In 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the southeastern United States, bringing powerful winds, record-breaking rainfall, and widespread flooding that damaged homes and displaced thousands of families. In response, World Renew Disaster Response Services (DRS) began coordinating with local partners to provide clean-up, repair, and long-term rebuilding support. Read more about World Renew’s Hurricane Helene response.

One year later, recovery is still underway. The stories that follow highlight both the lasting effects of Hurricane Helene and the meaningful progress being made as volunteers and partners come alongside survivors to rebuild their homes and lives.

When Storms Keep Coming

Manuel, an elderly resident of South Sarasota County, Florida (USA), lives in a trailer that is repeatedly impacted by hurricanes. His experience was no different with Hurricane Helene, the Category 4 storm that made landfall in September 2024 with 140mph winds, creating record-breaking rains and severe flooding across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas.

At an unmet needs assessment hosted by World Renew DRS (Disaster Response Services), Manuel* shared his Hurricane Helene experience with DRS volunteers. The wind strength from the hurricane had shaken the trailer, shifting the roof shingles. Rainfall began to enter through the leaking roof into Manuel’s living room, ruining various personal items—including his treasured baseball card collection.

As time went on, the trailer’s water damage also resulted in mold, posing dangerous health issues for Manuel. Living on a fixed retirement income, Manuel could not afford to repair these damages. Because the Sarasota County Long-Term Recovery Group was made aware of his situation, Manuel trusted they were aware and ready to respond to his and the community’s Helene-related needs.

A Tree-Cleared Roof Provides Relief

Multiple DRS volunteer teams provided clean-up services in Bluefield, West Virginia, helping the community remove some of the 1,000 trees downed by Hurricane Helene’s remnant winds.

Most volunteer teams worked on removing fallen trees in homeowners’ yards and in the community’s open spaces. But volunteers from Christ Memorial Church took on a more challenging job for Dawn*, who still had a tree downed on her home’s roof six months after the storm.

Volunteers worked on a lift to rope off the tree, pull it down safely, and use a chainsaw to chop it into disposable pieces. After multiple days, the job was complete. Since this labour would have been costly through a contractor, Dawn is thankful she can safely reside in her home without the worry of tree damage or the financial burden any longer.

Volunteers Forge a Path to Recovery

Hendersonville, North Carolina, is part of the Appalachian region that was hit hardest by Helene. Helene’s heavy rainfall washed out some of Hendersonville’s bridges and roads, downed many trees and power lines, and led to widespread flooding in homes and businesses.

One of those downed trees fell on Rob’s* trailer. After days of unrelenting rainfall, the interior was extremely damaged. In time, Rob painfully realized there was no choice but for his entire home to be gutted. Amid a tragedy for Western North Carolina, this also created a personal crisis for Rob, who wondered how he would rebuild his life and home.

Thanks to our partner Baptists on Mission, DRS volunteers from Kelloggsville Church were able to play a role in Rob’s hurricane recovery. Nine months after the hurricane, some of the volunteer team hung new drywall throughout the trailer, installing new ceilings and walls in the bedrooms, bathroom, and kitchen.

After a difficult journey this past year, Rob counts the repairs to his home provided by Baptists on Mission as a true blessing in his life.

By the Numbers

In the first year of World Renew DRS’ response to Hurricane Helene, your gifts and prayers have made a difference in the lives of many survivors. Here are some ways support like yours has helped:

• 🌳 60+ families served through debris and tree removal in West Virginia
• 📋 47 survivors supported through needs assessments in Florida
• 🛠️ 38 homes repaired across North Carolina by volunteer teams
• 💜 $622,210 USD (approx. $860,835 CAD) raised to support ongoing recovery

World Renew DRS continues to assess needs and expand rebuilding efforts across communities affected by Hurricane Helene, including in Florida and North Carolina. Long-term reconstruction work is ongoing, with teams repairing homes impacted by multiple recent storms and preparing to serve communities in the years ahead.

You Can Make a Difference.

Around the world, communities face similar challenges after disasters—making ongoing long-term recovery support more important than ever.

Your generous donation today—no matter where you are in the world—means we can help families find hope and rebuild their homes and communities. Thank you for helping to respond to the ongoing needs of people living in communities devastated by these storms. Help rebuild now.

When you volunteer with World Renew, you have the chance to deepen your faith, stretch your thinking, and live out your sense of justice in meaningful ways. Volunteer with DRS today and make a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by disasters in North America. Volunteer with us.

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of those we serve.