A Guide to Helping the Victims of Hurricane Helene

As western North Carolina (and other Southern communities) try to recover from the devastating storm, these organizations are on the ground offering relief.

Hurricane Helene / Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the storm system that swept through the south last week, communities in the Southeastern states are dealing with tremendous devastation. The death toll, which is still rising, has reached more than 160 people, with many more still considered missing. Beyond that, many people throughout the south are still contending with power outages and road closures, forcing relief workers to make their way to some communities on foot or by air.

Government calls for relief

Communities in the mountains of North Carolina were hit particularly hard. Some towns, like Chimney Rock, N.C., have been essentially wiped from the map as heavy flooding swept away their infrastructure (businesses and homes alike). In the face of such devastation, calls for relief from those in the southern states are only growing more urgent. Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina put out a statement over the weekend, calling for assistance from North Carolina residents and beyond. He urged people to make donations to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, here.

The organization will distribute the resulting funds to nonprofits that are working in the area “to meet the immediate needs of storm victims such as food and water, cleaning supplies and other emergency supplies,” according to the governor’s press release.

National brands soliciting donations

Beyond the local organizations hard at work to bring relief to western North Carolina and beyond, there are various national companies that are soliciting donations for the relief effort. Yesterday, Tarte Cosmetics hosted a 12-hour TikTok live event to support the cause. “100% of all net proceeds from the TikTok Live sales will be donated to the World Central Kitchen & matched by our Founder & CEO, Maureen Kelly,” the brand wrote in an Instagram post on Oct. 1.

Local businesses lending a helping hand

Local businesses in the North Carolina mountains are likewise engaging in relief efforts, offering shelter and other resources to locals affected by the storm. Rhode’s Motor Lodge, a boutique hotel located in Boone, N.C., is one such business. Spared from much of the storm’s devastation, the hotel has opened its doors in recent days to “employees, first responders, and displaced community members,” who are in need of a place to stay. Their on-site restaurant, Canteen, is (like Tarte) working with World Central Kitchen to provide hot meals to those in need in the area.

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A post shared by Rhode’s Motor Lodge (@rhodesmotorlodge)

In the caption of Rhode’s Motor Lodge Relief post, you can find other organizations soliciting donations to aid their relief efforts.

Celebrities calling for aid

A handful of celebrities are likewise using their platforms to encourage donations and aid efforts. Supermodel Paulina Porizkova, for one, took to Instagram to urge her followers to donate to relief organizations in North Carolina, Florida and Georgia. “The best thing we (who do not live in the affected areas) can do right now, is to donate money,” she wrote. “You can also check Charity Navigator, which is what I do.”