Effective today, October 15, 2024, our Helene Relief assistance process is closed.
📨 Please read below for an update from our team:
Thanks to your generosity and partnership, we've been able to make a tremendous impact in a very short time. To give you a sense of the scale, we've received over 3,600 applications for assistance in just a few weeks—an overwhelming volume compared to the 161 applications received during the entire first month of our COVID relief efforts.
So far, your support has helped meet the needs of approximately 16% of the applicants–593 households–including over $76,000 in direct financial aid approved with an additional $13,000 pending. You've helped us connect 47 families to safe places to stay through Airbnb and addressed critical medical needs like delivering oxygen tanks and insulin to those in need.
With the volume of requests outpacing available resources, we are closing our assistance application process. We do not want to create an expectation of support for new applicants when our forecast of need vs. available funds tells a different story. This decision allows us to focus on providing existing applicants with the best service and allocate existing resources effectively.
Our community can continue to find local resources through contacting 211 and other South Carolina disaster response resources here: https://scor.sc.gov/Helene
We remain committed to our long-term recovery efforts and will update you as we work through this phase of the response. Thank you for standing with us and supporting the most vulnerable families in our community during this critical time.
With appreciation,
Paige Stephenson, President & CEO
Hannah Jarrett, VP for Community & Collective Impact