Rebuilding Hollers supports Helene victims in western North Carolina
BURNSVILLE, NC (WGHP) — In a two-story building, saved from the flood waters of Hurricane Helene, is a refuge for some and a place of hope for others.
According to volunteer Karen Sayre, 'I have seen such goodness through this I mean it's just it's phenomenal the people here and the volunteers the neighbors.'
North Carolina students building tiny home for Helene victim
She has been with Rebuilding Hollers Foundation since it started in a parking lot in the days after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Yancey and Mitchell Counties. Stephanie Johnson, a local realtor, knew something had to be done, so she organized a donation drive where people could come and get items they needed to live.
She added, 'There's been nothing like it. And I tell you what, the people here are so humble and so grateful and you try and give them something. Their first responses. No. Give it to my neighbor. Don't give me too much, they need it more than I do.'
They called it Rebuilding Hollers because so many of the Hollers in both Mitchell and Yancey counties were wiped out. Volunteer Jenny McFarland knows the importance of hollers all too well.
'A lot of it is family. Usually when you're in the hollers, that's usually what you have is just, you know, your family is surrounding you,' McFarland said. 'I live on the Creek. I've got a river on one side and a Creek that runs up the other side. So it's just back off in the boonies is what I call it.'
When they could, they moved into this building to better serve those who needed help.
Sayre says, 'People show up with donations all the time.'
Everything from food and housing supplies to building supplies which they keep outdoors. They do their best to get flood victims what they need. And it's all done anonymously. It's a members-only club but there's no membership fee.
According to Sayre, 'If you're a resident of Yancey or Mitchell County, then you can be a member. And if you've had damage from Helene and just come in, fill out a very simple basic form copy of your driver's license and then sit down with one of us. Let us know what your needs are, what's been done, what needs to be done, what kind of supplies. And then we work to get it, get it done for you.'
The privacy of those receiving help is of utmost importance.
'Everything's identified by number. Our projects all have numbers and that's the only we don't know who those projects belong to? And yeah, it's all about privacy. They they've been through enough,' says Sayre.
They stay busy with almost 400 ongoing projects and more being added every day. The volunteers say that tells you the need is still great. But so are the hearts of those both giving and receiving.
Says Sayre, there is 'so much good. It's been very fulfilling and we're in it for the long haul here.'
They have also renovated and furnished two apartments upstairs where people who are currently living in a shed, camper, or even tent can come for a break. They are completely furnished with a washer and dryer, kitchen and a nice bed where Helene victims can truly relax. Plus, they work with the student carpenters at Mountain Heritage High School who are building tiny homes for those who lost everything in the storm.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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