Hi, Reader -

I'm sure by now you have heard that last week, Hurricane Helene brought high winds and devastating flooding to much of the southeastern US region, with a particularly catastrophic impact on Western North Carolina.

Those following this newsletter know that my husband and I spent years traversing the nation, living on the road, searching for our favorite place. And you also know that we found it in Asheville, North Carolina.

Next, we thru-hiked throughout the Appalachian Mountains, and most recently, we started a family in our Asheville home base.

I say all this to point out we are deeply connected to this area on multiple levels.

As of today, our favorite place has been ravaged by Hurricane Helene and is in shambles.

While my family and nearest neighbors are all accounted for and safe, I have just been through a week filled with sadness and terror that I would not wish upon anyone.

I can't even begin to tell you how utterly heartbroken everyone in our area is. I have never had my life plans shaken this vigorously. It physically hurts to think about how dramatically our daily lives have been impacted.

On a daily life level, so many of our roads have collapsed. The trails and parks we love are gone. Restaurants we love have been wiped off the map. Our grocery stores have flooded and are closed, some forever.

On a broader level, many of our beloved local spots and cities have been wiped away. Trail towns we traversed along the Appalachian Trail are decimated.

So many things I looked forward to sharing with my daughter are simply gone.

And on the most heartbreaking level, many lives have been lost.

For those of us who live here, it feels like our entire way of life has been ripped away.

The impact of this storm will hurt for quite a while.

I used to think I understood what people were going through during events like this. I'm now fairly confident that, sadly, no one can completely understand the full impact of an event like this until they have lived through a similarly ruinous affair.

That said, throughout this terrible incident, a tremendous amount of people have also stepped up with kindness, compassion, and cooperation. So many inspiring people are devoted to helping rebuild our beloved area.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Many have reached out asking how they can help. Good on you! Wanting to help is fantastic! However, I am learning that it can be overwhelming for those on the outside looking in to figure out how to best help in these situations.

WNC will need continuing support for a long time, and how to best help will change regularly.

So, let me provide a specific and actionable way you can help today: by assisting one of these two groups doing incredible work on the ground right now, ​​BeLoved Asheville and Hearts with Hands​​.

BELOVED ASHEVILLE:

Many impacted by this storm still lack access to power or water. I hope full power will return to WNC within another week or two, but it could be a long time before our area and many others have water restored.

In addition, many of the roads in WNC (and in the surrounding states) are in a condition similar to the one pictured below in Damascus, VA, which is currently impassable.

This means there are still people in our community who are trapped and trying to survive with limited resources until they can escape.

BeLoved Asheville has volunteers collecting and distributing supplies, including volunteers who are hiking food, water, hygiene products, and other lifesaving supplies into areas that have lost their roads.

Their most pressing donation needs are water, baby formula, diapers, reusable bags, walkie-talkies, flashlights, cookstoves, food, and charging blocks.

And since volunteers are hiking in supplies, they also need gear such as framed backpacks and headlamps.

HEARTS WITH HANDS:

Hearts with Hands is another organization that is currently collecting and distributing donations.

You can see their most pressing donation needs here:

Hearts with Hands has also been cooking and feeding first responders.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION:

In the next few days, I will round up supplies in Knoxville, TN, and bring them back to ​​BeLoved Asheville and Hearts with Hands​​.

If you'd like to help, you can send financial contributions to my personal Venmo (@CindyScott) or PayPal (@cinderscotty) accounts. I will use 100% of contributions sent to either account to purchase needed supplies and drive them back to WNC. Please label your contribution as "Support for WNC."

You can also click here to make a tax-deductible donation directly to BeLoved Asheville.

Or click here to make a tax-deductible donation directly to Hearts with Hands.

Please send whatever help you can. Until next month,
Cindy