A YEAR AFTER HURRICANE HELENE, YMCAs CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN WESTERN NC

RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- One year ago, Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, leaving homes, businesses and communities in crisis. In the storm's aftermath, YMCAs across the state joined together to deliver truckloads of supplies, and YMCAs in the region, stepped forward as pillars of relief, recovery and resilience, providing essential resources to support those in need. Even as their own facilities and homes sustained damage, YMCA staff and volunteers jumped to the frontlines to ensure neighbors had access to food, shelter and care.

Learn more about how Ys in western North Carolina responded to the crisis and what they are doing to move the region forward today.

Immediate Relief in the Aftermath

Even as their own facilities sustained damage, YMCA staff and volunteers mobilized quickly.

• The YMCA of Western North Carolina opened its doors to more than 12,000 people seeking showers and safe spaces, while the Corpening Memorial YMCA sheltered 80 displaced residents in partnership with the American Red Cross. The Asheville YMCA served as a central relief hub, distributing emergency supplies, like water, diapers and food.
  
  As one of the largest providers of fresh food in the region, the Y ensured access for families in crisis–distributing more than 10,000 pounds of food in the first three days. Hundreds of children also received emergency childcare while schools were closed.
• The Williams YMCA of Avery County and its Mitchell County team were on the ground immediately after the storm, collecting and distributing resources to those impacted in Avery and Mitchell Counties, despite widespread power outages and damaged roads. The Y partnered with the American Red Cross, Samaritan's Purse and FEMA to provide critical support to community members, and also housed first responders. 
• YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, a leadership training and retreat center, provided housing for disaster recovery groups like AmeriCorps, Mission Discovery  and Convoy of Hope, while undertaking massive repairs of its own for flooding and landslide damage throughout its property.

Signs of Renewal and Resilience

In the past year, signs of hope and progress have emerged across the Y movement in the region.

• In July 2025, the A.M.Y. Wellness Foundation YMCA of Mitchell County officially opened, welcoming more than 2,100 new members in its first month alone. "Today is more than the opening of a building," said Trey Oakley, Association CEO, at the ribbon cutting attended by Governor Josh Stein and Senator Ralph Hise. "It's a symbol of resilience, a beacon of hope, a place of community for physical, mental and spiritual wellness." The new Y in Spruce Pine is a sister branch to the Williams YMCA of Avery County.
• At YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, reopening at 40% capacity allowed summer youth programs like Leaders' School to return this year. "Being able to say 'welcome home' to our teens was full of emotion," said President and CEO Melissa Bailey Logan. "It represented the power of place, people and programs coming together again."
• The YMCA of Western North Carolina is launching Togetherhood, a new volunteer initiative to mobilize neighbors in disaster recovery, youth mentorship and food security. "As we rebuild, we're not just restoring—we're strengthening our future," said Tim Blenco, Chief Operating Officer.

The Work Still Ahead

While progress is evident, challenges remain. YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly faces more than $13 million in stabilization and repair costs, with an additional $5–7 million needed to fully reopen. Local Ys continue to expand programs to meet long-term needs in food security, mental health, childcare and community healing.

"The opening of our new facility has provided a space for healing." said Bill Hoag, Branch Executive Director of the Mitchell YMCA. "Whether it's children playing in our pools, individuals with Parkinson's utilizing our Delay the Disease program, or neighbors reconnecting over coffee in our lobby after a workout, this is more than a building—it's a center of hope."

Call to Action
YMCAs across western North Carolina are committed to serving, rebuilding and ensuring every individual and family has a place to belong. Continued community support—through volunteerism, advocacy, and financial contributions—remains critical to their mission of strengthening communities.

For more information on how to support recovery and resilience efforts through these local YMCAs, please visit:

• YMCA of Western North Carolina
• Williams YMCA of Avery County / A.M.Y Wellness Foundation YMCA of Mitchell County
• YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly

About the YMCA and the NC Alliance of YMCAs
Driven by its founding mission, the YMCA is a leading nonprofit that collectively serves more than one million people statewide, including children and teens, adults and seniors, through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they are from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive.

The NC Alliance of YMCAs is an independent 501(C)3 nonprofit corporation supporting 28 independent YMCA associations with more than 120 facilities in North Carolina. The Alliance's purpose is to build the capacity of all the state's YMCAs, foster collaboration on statewide initiatives through effective partnerships, and advocate on behalf of the YMCA's mission and cause with elected officials and stakeholders at the local, state, and national levels. For more information, please visit ncymcas.org. 

MEDIA CONTACT:
Michele McKinley
michele.mckinley@ncymcas.org
919-508-7687 

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SOURCE NC Alliance of YMCAs