The flooding and damage from Hurricane Helene has devastated huge swaths of Appalachia. The AP quoted Princeton hydrologist Jim Smith as saying this is “one of the most significant weather events” in Appalachia since 1916.* As of October 2nd, over 160 people have been killed by this storm’s damage and over 150,000 households have registered for assistance from FEMA^. Hundreds more are still missing. Cell phone coverage and electricity is sparse and still being restored. Entire homes and communities have been washed away. Infrastructure such as bridges and roads will take months, if not years, to rebuild. The mountainous terrain and spread out nature of many of the communities means that it has been nearly impossible for supplies and aid to reach some communities.
^ https://apnews.com/article/helene-asheville-north-carolina-c5ff143de63e31bd345066221f5e4d24
This raffle is supporting the Appalachian Funders Network which is working with member partners in the community on immediate and long-term recovery efforts in the affected communities.
The Appalachian Helene Response Fund will be a collaborative effort organized by AFN at the specific request of funders and organizations in the area, many of whom are still without power or reliable communication. Individuals may contribute to the fund immediately.
“Even as recovery efforts begin, I am deeply aware that many of our own members, leaders, and community partners are among those most affected. In fact, I am personally awaiting news on the safety of family and friends, including several AFN leaders who live in the impacted areas. This storm has challenged us in ways we never anticipated, but it has also revealed the true solidarity of our community. We are uniting as a region to ensure that no one is left behind in this recovery process.”
The Appalachian Helene Response Fund will channel resources directly to the areas of greatest need, leveraging the reach and local knowledge of AFN’s 70+ member organizations across the region. These members, deeply rooted in their communities, will ensure that aid is distributed swiftly and equitably, prioritizing the hardest-hit areas.
The reach of this fund is critical, and spreading the word will help maximize the impact of donations. AFN members on the ground are already mobilizing to address the most urgent needs, and the support garnered through this fund will be pivotal in the recovery efforts.
Find out more at their website here: https://www.appalachiafunders.org/ and at https://www.appalachiahelenefund.org/
A list of mutual aid resources can be found here: https://www.appalachiahelenefund.org/resources
From the Appalachian Funders Network's Website:
The Appalachian Helene Recovery Fund is hosted by the fiscal sponsor of Appalachia Funders Network (AFN), the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, and administered by our members in impacted communities. The AFN footprint is a six-state region composed of the mountain counties in Central Appalachia (Eastern Kentucky, Western North Carolina, Southeastern Ohio, Northeast Tennessee, Southwestern Virginia, and all of West Virginia). All donations made directly to this fund are tax-deductible, and dollars will flow to the most impacted areas in our footprint.
The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky is a community foundation, an organization that manages charitable funds and redistributes them in a specific geographic region. Community foundations collect and invest donations from individuals, families, and businesses and then distribute those dollars to support local causes and nonprofits. By pooling charitable donations and growing a fund’s principal, community foundations help ensure that local efforts receive more funding, that the funding is sustainable long-term, and that donor’s dollars are handled with accountability and transparency. Community foundations take the pressure off local partners to be solely responsible for the fundraising of their work, freeing up time and labor for grassroots partners, staff, and volunteers to focus on their impact. Community foundations and the funds they manage are a trusted way to give back to a region, and when paired with immediate relief like mutual aid, help move sustainable dollars to our communities.
Me! I'm Nellie Wilson, an independent romance author and historian who was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania and still has a deep love and passion for Appalachia even though I now live in California. I've put this together through word of mouth and the help of my fellow romance authors and readers to bring our amazing community together to rally for a region that is near and dear to my heart and soul.
Step 1: Donate to the Appalachian Helene Response Fund
Step 2: Fill out your contact information and upload proof of donation here.
Step 3: Raffle prizes will be randomly drawn on October 13th using a random number generator/wheel.
All entrants into the raffle will receive an email with their raffle number so no names are shared during the raffle. I'll (Nellie) be hosting this raffle LIVE on October 13th and will share the link wide so anyone can see!
We were (in the best way) overwhelmed with donations for the raffle and have closed donations from authors/artists/merchants. Sharing abotu the raffle is the best way to bring attention!
I (Nellie) will be passing along the contact information of each winner to the author, artist, or merchant who sponsored the prize and each donor will be shipping the prize to the winners!
All contact information will be stored on Jotform's secure servers until November 13th, at which time Nellie will delete all information. No email addresses or shipping information will be shared or used by any individual except to contact winners and deliver prizes.