Hurricane Helene Resources

Catawba Riverkeeper

Hurricane Helene Resources

Resources for those impacted

  • FEMA

    Apply for federal assistance, view local resources, and learn how to support others.

    Visit FEMA's Website

  • NC Department of Public Safety

    Access county information, open shelters, missing person and reunification requests, utility provider information, crisis cleanup and more.

    Visit the NCDPS Website

  • NC 211

    Call 211 or visit the NC 211 website to learn more about food, shelter, roadways, or other general non-emergency information.

    Visit the NC 211 Website

  • Crisis Cleanup Hotline

    Call (844) 965-1386 to access the Crisis Cleanup Hotline.

  • SC Emergency Management Division

    Find shelters near you, report power outages, view road conditions, and learn how to support others impacted. 

    Visit the SCEMD Website

  • NC Disaster Relief Form

    Residents of NC impacted by Hurricane Helene can fill out this brief form to indicate their immediate relief needs.

    View the Relief Form

Donate Funds

  • NC Disaster Relief Fund

    Donations made to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund will go to nonprofits working to meet the immediate needs of storm victims such as food and water, cleaning supplies and other emergency supplies. All of the donations made will go to disaster relief. 

    Donate

  • One SC Fund

    The One SC Fund is a statewide initiative supported by philanthropic donors and funders from across the state and country. Money donated to the One SC Fund will be granted to local nonprofits providing disaster relief and recovery in South Carolina.  

    Donate

  • Catawba Riverkeeper Helene Cleanup Efforts

    Following the destruction that tropical storm Helene left across our Catawba-Wateree River Basin, Catawba Riverkeeper is committed to restoring our impacted areas across our 5,000 sq. mile Basin in the short and long term. This includes the 11 lakes within our Basin and all of the other natural waterways that feed into it. Your gift today will help us ensure we have the tools needed to complete this mission critical work in the short and long term. 

    Donate

Donate Supplies

  • Operation Airdrop

    Operation Airdrop is a Texas-based 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to providing rapid relief to communities impacted by natural disasters. The organization mobilizes volunteer pilots and a diverse fleet of aircraft to deliver essential supplies to areas cut off from traditional aid routes. 


    Items Needed

    • Powdered sports drinks and electrolyte packs  
    • Baby wipes 
    • Diapers 
    • Baba Formula 
    • Bug Spray 
    • Sunscreen 
    • Plastic utensils 
    • Manual can openers 
    • Trash bags (13 G or Contractor sized) 
    • Toothpaste 
    • Toiletries/ Sanitation items 
    • Dog and cat food 
    • Hand sanitizer 
    • Feminine hygiene products 
    • Work gloves 
    • Socks (all sizes, unopened) 

    Many other local groups are also collecting and delivering supplies. However, it is still extremely difficult to travel to the impacted areas. We recommend working with established organizations to most efficiently collect and distribute needed good.  

    View Drop-Off Locations

Provide temporary housing for people and pets

  • Housing for people

    If you have a second home or space in your home, reach out through your social, work, and faith networks. Many people in the Southeast have friends and family desperately looking for a place to stay during the initial phase of recovery. 

  • Housing for pets

    Thousands of people are or will soon be temporarily displaced. Many of them may not be able to travel with their pets. Contact your local Humane Society to help foster or adopt as the animal shelters crowd.

Volunteer Time

  • Find an existing voluntary organization

    • Be sure to affiliate with an existing voluntary organization before coming to the disaster area, and that organization has been asked to respond. 
    • Do not self deploy. Until a need has been identified and the local community impacted has requested support, volunteers should not enter. 
    • Wait until it is safe to travel to volunteer sites and opportunities have been identified. 
    • Once assigned a position, make sure you have been given an assignment and are wearing proper safety gear for the task. 
    • Be patient. Recovery lasts a lot longer than the media attention. There will be volunteer needs for many months, often years, after the disaster – especially when the community enters the long-term recovery period. 
    Find an organization to volunteer with

  • Helene Restoration Cleanups

    Catawba Riverkeeper will be hosting cleanups to help remove pollution and debris from our waterways. Our staff is working diligently with partners throughout the region to assess areas impacted by the storm and create a comprehensive plan for restorative cleanups moving forward. We appreciate your patience during this planning process, and we will have more information to share in the coming days. 


    In the meantime, we hope you’ll consider signing up for our Helene Restoration Cleanups email list to ensure you are notified of all upcoming cleanup opportunities.


    Sign up for the email list!

Donate Blood

  • American Red Cross

    The American Red Cross is currently holding blood drives to support Helene recovery operations. Find your local donation site by clicking the button below.

    Give Blood

Please Avoid



  • Traveling to impacted areas for leisure or to volunteer (yet). There is currently a shortage of gas and major roadblocks. Please do not impede rescue and repair operations. This will be a long recovery and there will many opportunities to physically help once critical infrastructure is repaired. 
  • Swimming or boating in floodwaters. A tremendous amount of pollutants have been released including fuels and wastewater. Avoid contact until the water returns to normal levels and clears. 
  • Drinking unsafe water. Check with your local provider and follow all boil advisories. Private wells that were inundated should be considered contaminated until tested for fecal bacteria. Contact your county health departments or Catawba Riverkeeper for well disinfection techniques and testing. 


Old Fort, NC near the headwaters of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin. Photo taken by Nelson Aerial Productions.

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