I have to write about this place.

I can’t remember the exact moment when the thought popped into my mind. It might have been sometime between waking up in our pristine Airbnb (the best rental I’ve ever stayed in) or walking to get a vanilla latte–where their vanilla syrup is made in-house–at a local coffee shop. Either way, I felt a jolt of inspiration that day as I walked through Old Fort, North Carolina. At first glance, you might write the town off as being another sleepy mountain town with lots of empty storefronts. But I could feel a pulse of energy about the little town. It felt like Old Fort was on the cusp of revitalization.

I told my boyfriend, Jake, that we needed to plan another weekend trip to Old Fort. There was something special about that place—a hidden gem in Western North Carolina.

Of course, all of this took place over Labor Day weekend. I didn’t have a clue what would happen to that little town three weeks later.

Last week Hurricane Helene made landfall and destroyed multiple areas in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. I was fortunate not to have been greatly affected by the storm. But a lot of people were not so lucky. The town of Old Fort includes some of those people. Counties in the western part of North Carolina are still dealing with flooding, road closures, and power outages.

A few days ago, Jake sent me a video along with a message that said Poor little Old Fort. I felt my stomach drop before I even hit play. That hidden gem of a town that was our oasis for a weekend getaway just weeks ago was gone.

This wasn’t the article I envisioned when I had that thought to write about Old Fort. I pictured writing a travel guide with photos of charming buildings and tasty cinnamon rolls. I wasn’t prepared to write a post about natural disasters and devastation. 

Here’s one I know: North Carolinians are a resilient bunch. And piece by piece, we will rebuild after this devastating disaster. If you are looking for a way to give back and help those who are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, here is a list of organizations you can donate to.

Organizations with Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts

American Red Cross – The Red Cross offers shelter, food, supplies, and emotional support to the victims of the storm. You can sign up to be a volunteer in your area or donate online to their hurricane relief efforts.

The Salvation Army – The Salvation Army is working throughout these states to help provide victims with food, drinks, shelter and support through this time. You can donate online or find a local shelter to see their specific needs.

Americares – Americares delivers medicine, supplies, and emergency funding to support people affected by this disaster.

North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund – Donations to this relief fund will go to nonprofits working to help victims with food, water, cleaning supplies, and other needs.

Niners Care: Hurricane Relief Fund – my alma mater, UNC Charlotte has created a fund where all proceeds will benefit the campus communities of Appalachian State University, UNC Asheville, and Western Carolina University which were greatly affected by the storm.

If you know of any other organizations I forgot to mention, please list them in the comments.

Stay safe my friends xx