NC Community Foundation awards $200K to Burke County groups for hurricane recovery

Burke County’s long-term Hurricane Helene recovery efforts will receive a $200,000 boost as part of a $9 million round of grants awarded across western North Carolina.

The North Carolina Community Foundation announced it has distributed 108 grants from its Disaster Relief Fund to support housing repair, rental assistance, hunger relief, and mental health services following the storm.

Among the local recipients is the Burke Long Term Recovery Group, which was awarded $100,000 for staffing and administrative expenses to help coordinate recovery efforts in Burke County.

The Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina also received a $100,000 grant to rebuild recreation infrastructure along Wilson Creek, a popular outdoor destination that supports tourism and local economies in Avery, Burke, and Caldwell counties.

Overall, the grants range from $25,000 to $100,000 and focus primarily on 16 counties most severely impacted by Hurricane Helene, including Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford, and Watauga.

A total of $1.5 million was directed to long-term recovery groups, which are locally led coalitions that coordinate case management and resources for affected individuals and communities.

NCCF accepted applications for long-term recovery funding in the fall. More than 300 organizations applied, requesting more than $25 million in assistance. Applications were reviewed by more than 30 people from Western North Carolina who provided feedback on regional needs.

“The scope and scale of requests highlight the significant challenges still facing western North Carolina,” Jennifer Tolle Whiteside, president and CEO of the North Carolina Community Foundation, said in a statement. “We’re grateful to be able to support the organizations doing this work and appreciate the thousands of donors who have contributed to the Disaster Relief Fund.”

Other regional grants include $100,000 to High Country United Way, serving as fiscal sponsor for the Watauga Long-Term Recovery Group, to support well and septic repairs for survivors in Watauga County.

“We are deeply appreciative of the North Carolina Community Foundation for this investment in our community’s recovery after Helene,” said Rebecca Hall, executive director of High Country United Way. “In close partnership with the Watauga Long-Term Recovery Group, this support helps us move resources where they matter most.”

To date, contributions to the NCCF Disaster Relief Fund total more than $33 million, with nearly $21 million awarded.

Foundation officials said grantmaking will continue in the months and years ahead, including a focus on future disaster preparedness.

A full list of grant recipients is available on the NCCF website, NCCommunityFoundation.org.