Governor Josh Stein, along with the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina (GROW NC) and North Carolina Emergency Management, announced a total of $500,000 in grants to two nonprofit organizations focused on repairing and winterizing homes damaged by Hurricane Helene. The funding will support Rebuild Haywood and the Western North Carolina Conference of United Methodist Churches in their efforts to make emergency repairs such as adding insulation, wrapping windows, and fixing roofs.
In addition to these grants, GROW NC will distribute nearly $50,000 to The Beacon Network and Rebuild Haywood. These organizations will use the funds to winterize campers, trailers, and other temporary housing used by families displaced by the hurricane.
Governor Stein commented on the initiative: “As families continue to recover from Hurricane Helene, winter weather can bring additional hardships. Local organizations have gone above and beyond for their communities in the wake of the storm, completing crucial work like this quickly and efficiently. We’re proud to support these organizations as they work to keep families warm this winter.”
Matt Calabria, Director of GROW NC, emphasized the urgency: “Western North Carolina is already experiencing winter weather, and home winterization is an urgent need for so many residents impacted by Helene. However, winterization can be expensive, and many families are already struggling to make ends meet. We’re proud to present these grants to local organizations doing critical work to protect homes from severe winter weather. Together, we’ll continue to do everything we can to ensure impacted families have a warm and safe place to stay.”
NC Emergency Management Director Will Ray added: “The State Emergency Response Team is committed to using the resources available to help as many disaster survivors as possible. The use of these funds to help Helene survivors is yet another example of the whole-of-community cooperation that North Carolina is known for.”
Linnea Van Manen, Case Manager and Grant Specialist at Rebuild Haywood said: “Through the funding of the GROW NC grant, Rebuild Haywood will be able to provide critical winterization of homes and temporary shelters to Hurricane Helene-impacted families and households across western North Carolina who are facing impending severe weather conditions. This funding will allow us to ensure these community members stay safe and keep the cold out throughout this season. We are incredibly grateful to the Stein Administration for recognizing the need in our community and providing us with the opportunity to make this possible.”
