County DSS Agencies Step Up in the Aftermath of Hurricane Helene

When Hurricane Helene struck on September 27, 2024, it brought historic rainfall, strong winds, and tornadoes to our state. Western North Carolina was hit especially hard. Severe flooding and landslides washed out roads and bridges and destroyed buildings, and homes. In some places, cell towers, phone lines, and power lines were out for days. Some municipal water systems were severely damaged, leaving residents without potable water.

More than 100 North Carolinians died, including 42 in Buncombe and 11 each in Henderson and Yancey counties (NCDHHS, 2024). Damage from Helene has been estimated at more than $59.6 billion, more than three and a half times the financial impact of Hurricane Florence. President Biden declared a Major Disaster; 39 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians were made eligible for federal disaster assistance (NCOSMB, 2024).

Transportation and communication network disruptions and widespread damage made it hard for child welfare agencies to respond right after the storm. When they could get to work, many staff, in addition to their regular duties, also had to help with unfamiliar and stressful disaster-related duties, such as opening emergency shelters and operating the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).

Dee Hunt, Director of Rutherford County DSS, spoke for several county DSS agencies in the west when she told Carolina Public Press soon after the storm, "It's been emotionally tough on all of us" (Thomae, 2024).

"The damage was so unexpected...it is overwhelming. We do essential work. Could folks even get to work? And if they could, could they do their jobs with all the disruptions to water, power, and communications?"
Janine Szymanski, Program Manager at Catawba County DSS

News of the devastation triggered an immediate response in other parts of the state. "This disaster touched our hearts," said Deborah Walker, child welfare program administrator with Craven County on the coast. "As you know, we have had to endure a number of hurricanes."

To help affiliate agencies in the west, Craven DSS's income maintenance program manager, April Rollins, and her team dedicated many hours assisting with D-SNAP. In addition, Rollins traveled with a group from her agency to help shelter Helene survivors.

Craven DSS staff wanted their peers in the west to know they were thinking of them, so they sent $5 gift cards to well-known coffee chains. "We know from experience that simple things become luxuries overnight when a hurricane hits," Walker said. In the end, her team sent 115 gift cards to lift the spirits of child welfare staff in Yancey, Transylvania, and Rutherford counties.

Lots of other counties stepped up, as well. According to David Richmond, DSS Director in Moore County in the middle of the state, the NC Association of County Directors of Social Services paired counties affected by Helene with counties of similar size elsewhere in the state. His county provided Haywood County with assistance with D-SNAP and other economic services. After Moore County commissioners passed a resolution pledging to help Transylvania County recover from Helene, Richmond's agency worked with other Moore County departments to donate and deliver holiday gifts to children and youth in foster care in Transylvania County.

Catawba County DSS also focused its energies on holiday gifts-in their case, for children in care in Buncombe County. According to Catawba DSS program manager Janine Szymanski, her agency made this decision not only to benefit young people but to lessen the burden on Buncombe staff at this challenging time.

Although Catawba DSS didn't hesitate, it was a major undertaking. Their agency was just about to start the annual effort to provide holiday gifts for the 170 young people in their foster care program. Buncombe had twice that number: 341 children and youth in care.

With approval from the county manager, Catawba DSS sent a county-wide message to supervisors and staff explaining the situation and inviting them to contribute. "We made it clear this was entirely voluntary. The response was amazing. Many of the gifts people bought were delivered straight to my house-I saw a delivery truck in my driveway every day for two weeks straight."

Szymanski said that once they were well into this effort for Buncombe, someone asked if they were doing the same for Avery County. When Avery DSS gladly accepted their offer of help with holiday stockings, Catawba added 21 more young people to its gift list.

According to Szymanski, funding for all gifts came through individuals, either people directly employed by Catawba County or from their church.

Reflecting on the experience, Szymanski said, "I couldn't be more proud of our community. It is easy to forget the heart that people have. What we were able to do for others after Helene was a great reminder of that."