AVL Water Timeline, Organizations to Help
And Happy Election Day!
As a reminder, this is part of a temporary series of posts on the recovery effort from Hurricane Helene, especially for Western North Carolina, and southern Appalachia, and ways you can help. The regular posts from ‘Among the Living’ will begin in a few weeks/months.
VOTING
It’s November 5th! (How long have we been anticipating this date? Feels like forever).
Despite the continuing stress, damage, and lack of potable water in Western NC, a record number of folks have already voted, and the polls are rockin’ today. It’s incredibly inspiring, and I hope the rest of the country follows WNC’s lead!
If you haven’t yet voted, there are a significant number of voting sites that have changed due to Hurricane Helene’s impact. Check out this list of the 17 (of 80) sites in WNC that are in a different location.
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(Note: See the end of the post for a list of mental health resources for anyone affected by Helene).
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AVL Water Update:
I honestly cannot imagine the ongoing stress and exhaustion associated with lack of basic utilities, chief among them, drinkable water. Almost all of the Asheville area is still without potable water and will be for many weeks more. BUT, progress is happening.
A great daily source of information is the ‘AVL Today’ newsletter and today’s post is especially useful for getting a sense of what’s happening and the tentative timeline.
Essentially it will be early December before the system is in place to allow for water to flow, but it will be another 2-3 weeks after THAT before potable water will actually be delivered through your pipes. The crews are clearly working super hard on this, but it could easily be another 5 or 6 weeks or more before water is clear and drinkable without a boil notice.
Meanwhile, here is a list of places to get drinking (and non-potable) water from all over the Asheville area:
AC Reynolds High School - 1 Rocket Dr.
Pack Square Park - 70 Court Plaza
Sky Lanes Bowling - 1477 Patton Ave.
Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center - 121 Shiloh Rd. (No bulk water for toilet flushing)
Innsbruck Mall - 85 Tunnel Rd.
At Home parking lot - 980 Brevard Rd.
Buncombe County Sports Park - 58 Apac Dr.
Swannanoa Ingles - 2299 US-70, Swannanoa
Fairview Elementary - 1355 Charlotte Hwy., Fairview
Black Mountain Ingles - 550 NC-9, Black Mountain
Leicester Elementary - 31 Gilbert Rd., Leicester
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Organizations to Support:
A couple of weeks ago, I promised a list of organizations in the WNC region that could use your donations or time and skills, and this is the first of several posts that will do just that. I will try to break it down into different categories, and today will be immediate, short-term support for clean up crews, debris removal, and repair, along with emergency housing.
Following today, we’ll share support for more specific supplies for medium-term needs, longer-term recovery support, and also specific needs for communities or professions - for example, for artists and creative professions in the region (a defining industry for the region and one that was hit especially hard).
And though you may not be part of a faith-based community or church, some of the most hands-on work happening right now is through churches and faith-based disaster recovery teams, so I list them along with other options. They are experienced and respectful and the ones I list here do not assume you want prayer or spiritual support, but may also offer that if you’re open to it.
AND, this list is of course, not even close to comprehensive! Go to your county’s government website, or your local NPR/radio stations for more information on local, vetted charities as well as large organizations. But bottom line, if you’re able, all these organizations are doing good work and any of them could use your dollars or time.
Clean up, Debris Removal, Immediate Repair - some options for your support:
North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund. Immediate support for clean up funds, distributed through the United Way, and ways to donate time as well.
Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. Partnering with local nonprofits to distribute funds and support. Accepting monetary donations.
United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County. Ways to donate funds and time.
North Carolina Community Foundation. Funding immediate and longer-term relief efforts
BeLoved Asheville. A local charity that I have heard so many good things about, providing supplies as well as housing needs.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Immediate and long-term recovery support for all of the affected Southern Appalachia and Florida regions. There are ways to donate funds as well as time.
Operation Blessing. Immediate disaster relief and work crews. I know that these folks have been showing up and clearing people’s driveways and homes and have been kind and compassionate with the people I’ve talked to.
Baptists on a Mission. Already beginning to rebuild some homes to get people into a basic sheltered situation before winter. Volunteer time or funds.
Asheville Command Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Extensive work crews all over the area.
Team Rubicon. Veteran-led disaster relief.
Samaritan’s Purse. Volunteer time or funds.
If you won’t see a group you believe we should list, please add them to the comments! There will be lots more posts and many months and years of support needed.
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Mental Health Resources:
I will try to remember to add this to the bottom of all posts, so it is always handy.
Disaster Distress Helpline. It is 24/7, multilingual, and toll-free. If you are struggling with emotional distress from Hurricane Helene, Milton or other natural disaster, please call. They specialize in post-disaster mental health support.
Disaster Distress Helpline: Call or text 1-800-985-5990.
Español: Llama o envía un mensaje de texto 1-800-985-5990 presiona “2.”
For Deaf and Hard of Hearing ASL Callers: Please text or call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 using your preferred Relay provider.
The North Carolina Community Health Center Association also has resources for first responders and volunteers (seriously call - don’t wait until the toll is too great on you), and there are several other options to get you started below:
Help for Helpers Hope4NC hotline for first responders: 1-855-587-3463. Hope4NC Helpline | NCDHHS to provide mental health support for first responders and volunteers working on our Hurricane Helene disaster response
Peer Warmline, 1-855-PEERS NC (855-733-7762),: Get Support – You’re never alone. | Promise Resource Network is staffed 24/7 by Peer Support Specialists who offer non-clinical support and resources to those in crisis.
The Disability Disaster Hotline, 800-626-4959, Hurricane Helene – Partners Health Management (partnersbhm.org)provides information, referrals and guidance to people with disabilities and their families during disasters.
People can walk into a clinic for mental health or substance use care the same way urgent care clinics help people with immediate physical health needs.
Mobile Crisis teams can send trained clinicians to a home, community, or shelter to respond to an urgent need. To get connected with a mobile crisis team in the affected region, you can call Vaya Health at 1-800-849-6127.