AARP Foundation Awards $500,000 for Disaster Recovery Efforts in WNC

Last fall, Hurricane Helene carved a 500-mile path of destruction across the Southeast, claiming over 200 lives and becoming the deadliest U.S. hurricane since Katrina. Slowly but steadily, recovery is underway, and now AARP Foundation has awarded four local organizations grant money to provide direct aid and services to older victims of Hurricane Helene. As Claire Casey, president of AARP Foundation, explained, “We are directing these funds to local organizations with deep roots in their communities so that older victims of the storm get the support they need.”

NC Association of Area Agencies on Aging will receive $100,000 in 2025. Various agencies in the Association provide services at the regional level in such core areas as nutrition, elder rights, caregiver support, and health and wellness.

Pisgah Legal Services was awarded $100,000 over two years. This nonprofit provides free legal advice, pro bono lawyers, and community legal services for underserved populations in Western North Carolina. Since Helene, they have also been assisting with FEMA applications and appeals, homeowners’ insurance denials, and consumer protection against frauds and scams.

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity is slated to receive $100,000 over two years. Habitat homeowners are supported as they achieve stability and self-reliance, building a better life for themselves and their families. In the wake of Helene, Habitat added a new disaster home repair program, in partnership with other agencies through ARCHR (Asheville Regional Coalition for Home Repair).

BeLoved Asheville was granted $200,000 over two years. Known for their street pantries and small villages of affordable homes, BeLoved’s central focus is community and building on available assets and strengths.

Rebecca Chaplin, Associate State Director for AARP’s Mountain Region, is already looking ahead. “With the generous support of AARP Foundation and its donors, we can better meet the direct needs of people impacted in our community and lay the groundwork for a strong recovery,” she said.

To donate or learn more about AARP Foundation’s disaster relief effort, visit www.aarpfoundation.org/disasterrelief.