The images and stories coming out of Western North Carolina are horrifying. But we’re also seeing images that have clearly been generated by AI or that aren’t from Hurricane Helene — and fundraisers that we can’t verify. On social media, many people are sharing posts that are now out-of-date or that cannot be verified. Electricity and cell service is still really spotty and will be for some time. It’s okay to be patient and wait for vetted information.
Here are the resources we trust and are using.
Where to donate
- Vetted list of ways to donate and help flood victims from Blue Ridge Public Radio
- Disaster relief for NC public school children and teachers (North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children)
Blue Ridge Public Radio liveblog, Instagram, and lists
The Blue Ridge Public Radio station has a number of features to help the community in both English and Spanish.
- Liveblog: Ongoing updates about Western North Carolina communities; no paywall
- They are answering questions from audience members and posting them on Instagram (English/Spanish)
WFAE (Charlotte) is also providing extensive coverage.
Official .gov websites
NCDOT
North Carolina Department of Public Safety
- List of power outages, open shelters, emergency declarations
- Flood mapping
- Register for Disaster Assistance
- List of emergency shelters