As we enter the holiday season and reflect on this past year, our hearts are full of gratitude for the incredible generosity you’ve shown. Your contributions have made a real and lasting impact on families facing crises here in the High Country. During this season of reflection and togetherness, we want to thank you for being part of the Helping Hands family and for embodying the true spirit of giving. 

Because of your support, we were able to provide essential assistance to hundreds of families, ensuring that no one in our community had to face hardship alone. We’d like to share just a few stories made possible by your kindness:

• A woman who lost her housing during Helene was living in a camper. To add to her hardship, she broke her ankle in the aftermath and was unable to work for several months. ERHH was able to assist her with her necessary living expenses as she recovered.
• A single mother of three died suddenly. ERHH was able to pay for her funeral expenses and is working with other community resources to help the children (ages 20, 18, and 10) navigate their tragic situation.
• A lady who was working tirelessly to repair her home by herself after Hurricane Helene needed tools to finish the job, as she lost most of her tools in the storm. ERHH was able to supply the tools she needed to complete her repairs.

These stories are just a glimpse of the hope and assistance that you have helped provide. Every donation, every volunteer hour, and every act of kindness strengthens the fabric of our community. You remind us that compassion is powerful, and that when we come together, we can lift up our neighbors in their times of greatest need. 

As we look ahead to the new year, we are excited to continue this work – in partnership with you. Thank you for believing in our mission and for making our community a place where Helping Hands truly makes a difference. 

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a peaceful, hopeful New Year.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Elk River Helping Hands

If you are 70 1/2 or older, and therefore must take annual Required Minimal Distributions (“RMDs”) from your IRA, you can gift money directly from your IRA to a qualified charity like Elk River Helping Hands (“ERHH”). This is called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (“QCD”), and the maximum allowable QCD amount for an individual in 2025 is $108,000. QCD charitable gifts are not taxable income to the donor. If you would like to make a QCD gift to ERHH and avoid paying income taxes on that distribution amount, just ask your IRA administrator to send a check directly from your IRA to Elk River Helping Hands, 1000 Clubhouse Drive, Banner Elk, NC 28604. The QCD can satisfy all or part of your annual Required Minimum Distribution. As always, we recommend that donors confer with their tax advisors regarding gifting and other income tax and financial planning matters.

We believe in the power of giving, and we’ve made it easier than ever for you to make a difference! By visiting our website, you can effortlessly make donations, set up recurring contributions to ensure your support continues, and create an account that allows you to track your generosity at your fingertips. When you make an online donation, your donation receipt will have a link to create an Aplos donor profile and give you access to My Aplos. You can also go to the Aplos login page to set up your donor account. Plus, with the convenience of your online account, you can easily print out your charitable donation tax statements whenever you need them. And remember, to keep you informed and engaged, our future progress reports will be sent directly to your inbox. Join us in this noble cause, and let’s make an impact together!

Online Donations

Elk River Helping Hands is a 501(c)(3) Charity, Tax ID 99-3365331