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Four months after the storm, Hurricane Helene victims strain for their voices to be heard

Months after Hurricane Helene hit the Southeastern U.S. on Sept. 27, 2024, there is still work to be done.

According to climate.gov, Helene was one of the costliest storms in U.S. History with damage costing up to $79.6 billion. It was the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2007.

April Stephens
Hurricane Helene was one of the most destructive tropical storms in American history. April Stephens volunteers in her communities in Tennessee, providing all kinds of help, from clearing debris to searching for missing persons. (Courtesy of April Stephens)

April Stephens from Johnson City, Tennessee, saw firsthand the disaster brought by the storm and all the unfinished work still needed.

She volunteered in her community to deliver supplies, clear debris and even search for missing persons such as Steve Cloyd. From these experiences, Stephens saw those who were already impoverished struggle to recover from the storm.

“People who live in what they call around here, the 'Hollers,' are kind of in between the mountains. People often aren’t literate and don’t know how to fill out the FEMA forms,” Stephens said.

Social Vulnerability
Graph displays social vulnerability in North Carolina Counties with a Major Disaster Declaration. (Courtesy of U.S Census Bureau)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an organization under the Department of Homeland Security that is responsible for coordinating the federal government's response to natural disasters.

In order to gain benefits from FEMA, those in need of assistance are required to fill out FEMA forms and register for assistance. This can be done over the phone, on their website, on the mobile app or in person.

“My frustration is that you have people that have no cell phones, they have no internet service, they do not have cars, so how are they supposed to fill out the paperwork, get to where they need to go, do all of these things to get the aid that they need to get?” Stephens said.

Valley Strong Disaster Relief is a nonprofit disaster relief program based in Black Mountain, North Carolina. The program was founded right after the events of Hurricane Helene, and relies heavily on volunteers.

Along with being a board member, Jason Ward acts as the social media expert and information journalist.

Ward posts reels on Facebook and Instagram almost daily to help spread information and acknowledgment of what is still needed to be done in Appalachia.

In a reel posted on Jan. 10, Ward acknowledges the statement put out by President Joe Biden regarding supplying relief to victims of the Southern California wildfires.

Ward made it clear he hoped the wildfire victims received the help promised to them while talking about the struggles the people of Appalachia were still facing in now below-freezing temperatures.

“We are still supplying our own campers and shelter while paying mortgages on piles of rubble,” Ward said.

Valley Strong Disaster Relief Board Member Jason Ward explains his feelings about Hurricane Helene.

Victims of Hurricane Helene have relied on their own community for help. Donations are being made by people who are also in need of supplies. Search parties are also being coordinated for missing neighbors, family and friends.

Communities have begun to look out for one another — donations and volunteers have been coming from all over the country.

“The majority of the campers and things people have been placed in, have been donated by other people that are just trying to help,” Stephens said.

In his reel, Ward continued to acknowledge how the people of Appalachia have banded together to support one another while waiting on government assistance. To end the video, Ward asked viewers to remember the backbone of America, to remember Appalachia.

“Every single thing that we, the people, have done for relief efforts so far has been nothing but a mere mandate to stabilize our communities until proper help arrives,” Ward said. “So, with all that being said, I hope LA does get fixed, but in the meantime, we’ll be right here fighting for each other.”

Cory Watts was a volunteer with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, helping clear debris from Hurricane Helene in Steinhatchee, Florida.

One family they helped had been trying to get assistance from local organizations and the government for a long time, but wasn’t successful.

When volunteers showed up, residents described them as an "army from God", when the government had forgotten them.

The Church of Jesus Christ wasn’t the only church providing aid after the devastation in Florida. Many different churches and denominations rose to the challenge of providing residents with provisions such as food and diapers.

“Anyone that had anything to give was pretty much out there helping,” Watts said.

Hurricane Helene hit the Eastern Seaboard and Appalachia six months ago — and according to Ward's posts, only 4% of the debris has been cleared.

On Jan. 11, FEMA vouchers ran out, kicking hurricane survivors out of temporary housing and leaving them without shelter in below-freezing temperatures. Stephens noted that once the media coverage of the disaster decreased, so did the volunteers.

“It feels like ... people are really just kind of shouting at the top of their lungs to get attention and not getting very far,” Stephens said.