Active

Burners Responding to Hurricane Helene (Asheville, North Carolina):

We have been closely following Hurricane Helene since before it made landfall in Florida, and we are deeply saddened by the devastation it has caused, our hearts are with the people affected. The mountain town of Asheville, North Carolina and surrounding areas appears to have borne the brunt of this powerful storm and the projects below are centered there. 

Many of you may be wondering how to respond. We want to make sure you’re aware of active Burner-led projects currently underway. While we feel that familiar surge of energy to act, we encourage everyone to be thoughtful and strategic. At this time, we have no information regarding any calls for volunteers to travel to the affected area.

***If you are part of a response project aligned with local leadership for Hurricane Helene, please email us at bwb@burningman.org so we can support and connect you with others.***

BWB Partner Organizations:

1. Grassroots Aid Partnership (GAP) is a Burner led organization that is now serving hundreds of hot meals daily to the flood survivors in Asheville, NC. The disaster struck close to home as their headquarters is based in Asheville. Luckily their equipment was spared and the team was able to deploy immediately following the storm. They are serving food in Asheville on Haywood Road across from the fire department. They are currently requesting:

• A Reefer (refrigerated truck) Unit
• A spare pick-up truck (insurance will be provided)
• 100-lbs Propane Tanks
• Good intel on underserved areas in the Asheville area
• $$ Donations to support a second location and temporary acquisition of a food truck.
• People in and around Asheville to do food prep.

2. Footprint Project is already on the ground mobilizing solar power for groups that would otherwise rely on generators. The are requesting the following support:

• UPDATE: Driver Found! Call for Volunteer- FLORIDA: Footprint Project has a 15’ box truck full of solar generators towing an 8’ solar trailer that needs to go from *Jacksonville, FL,* to Asheville, NC. Details:
• UPDATE: Driver Found! Call for Volunteer – NORTH CAROLINA:  Footprint project is looking for a volunteer who can tow a truck of solar generators from Goldsboro, NC, to Asheville, NC. 

Other Trusted Network Projects:

— Karine Maynard is a disaster relief veteran and trusted member of the BWB community. She and her husband Matt were part of the team that helped rebuild post Katrina. You can donate to her Venmo directly, she is also requesting items like cat or dog food, baby formula, wipes and diapers via Amazon, to get to North Carolina by the end of this week! (10/2/2024)

Ship to:

(Matt or) Karine Maynard

1986 Fox Creek Rd

Lawrenceburg, KY 40342

— The Tennessee Burners are actively working to connect with leaders from regional Burners Without Borders chapters, as well as other community leaders and Regional Contacts (RCs), to compile important disaster relief information and assess the needs of our community and build out projects. They have created a working group for this project, find them at: SE Burners Disaster Relief- BWB. They are currently (10/11) running a coat drive in Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga. They are also accepting Amazon deliveries.

Further Resources:

+ Stay Informed: For the latest updates on community efforts, project needs, or volunteer opportunities please continue to post in the BWB Volunteers Worldwide Facebook group and follow us on Instagram.

+ Additional Thoughts: In times of disaster, people often feel compelled to help. However, without a specific skillset in disaster response, well-meaning efforts can unintentionally add to the confusion or danger. It is crucial to be prepared and informed before entering a crisis zone. 

Below are several historical resources and recommended readings that are useful for those feeling the pull of response:

• ‘After the Storm’ by Tom Price
• ‘The Long Disaster’ by Nick Farr
• BWB Hurricane Response Resource (Living Document)

If you’re interested in organizing a project in your area, we encourage you to connect with peers in the following networks. 

• Burning Man Regional Communities: Connect with your local community to find out if any local initiatives are happening in your area.  We’re also happy to introduce you directly to regional contacts if you are not yet acquainted.
• Find Your Nearest BWB Chapter
• BWB Volunteers Worldwide A group for connecting with volunteers globally via Facebook.

Burners Without Borders (BWB) emerged in response to the urgent need for action during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Since then, BWB has evolved into a platform for civic leadership and community resilience, supporting a wide range of projects. We place great value on fostering community resilience initiatives and promoting “communities of practice” that help people navigate crises like the one we face now—and will undoubtedly face again. We are here to support Burners who lead disaster recovery efforts and amplify trusted organizations already engaged in this critical work.