Provide Temporary Housing for Families Displaced by Hurricane Helene

11/25 Update:
Just shy of $100,000 raised. 17 campers placed so far with more to go down! Let's keep it up!

11/12 Update:
Wow! We surpassed $75,000! We also successfully delivered a 4th camper to another family this past weekend. Let's push the goal posts back. Can we raise $100,000???

UPDATE!!

Thanks to your generosity, we were already able to send 3 campers down to NC! Three families (Mom and Dad with 3 kids, a mom with 2 kids, and a widow) all now have safe places to live while they figure out how to move forward.

BUT THERE IS A LOT MORE TO DO! We have identified many more families in need, including a family of four with a special-needs 8-year-old, and we are eager to send more RVs down. As a result, we have INCREASED our goal from $60,000 to $75,000 to keep sending more campers south.

If you want to see pictures of the drop-off from the first trip, as well as keep up to date with all that is going on, follow COMPASSION CAMPERS on Facebook.

Many areas in western North Carolina and Tennessee have experienced devastating losses due to Hurricane Helene dumping unimaginable amounts of water in just a 24 hour period. Some areas had over 30 inches of rain in this short period which caused widespread flooding, mudslides, and massive casualties. While many areas now have ample food and bottled water supplies, it became apparent that there is a large need for housing for the thousands of individuals who lost their homes to flooding, tree damage and mudslides. There are hundreds of families living in tents on what is left of their property. Others are fortunate to be living with family temporarily.

While in many circumstances, insurance will help homeowners rebuild, this is not the case for most of the families in this region. Because this flood was such an extreme event, and homes were not in flood plains, many homes had no flood insurance and therefore aren’t covered. Even those with coverage may be facing a long time before funding is approved.

Local volunteers went down with loads of supplies to determine how to most effectively leverage resources to help. It was quickly realized that temporary housing solutions for families are an enormous need.

Our initial goal is to raise enough funds to purchase 5 travel trailers. We plan to purchase newer/used campers with the help of CH Waltz RV. Our hope is to have Camp Susque help us as a non-profit partner to collect the funds we need to purchase these travel trailers.

We currently have contact with two non profit’s located within the devasted area to determine those who need housing due to losing their home in the flooding/mudslide. The first organization is Big Meadow Baptist Church in Newland NC. The contact is pastor Keith Russell. The second organization is Cajun Navy, a rapid rescue and relief volunteer organization that is stationed in Black Mountain, NC and is working directly with the county to provide immediate emergency needs.

The first 3 requests all come from Newland NC. These homes were all destroyed in a mudslide.
The first is a family of 5- husband, wife and 3 children- 10,7, 4 years old.
The second is a husband and wife.
The 3^rd is a widow who tragically lost her husband in the mudslide.
We potentially have 5 more families from this town. We are waiting on more details from the school.

When we spoke with Ellen the coordinator with the Cajun Navy, she informed me that in just their area there were over 100 requests for housing. As we can raise money and meet these first 3 needs, we can get more details on others which are in need.

We currently have volunteers available to haul trailers to North Carolina.

Depending on funding, we could get a camper there next weekend!

Psalm 46:1-3 is the vision for the work that we are doing:
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.