We rise by lifting others.

Of course Hurricane Helene devastated our beautiful High Country and many of its residents. Power was out, water and sewer systems were destroyed, and roads were impassable. In the first few weeks following the storm, we interviewed many people who were severely impacted and unable to cover basic necessities. We provided cash distributions to assist them through the first very trying weeks following the storm.

In the aftermath of Helene, we learned of many more devastating crises. Family members were lost, many homes were totally destroyed or had to be completely gutted, and many more had to have floors, cabinetry and more ripped out and replaced. Many of those who suffered catastrophic losses had no insurance, and many are still struggling as they wait for assistance from the government and large charities that have the resources to repair and rebuild homes.  

Elk River Helping Hands has continued to provide financial relief and other forms of assistance to many people who were severely impacted by Helene.  At the same time, we continue to help High Country residents who face crises of all kinds that result from a variety of devastating events.

To date Elk River Helping Hands has provided financial assistance to well over 300 individuals and families in desperate need of help. As requests come to us, we often reach out to local first responders and others in town and county leadership positions to vet these situations. 

Many residents of our mountain community are hesitant to ask for help. We often hear of potential grant applicants through our first responder friends and other community contacts, and we proactively reach out to them to see how Elk River Helping Hands can provide them with help.

Assistance is delivered in person by our volunteers. The stories are emotional and heart breaking, but the resilience of those who face crises is inspiring. It’s hard to put into words the experiences we’ve had while meeting with these brave people who have lost so much. Elk River Helping Hands is grateful for our donors who have allowed us to provide a helping hand to so many.