In September 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall, becoming one of the largest and deadliest U.S. storms of the century. The storm’s record-breaking rainfall and flooding caused over 100 confirmed deaths, destroyed tens of thousands of homes and businesses, and disrupted many life-sustaining services for months.

During and well after the storm, local news and community organizations served as vital support networks, providing consistent, reliable, and trustworthy information despite power outages and road closures. Their work answered questions about daily needs and continues to create accountability for equitable recovery.

This crisis surfaced what organizations that have trust and reach can do to meet moments of emergency while living through it themselves. This critical work is built on the foundation of service before the storm that was less visible, and this surge capacity is still at work day to day as long-term recovery continues.

These are the stories of our grant partners, who provided essential information and resources through accessible channels and who continue to help navigate recovery in the region today.

Expanding Coverage to Reach More Communities

JMPRO Community Media

JMPRO Community Media moved swiftly to activate its emergency response plan during the hurricane. Focusing on people and places most affected by the storm—including rural communities, mobile home communities, and elderly populations—JMPRO ensured residents could connect to the internet to communicate with loved ones and access critical information. JMPRO also ventured offroad to connect in person with people who weren’t responsive via phone or internet, and relayed information about their status back to their loved ones.

JMPRO also translated critical information in Spanish and K’iche’ and printed multilingual emergency bulletins for disaster resources on FEMA aid, food distribution centers, healthcare providers, and shelters.

By providing on-the-ground coverage, creating timely internet access, and translating emergency materials, JMPRO ensured communities often excluded by traditional media had access to critical resources and services.

Smoky Mountain News

Smoky Mountain News has helped the westernmost communities in North Carolina’s mountains make sense of the post-Hurricane Helene landscape. Serving as a trusted source of news and information in the aftermath of the storm, the outlet has published 280 stories related to Helene and provides ongoing community updates on recovery efforts and support.

Smoky Mountain News continues to report on the aftermath of the storm and plans to release a long-term reporting project that examines how three nonprofit organizations stepped up where FEMA fell short.

As a free weekly local newspaper, Smoky Mountain News proves local journalism is the difference between communities left in the dark and communities equipped with coverage to help them navigate and rebuild.

Mountain Xpress

Mountain Xpress maintained power and an internet connection during the storm, becoming an important resource for rural communities. The outlet delivered news multiple times a day via its website while continuing to publish 20,000 copies of its weekly print newspaper.

For tens of thousands of people in Western North Carolina, Mountain Xpress was one of the few reliable news sources post-Helene—especially for those with limited access to broadband connection. After the storm, they continued to highlight recovery information and resources to ensure access to resources and rebuilding information, including a full-page spread of ads on FEMA aid created by fellow grant partner NC Local.

Using Digital Tools to Share Resources

WNC Health Network

In the aftermath of the storm, access to accurate and reliable recovery information was a growing challenge. To address this issue, our grant partner WNC Health Network deployed digital ads at the regional level to ensure residents of Western North Carolina had access to recovery resources and information. Through WNC Health Network’s regional coordination strategy, their campaign addressed shared health priorities across the region while tailoring content to meet local needs.

The result was a compelling campaign that moved people to action. WNC Health Network’s digital ads on Helene recovery encouraged viewers to apply for disaster aid or seek mental health support.

By leveraging the power of digital media, WNC Health Network connected more than a million people to actionable recovery resources and information. It’s one way the organization strengthens regional communications capacity and advances public health.

NC Local

When news outlets began reporting on Hurricane Helene, one major obstacle was connecting residents with critical information in real time. To meet the moment, NC Local collaborated with trusted communicators in the region to amplify their work and expand access to lifesaving information and resources.

With cell phone and internet access down across the state, NC Local rapidly developed text-only sites for fellow grant partners Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR) and Enlace Latino NC to connect residents with information (in English and Spanish) that loaded faster.

But NC Local’s support didn’t stop there. For months, they continued to highlight recovery resources and information in their weekly newsletter—a vital resource for North Carolina’s news and information ecosystem. NC Local also conducted outreach to news and information leaders in the region to assess whether they needed additional support.

With NC Local’s swift collaboration and strategic resource amplification, crucial news organizations in Western North Carolina expanded their reach to keep residents safe and informed during and after a crisis.

Blue Ridge Public Radio

With internet and cell phone towers knocked out across the region, Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR) sprang into action. The public radio station connected thousands of people with terrestrial broadcast, real-time coverage via a text-only site (built with the leadership of NC Local) and a live radio stream in English and Spanish. Following the storm, BPR continued to publish timely recovery resources, including a guide in partnership with Grist with tips on how to navigate FEMA aid, flood cleanup, disaster fraud prevention, and more.

Through BPR’s website and streaming services, the news outlet reached nearly 200,000 people and continues to publish coverage on the aftermath of Helene today. Their rapid response and recovery reporting have been fundamental in ensuring people have access to critical information they can trust.

Keeping Spanish-Speaking Communities Safe and Informed

Hola Carolina

When Hurricane Helene hit, Spanish-speaking communities faced two major challenges: navigating the aftermath of the storm and receiving accurate information in their primary language. That’s where our grant partner and Spanish-language news outlet Hola Carolina stepped in with expanded outreach. They delivered reliable news and information in Spanish and directly communicated with community members searching for answers.

Following the storm, Hola Carolina provided coverage on food assistance, disaster relief, housing programs, and mental health support through social media posts, radio coverage, and responded directly to people sending direct messages or seeking support over the phone.

Through bilingual journalism and community outreach, Hola Carolina filled language gaps and ensured communities impacted by the storm but often unsupported by traditional media had access to recovery resources and tools.

Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Acción (CIMA)

Following the hurricane’s destruction, our grant partner Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Acción (CIMA) worked with other community organizations to respond quickly to meet the needs of residents affected by the storm. Bridging critical communication gaps, they activated their grassroots network to translate and share critical information in Spanish about where to access essentials such as water, food, medicine, and other resources.

In addition to timely community updates, CIMA’s free crisis hotline served as a critical resource for residents in need of support post-Helene. Through their community-focused efforts, they helped keep Spanish-speaking residents safe and informed.

Enlace Latino NC

Enlace Latino NC mobilized quickly to expand its coverage in Western NC and provide on-the-ground reporting during and after Hurricane Helene. The outlet provided real-time news via a text-only site in Spanish (built with the leadership of NC Local) to ensure Spanish-speaking residents had access to updates in their primary language when cell phone and internet access were limited.

This work continued into 2025 through a community listening session in Asheville and ongoing recovery coverage across the region. Today, Enlace Latino NC remains a key source for post-Helene updates and community reporting.

By providing consistent, accessible coverage of the news and services available after the disaster, Enlace Latino NC ensures Spanish-speaking residents—especially those in rural and underreported areas—have the critical information they need.

Emergencies across North Carolina have shown that access to information is a major factor in how people fare during crises and in the years of recovery. Verified, digestible information delivered by trusted sources is not only essential – oftentimes, it’s lifesaving.

Local News and Information Saves Lives: Stories from Hurricane Helene