Helene Relief Phase 2: Rebuild Lives, Restore Hope

The night Hurricane Helene tore through Black Mountain, Mr. Mitchell sat alone in his home, listening to the wind howl like a living thing. The rain slammed against the walls, seeping through every crack, and before long, the floor beneath him turned into a river. The storm didn’t just shake his home—it swallowed it whole.

And then came the silence.

That eerie, unnatural stillness that comes when a storm has finally passed but left its mark on everything it touched. When Mr. Mitchell stepped outside, he didn’t recognize his world. The roof sagged. Windows were shattered. The life he had built, the home where he had lived for decades, was now unlivable.

He didn’t know where to start.

This is the reality of disaster relief. The real storm doesn’t end when the winds die down. The real storm is in the aftermath, in the long, grueling process of putting life back together, piece by broken piece.

That’s where we found Mr. Mitchell—standing in the wreckage, staring at the walls that no longer held the warmth of home.

And that’s where the rebuilding began.

More Than Just a House—A Life Restored

At first, it was just small things. Volunteers arriving with supplies. A warm meal shared after a long day. A simple, quiet presence—a reminder that he hadn’t been forgotten.

Then came the bigger things.

New drywall replaced the water-damaged walls. Fresh flooring covered the places where water had once seeped through. Slowly but surely, his home was beginning to look like home again.

But the work of disaster relief isn’t just about hammering nails and fixing roofs. It’s about restoring people.

Some days, even as his house came back to life, Mr. Mitchell still sat at his half-finished kitchen table, staring at his hands, whispering, “I still hear it. The wind. I still see it when I close my eyes.”

Because when a storm takes everything, it doesn’t just steal possessions—it takes security, peace, and sometimes even hope.

And yet, in the midst of grief, something incredible happens when people show up. When hands pick up tools and feet walk into broken places, carrying light with them.

That’s what you have done.

Your generosity, your prayers, and your willingness to act have helped rebuild not just a home—but a heart.

There Is Still More to Be Done

Mr. Mitchell’s story is one of many.

There are still homes that need repair. Families waiting for relief. People sitting in silence, wondering if they’ve been forgotten.

But we know hope isn’t just a word. It’s a hammer in a volunteer’s hand. It’s a warm meal on a cold night. It’s a community that refuses to look away.

And it starts with you.

Join us on the ground—volunteer now

One man’s home is standing again. His heart is healing. But there are still so many left in the wreckage, waiting for hands willing to reach in and help them rise.

Will you be that hand?

Together, we are rebuilding. Together, we are restoring. Together, we are better.

To watch all of Mr. Mitchell’s story, click here!