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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
  • 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.

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. 
Paul A moving the Footprint Solar Trailer from Goldsboro North Carolina (thank you!)

Other Trusted Network Projects:

1. 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

2. Hunnie of Camp Axolotl writes “We have a grassroots team on the ground in Durham in Asheville and with only a few clicks on Amazon, You can immediately and directly help the community.” Click here: Amazon wishlist of supplies desperately need.

The top priority: PPE provisions.There are plenty of other needs to fill, and most things are kindly priced. The items will be sent to Durham, and distributed daily (by truck, helicopter, etc…)  

3. 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. A resource document, the Emergency Pigeon Document, has been created to aid those affected by the hurricane and in need of assistance.

4. The Latino Alliance is assisting Crisis Cleanup to respond to calls for assistance in Spanish related to Hurricane Helene. We need your help to help answer phone calls in Spanish and/or respond to messages in Spanish. If you are interested please email us at boomershinea@uncw.edu and we will add you to the Latino Alliance bilingual volunteer phone team. From there, you’ll receive an email from Crisis Cleanup with information on how to set up your account and links to the trainings.

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:

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

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.

Fostering a more Connected, Creative & Resilient World

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