Late September, Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeast as a category 4 storm, wiping out communities in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. The hurricane washed away homes and highways and decimated power, water, and cell tower systems. To date, at least 179 people are dead and entire communities destroyed, many of them in Western North Carolina. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh has swiftly organized relief efforts to support communities affected by the storm.
Our teams, along with partner organizations Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) and one of the one of the world’s largest hunger relief organizations, Food for the Poor, have been working to gather and deliver much-needed supplies and coordinate volunteer efforts.
Wednesday morning, a box truck filled with prepositioned supplies, generously donated by Food for the Poor, left from our Cape Fear Regional Office at 7:30 a.m. The truck is headed to Johnson City, Tennessee and will remain with Catholic Charities of East Tennessee to aid with their ongoing response to the disaster.
“As we come together in the wake of Hurricane Helene, Catholic Charities remains deeply committed to serving those most affected by this disaster. Our response is not just about delivering supplies—it’s about delivering hope and showing that, in the face of hardship, we are united. We are incredibly grateful for the dedication of our staff, volunteers, and partners as we continue this vital work to support those in need,” said Lisa Perkins, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh.
Additionally, within the Diocese of Raleigh, we are ramping up efforts to collect donations across all our regional offices with help from the Knights of Columbus. We encourage everyone to contribute to our relief efforts and continue helping our neighbors. The collected donations will be carefully organized and shipped to areas based on need and capacity to accept them.
To make a financial gift in support of families and individuals whose lives have been upended by Hurricane Helene, please visit Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Charlotte ccdoc.me/helenerelief or through the CCUSA Hurricane Helene relief donation page. One hundred percent of all donations will be distributed to local Catholic Charities agencies, which will provide critical relief — including shelter, food and other humanitarian aid — to members of their communities. Gifts can also be made by texting “Hurricane” to 20406.
“Hurricane Helene is one of the most dangerous storms to hit the United States in years, and we won’t know the full extent of the damage for some time,” CCUSA President and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson said. “As always, the staff and volunteers of Catholic Charities agencies are springing into action to bring comfort and hope to their neighbors in need. Please join us in providing critical support to the immediate and long-term relief efforts.”
Catholic Charities is also supporting post-disaster recovery efforts through the Crisis Clean Up initiative, which connects volunteers with individuals who need help repairing or rebuilding their damaged homes. Catholic Charities staff and volunteers have stepped up to the challenge of helping to field and return the thousands of calls coming in each day. We’re collaborating closely with Catholic Charities USA and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Charlotte to provide additional support to impacted areas.
Catholic Charities also continues to closely coordinate all activities with North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NC VOAD). Through NC VOAD, all disaster relief organizations wishing to assist impact communities are coming together to collaborate and leverage as many available resources as possible.
As relief efforts continue to evolve, we are committed to keeping our staff, volunteers, and the community informed. Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers for those affected by Hurricane Helene.
