Dogwood Health Trust Announces More Than $30 Million for Initial Hurricane Helene Relief Funding Throughout Western North Carolina

Asheville, NC, Oct. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Dogwood Health Trust announces more than $30 million in initial relief funding for the unnatural devastation across Western North Carolina (WNC) from Hurricane Helene. This funding responds to short-term, immediate needs and was approved by a unanimous vote by the full board of directors at an emergency meeting on Oct. 3.

In this initial relief funding, Dogwood is prioritizing support for local organizations that will help local people and organizations now and in the days to come. Staff members are also actively working with local, regional and national partners to attract additional capital to the region and joining partners to advocate for state and federal appropriations.

Dogwood’s initial support is organized in three areas: (1) supporting organizations that can quickly deploy resources and respond to urgent needs of people and geographic areas most affected; (2) supporting assessment, navigation and legal services associated with FEMA response; and (3) maintaining critical health services across the region.

“Hurricane Helene has affected the people and communities of Western North Carolina in unimaginable ways,” said Dr. Susan Mims, CEO of Dogwood Health Trust. “Our response includes this funding for short-term relief, and we will be here for long-term recovery and rebuilding as well. We are working with our funded partners to get resources to all our neighbors in need throughout the region.”

“Several networks of organizations were created from Dogwood’s previous investments that are now helping us deploy resources for health care, legal services and healthy food distribution. We are fortunate to have this nonprofit infrastructure in place,” Mims added.

A lead grant of $10 million will go to the Emergency and Disaster Response Fund at the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, which is positioned to grant smaller amounts to human service and community-based organizations throughout the region quickly. Criteria and an application are available on their website.

More than $20 million will be given to support direct service nonprofits and organizations with deep connections to local communities throughout Western North Carolina. These funds will be used to support community needs and the employees working in these organizations tirelessly each day, including:

1. Deploy Resources and Respond to Urgent Needs of People and Geographic Areas Most Affected

• MANNA FoodBank – to support food distribution, disaster response and ongoing operations. MANNA’s primary location was destroyed by flooding, but they are actively responding to community needs at locations like the WNC Farmers Market.

• Impact Health – to help support their 60 human service organizations (HSOs) with daily operations across the region. Many are focusing on purchasing and distributing food from local farmers to people in need.
• The AMY Wellness Foundation and Gateway Wellness Foundation – to support and regrant dollars for on-the-ground recovery efforts in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties (AMY) and Burke, McDowell, Polk and Rutherford counties (Gateway).
• WNC Communities – to support local farmers and help coordinate their distribution of fresh, nutritious foods to local community members.   

1. Assessment, Navigation and Legal Services for FEMA Response

• Pisgah Legal Services – to help residents access legal services and navigate filings with FEMA across WNC. Filing can be complex, so it is important that affected community members receive legal support from local Pisgah staff in their communities. Pisgah now has offices throughout WNC and a mobile Justice Bus as a result of former Dogwood funding.    
• The Centralina Foundation – to support Councils of Government in WNC in coordinating assessments for FEMA response and the needs of local governments.  

1. Maintain Critical Health Services

• WNC’s seven local Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) – to support their continued operations so community members can access the clinical health care they need across WNC.

Dogwood will make more funding announcements in the coming weeks for recovery and rebuilding efforts, including responding to the needs of small businesses, among other opportunities. More information about how to submit future funding ideas to Dogwood will be shared on www.dht.org soon. Many Dogwood staff are still affected by the hurricane, so time is needed for our organization to get back to full capacity.

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About Dogwood Health Trust
Dogwood Health Trust is a private foundation based in Asheville, North Carolina with the sole purpose of dramatically improving the health and wellbeing of all people and communities in the Qualla Boundary and the 18 counties of Western North Carolina. Dogwood Health Trust focuses on innovative and equitable ways to address the many factors that contribute to overall health and wellbeing, with a focus on housing, education, economic opportunity, and health and wellness. Dogwood Health Trust works to create a Western North Carolina where every generation can live, learn, earn and thrive, with dignity and opportunity for all, no exceptions. To learn more, please visit www.dht.org.
 

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