BeLoved Asheville
How You Respond Matters Most
By Co-Directors Amy Cantrell, Ponkho Bermejo and Adrienne Sigmon
The storms raged and the waters rose and our Appalachia was forever changed. BeLoved, a local nonprofit organization, has been on the ground for many years before Hurricane Helene dramatically changed the lives of the people of these mountains. And BeLoved was on the ground amidst the storm and in the immediate aftermath, and we will be here for the long haul.
The devastation we saw around us was unfathomable. And the grief palpable — some families lost loved ones and some families were left homeless on a day that would change everything. The whole region was cut off from the world.
BeLoved is a collective of people who care. We rushed into the storm and its horrific aftermath to put love into action. We became a major distribution hub sharing lifesaving supplies with 15,000 people a day in impacted zones in towns big and small and mountain hollers. We shared millions of pounds of food, millions of gallons of water, and millions of necessities, from hygiene materials, first aid, and tools for cleanup and repairs.
We saw the pain on the ground and we acted to create powerful solutions to lift up our impacted neighbors:
- Volunteers hiked supplies where roads were inaccessible, bringing lifesaving supplies and support to residents.
- We conducted well checks on elders and families, making sure people had medications, oxygen and insulin.
- We created temporary water infrastructure to ensure communities, schools and childcare centers had water so they could reopen.
- We helped install satellite infrastructure so communities could receive vital information and be able to communicate.
- We formed flush brigades to help seniors and people with disabilities flush their toilets and sanitize their bathrooms.
- We shared tiny homes and RVs for temporary winter shelter for hundreds of people.
- To date, we have shared more than 5,000 heaters to keep families warm.
- We helped prevent evictions and find permanent housing for people.
- We supported cleanup efforts, including mucking out homes, picking up debris and helping restore roads.
- We have more than 30 home repairs and rebuilds already underway, with many homes restored for families to return home early in the new year.
- This year we broke ground on a BeLoved Village of homes in Swannanoa for families who lost everything.
We know it will take years to heal our people and restore these mountain communities. And we are committed to be here for the long haul until the last nail is hammered. But we need people to join us in this commitment. We carry deep wounds from this storm, but we are stronger than we could have ever imagined. We know that together we can restore, heal and rebuild this beautiful land and lift up our mountain neighbors. We invite you to join this movement to heal Appalachia by visiting belovedasheville.com to see how you can make a difference.
Stephanie Corcoran, owner of The Little Gym in Gerber Village, sponsors Making A Difference.