When Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, the Baptists on Mission organization was ready to respond. The organization mobilized thousands of volunteers to help families recover and rebuild.
With support from $2.94 million in funding from the Golden LEAF Foundation, the Baptists on Mission organization has already helped 521 families return home and has another 240 homes currently under repair. More than 1,300 applications for assistance have been received to date, underscoring the long road to recovery ahead.
“The funding has been a tremendous help,” said Paul Langston, Missions Mobilization Consultant for Baptists on Mission. “Immediately after the storm, we were able to purchase food and distribute tens of thousands of meals to people in need. That allowed us to respond right away. We then moved to rebuilding homes damaged by the storm. Now, we’re beginning to build new homes for families who completely lost theirs.”
The Golden LEAF funding supports a range of Helene recovery needs, including volunteer support expenses such as shower trailers, meals, and the renovation of volunteer housing sites. Funds also cover transportation, tools, equipment, building materials, site staffing, and contractor costs for home repairs. The Baptists on Mission organization is working in Buncombe, Watauga, McDowell, Henderson, Mitchell, Yancey, Haywood, Polk, Avery, Madison, Rutherford, and Transylvania counties.
Preparation and partnerships have been key to Baptists on Mission’s effectiveness. The organization constantly promotes disaster relief and volunteerism, maintaining a network of about 6,000 trained volunteers in North Carolina and strong relationships with other state conventions, added Langston.
“After Helene, those partnerships really showed their value,” Langston said. “Other states reached out right away wanting to send volunteers. Within the first few weeks after the storm, we had 7,000 volunteers registered, and by Christmas, we had placed 13,000 volunteers from 48 states. The response was incredible.”
Baptists on Mission have partners who include the Governor’s Office of State Budget and Management, the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety Emergency Management, the American Red Cross, the State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Foundation, The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Golden LEAF, local officials, and area churches.
Still, challenges have been significant. Early on, damaged infrastructure made communication nearly impossible.
“We couldn’t communicate with volunteers or homeowners easily,” Langston said. “That made it hard to coordinate housing and work assignments. Getting mobile Starlink units made a big difference, but those first few weeks were tough.”
The organization can now house, feed, and mobilize about 550 volunteers per day across its five sites located in Boone, Spruce Pine, Burnsville, Swannanoa/Black Mountain, and East Flat Rock. While skilled tradespeople are especially needed, such as electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians, Langston emphasized that anyone can serve.
“You don’t have to be a contractor,” added Langston. “There’s plenty to do to help, including cleanup, support work, logistics, meal prep, you name it.”
Golden LEAF’s investment has also strengthened the organization’s infrastructure for long-term recovery.
“We recently purchased a new skid steer with part of the funding,” Langston said. “Our old one kept breaking down. This new equipment will be used across multiple sites and save a lot of time and money. We also bought about $100,000 worth of tools, scaffolding, and safety gear so that volunteers have what they need to work safely.”
Langston said the recovery effort will take years.
“There are still people in really tough situations,” he added. “Some are living in tents or campers because their homes were condemned. It’s easy for people outside the area to assume everything’s fixed, but it’s not. Recovery will take five years or more before Western North Carolina is largely rebuilt. We just ask people to keep praying, giving, and volunteering.”
You can learn more or sign up to volunteer at baptistsonmission.org.