Twenty months after Helene, WNC continues to recover and rebuild. Program staff are reading End of Grant Reports submitted by Emergency and Disaster Response Fund grantees. We are inspired by what has been achieved and the long-term commitment that sustains progress in many counties. Baptists on Mission mobilized teams of volunteers from across the US to repair more than 850 homes since the storm. The organization plans to remain for three to five years and has 700 homes on the waiting list.
Helene exposed fractures and needs that cannot be ignored. The newsletter features many organizations working to build our "what's next" with a focus on resilience and respect. As part of this effort and region, the outcome belongs to all of us. We are heartened by what can happen when we recognize our agency and work together to create meaningful change.
Full circle moments bring us hope. Many of the stories here highlight how collective efforts shape outcomes over time. We see that in the return of the Nikwasi Mound to the Cherokee people after 250 years and in the enduring, strategic work of our network of land trusts and conservation agencies.
Our work and grantmaking continues, with the support of many. WNC is resilient, and we know that meaningful change is often gradual, collective, and enduring.