From the very beginning, my boss, Josh Carpenter, at Mountain West Partnership, wholeheartedly supported my personal mission to respond to the needs of our community after Hurricane Helene. MWP, as the business branch and newest department of the Southwestern Commission, has been addressing the aftermath of the storm in a different but equally vital capacity. Once the Southwestern Commission office reopened, Josh and I immediately reached out to our partners in Haywood County — the hardest-hit area in the Southwestern Commission's seven-county footprint — to see how MWP could support them.

While the supply distribution warehouse is a personal mission, it quickly intertwined with MWP’s work. I led the effort to coordinate and manage the warehouse, which allowed us to meet immediate humanitarian needs while providing crucial support to local businesses. The immediate needs of our partners ranged from offering a listening ear and providing guidance on navigating FEMA and SBA programs to addressing logistical challenges, such as deploying Starlinks to nursing homes and essential businesses and delivering supplies to flood-stricken areas.  

The Sylva Warehouse has become a crucial support hub for our region, making numerous supply delivery trips daily to the most heavily impacted counties, including Madison, Marshall, Yancey, Buncombe, and Haywood. Closer to home, the warehouse continues to support food banks, churches, schools, and the Department on Aging in Jackson County.

This effort has grown beyond anything I could have imagined, thanks to the generosity and collaboration of so many. We’ve been grateful to work alongside the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Jackson County Emergency Management, Western Carolina University, the 101st Airborne, the National Guard, the Oconaluftee Job Corps, and countless others. We’ve partnered with organizations like the NC Department of Commerce’s Veteran Services, Rise Against Hunger, and the Christian Appalachian Project to expand our ability to support recovery efforts across the region.

None of this would have been possible without our core team of seven dedicated volunteers. Initially, the owners of the warehouse space offered us the facility for six months. After visiting in person last week and seeing the scope of our work firsthand, they extended their generosity, assuring us we could use the space for as long as necessary. This commitment has been a relief as we plan for the long-term recovery process.

In addition to the work through MWP and its support of the Sylva Warehouse, the Southwestern Commission has remained steadfast in its ongoing efforts to support both immediate and long-term recovery across the region. The Commission is working closely with local governments and nonprofits to coordinate relief initiatives, identify infrastructure needs, and help communities access state and federal recovery funds. Long-term strategies are being developed to address economic revitalization, housing solutions, and workforce recovery in the counties most impacted by Hurricane Helene. These efforts, though distinct from MWP’s business-focused initiatives and the warehouse’s supply distribution, ensure that the Southwestern Commission provides a comprehensive response to the disaster.

Looking ahead to 2025, MWP remains committed to its mission of providing businesses with the tools, resources, and strategies they need to recover and thrive. While the supply distribution efforts through the Sylva Warehouse and the Southwestern Commission’s broader initiatives remain separate, they all share a common goal: to rebuild and strengthen Western North Carolina, ensuring it emerges more resilient than ever.

This experience has shown me the deep interconnectedness of humanitarian and economic recovery efforts. It is a privilege and honor to contribute to both missions in meaningful ways.