One Year After Hurricane Helene

When Hurricane Helene swept inland in late September 2024, record-breaking rainfall, flash floods and landslides devastated western North Carolina, East Tennessee and southwestern Virginia, leaving thousands without electricity, clean water or access to basic health care.

Direct Relief responded immediately - delivering emergency medicines and supplies, granting emergency funds, and supporting outreach teams reaching patients in cut-off areas. One year later, needs have shifted but essential drivers of community health - stable housing, food access, behavioral health and reliable care pathways - remain acute across Helene-affected communities.

Direct Relief's sustained support over the past twelve months totals $45.1 million in medical and financial assistance across six states, including $4.6 million in funding to 26 community organizations and $40.5 million in donated medical aid to 137 organizations (about 7 million defined daily doses of medications).

Direct Relief continues to work alongside local organizations to restore health services, stabilize housing, support mental health and build long-term resilience.

North Carolina

Rapid Response Anchored In Long-Term Partnerships

Direct Relief's response to Hurricane Helene builds on a decades-long commitment to improving health access throughout the US. North Carolina has long been a major recipient of Direct Relief's ongoing support. That existing presence enabled rapid deployment of mobile clinics, emergency grants and medicine shipments immediately after Helene, and provided the foundation for Direct Relief's sustained recovery work. The figures listed above reflect Direct Relief's comprehensive support since Hurricane Helene devastated the region.

From Emergency Relief to Long-Term Recovery

In the early aftermath of Helene, Direct Relief prioritized rapid deployment of medicines and supplies to affected clinics and evacuation sites. As communities began the long road to recovery, the focus evolved: helping clinics restore services, addressing mental health needs, stabilizing housing, and investing in infrastructure and resilience.

This shift reflects the reality of long-term disaster recovery-where health, housing, and access are deeply interconnected, and rebuilding must be driven by those who know the needs best: local organizations.

Research shows that the mortality and health burden of hurricanes is not limited to immediate storm deaths; long-term excess mortality can be orders of magnitude higher due to disrupted care, displacement and socioeconomic shocks. That long tail reinforces the need for sustained investments in chronic-care continuity, housing stability, mental health, and resilient clinic infrastructure.

Restoring Healthcare Access

Flooding from Helene disrupted access to care in multiple rural counties, damaging clinic infrastructure and disrupting operations. Direct Relief provided emergency grants, shipments of requested medications, mobile medical kits, and operating support to keep rural clinics functioning.

One year later, Direct Relief continues to support facilities like the Micaville Health Center, which is rebuilding after severe flood damage. The center's story, featured in "Still Recovering from Helene's Aftermath", highlights the vital role of community clinics in disaster recovery.

Power, Clinic Closures, And The Hidden Health Toll

Power outages were a major driver of clinic closures and lost care. Direct Relief's Lights Out research documents widespread outages and service disruptions after Helene (surveyed clinics reported tens of thousands of canceled visits and millions in lost revenue), underscoring the link between lost power and long-term health harms.

Emotional recovery has been a major need across Helene-impacted areas. Direct Relief supported Resources For Resilience (RFR) with a $90,000 grant to provide trauma-informed training for frontline healthcare workers, caregivers, and community groups. Workshops offer bilingual access and hands-on tools for managing stress, grief, and uncertainty during recovery.

Emotional recovery has been a major need across Helene-impacted areas. Direct Relief supported Resources for Resilience (RFR) with a $90,000 grant to provide trauma-informed training for frontline healthcare workers, caregivers, and community groups. Workshops offer bilingual access and hands-on tools for managing stress, grief, and uncertainty during recovery.

Housing and Community Stabilization

In Swannanoa Valley, the loss of housing from Helene created a crisis that touched every aspect of community health. Direct Relief supported Swannanoa Communities Together (SCT) with an $85,000 emergency grant to stabilize more than 150 households through rental assistance, FEMA navigation, and trauma-informed casework.

Food Access and Social Determinants Of Health

Access to nutritious food remains a core challenge for rural families recovering from Helene. Through a $500,000 grant, Direct Relief supported the WNC Food Systems Coalition (WNCFSC) to deliver weekly boxes of fresh, locally sourced food across five counties, paired with health navigation from CHWs embedded in clinics.

The Community Health Network of Western North Carolina (CHN) launched a clinic-connected community doula program to address gaps in maternal care. Supported by a $400,000 grant from Direct Relief, the program trains and embeds doulas within rural clinics to assist with prenatal care, perinatal mental health, and culturally responsive services.

Stories from the Field

Still Recovering from Helene's Aftermath

Post-Hurricane Helene: Meeting Immediate Housing Needs

Months After Helene, Communities Still Recovering

Looking Ahead

Even one year later, the impacts of Hurricane Helene continue to ripple through communities. Housing remains limited. Behavioral health needs are growing, especially in children and young adults. Infrastructure is still being rebuilt. Barriers to care persist and are exacerbated for many who faced challenges before the storm.

Direct Relief remains committed to standing alongside communities in Western North Carolina-supporting locally led, clinic-connected work with equity at the center-to strengthen rural health access and help build systems that endure through the next storm and beyond.