followed.

“Thank you, again, for your help and the support of BBF as we navigated the aftermath of Helene. It really was nothing like our community has experienced before, and many are still finding their “new normal.”