Approximately 6 feet of debris piled on a bridge in Lake Lure, North Carolina, in the wake of heavy rains caused by Hurricane Helene. (Melissa Sue Gerrits / Getty Images)
Guilford College is supporting students, alumni, and communities affected by Hurricane Helene while encouraging contributions and volunteer efforts in response to the ongoing crisis.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida Sept. 26 and left an 800-mile path of destruction across six Southeastern states. Western North Carolina experienced historic flooding that resulted in extensive damage and loss of life throughout the region. We ask that all Guilfordians hold in the Light those who have been impacted by this storm.
Guilford College is responding to the crisis in various ways. Faculty, staff, administrators and students are providing ideas to inform the College’s response. Additional ideas may be submitted to president@guilford.edu. It is a developing situation, and this page will be updated with new information periodically.
Latest news:
- Guilford is collecting relief supplies for hurricane victims
- David Grimsley '00 spent 6 days in WNC helping hurricane victims
- Joel Burgess '93 writes about what his family lost and gained after Helene
- College hosting Lees-McRae swim team members
Initial actions included:
- Outreach to students, alumni and friends from the affected areas.
- Solicitation of ideas for the College response from faculty, staff and administrators.
- Identification of opportunities to support and partner on relief efforts.
- President’s statement to the community on Oct. 1.
- Guilford College Blood Drive with American Red Cross - Oct. 31.
Planned and potential future actions:
- Accommodations for students to return home to assist families, if needed.
- Volunteer opportunities for students and others to assist relief efforts in Western North Carolina, possibly over College breaks. (Following the lead of local organizers, we will not be sending volunteers to Western N.C. at this time.)
- Coordination with outside organizations in relief efforts, such as Democracy Green and Friends Disaster Service.
Guilford Students and Alumni
Guilford’s top priority is ensuring the safety and security of our students and providing resources, where possible, to mitigate the challenges they are facing. Fifty students are from North Carolina mountain counties and another 100 are from areas in Florida, Louisiana, Georgia and South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia that were impacted by the hurricane.
On Sept. 30, President Farmbry was in touch with these students to offer assistance by the Counseling Center and Friends Center and support meeting academic and work obligations while managing concerns about families and friends back home. The College will continue to follow up with them.
More than 400 Guilford alumni live in Western North Carolina, and many were affected by the hurricane. The Office of Alumni Relations & Engagement has reached out to alumni to inquire about their well-being and will continue to monitor the situation.
We note as well that Guilford faculty and staff members have many connections with immediate and extended family and friends in the affected areas.
Colleges in Western North Carolina
Guilford is among 37 independent colleges and universities in North Carolina, seven of which are located in the western section of the state: Brevard College, Gardner-Webb University, Lees-McRae College, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Mars Hill University, Montreat College, and Warren Wilson College. These campuses – along with three state universities – are dealing with various levels of damage and destruction. The N.C. Independent Colleges & Universities organization has an appeal for recovery assistance on its website.
Ways to Support Hurricane Relief Efforts
There are many ways to support relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. A few of the organizations suggested to the Guilford community include:
Organizations in the Affected Area
Regional, National and Global Organizations
- American Red Cross North Carolina - Western North Carolina chapter
- United Way North Carolina
- N.C. Disaster Relief Fund
- World Central Kitchen
- A Simple Gesture (food drive)
- Humane Society Disaster Relief
- VolunteerNC Disaster Volunteer Opportunities
- Feeding Assistance
- Donate to a Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster