Rebirth and recovery in Western NC – but still a long road ahead

As a lifelong resident with family roots and memories in communities in the western region of the state, I’m inspired by how our neighbors in Western North Carolina have been responding and rebuilding after the widespread devastation from Hurricane Helene last year.

Communities are supporting each other, working together to do the hard work of rebuilding their livelihoods and their lives.

I feel a personal stake in helping our state get back to full power again after Helene. It’s impossible to put a date on when we’ll reach that point, but with the arrival of spring, there are many signs that point to renewal and revitalization in Western North Carolina.

For the survivors living in areas hardest hit by Helene in September 2024, the months since have felt like an eternity. And there’s still a long way to go before things feel like they’re anything close to “normal.” Even as I write this, wildfires threaten some of the areas already hammered by Helene.

Roads and bridges are being rebuilt, homes and other structures are rising again. But the hard work and the need for our support are far from over.

Rising to the challenge

In the immediate aftermath of Helene, health care providers performed heroically, offering care and reassurance amid widespread heartbreak.

With provider capacity strained, FastMed Urgent Care clinics were able to handle overflow patients from local hospitals, proving the critical role of urgent care resources, particularly during a crisis. In some areas after the storm passed through, FastMed locations were the only health care option available.

Six months later, the need for recovery support is still great. Beyond the need to physically rebuild schools and churches and places of business, there is also a need for mental and emotional recovery. This is much more complicated than simply “bouncing back” after setback. Some of the deep scars caused by Helene are invisible.

The nonprofit sector is critical to enabling the resilience of communities in Western North Carolina. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) is working with community partners and our Corporate Centers in the region to offer Community Resiliency Model (CRM) training throughout affected areas. This evidence-based program promotes individual and community resilience by teaching skills to manage stress, adversity, and trauma.

'Don’t forget us'

In a series of on-site meetings with our nonprofit partners in Western North Carolina, we’re seeing and hearing firsthand of both the tremendous progress and the still-unmet needs of the region. And the needs are still urgent: reliable transportation, access to essentials like health care and groceries, the school system, mental health needs, child care, and so many others.

In these meetings, we’re hearing a consistent message from law enforcement officers, elected officials, nonprofit staffers, health care providers, educators, and faith leaders who are sharing the immediate and long-term needs of their communities: Don’t forget us.

These service-minded people are the backbone of Helene recovery efforts, showing up every day for their neighbors – rebuilding lives.

And that’s hard work. Even acknowledging the difficult road ahead can be demoralizing. It’s tempting to focus on our own daily difficulties – and those difficulties are real – and move past tragic events that happen several hours away.

But North Carolinians don’t turn away from tragedy. We reach out, we listen, we strategize, we work together to lift up our neighbors. We rebuild lives.

If you’d like to join the effort, I encourage you to consider supporting the AMY Wellness Foundation, Centro Unido, the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, or organizations and causes that are important to you.

Western North Carolina is recovering, but it hasn’t recovered. Until that day comes, let us not forget our neighbors in need.