68. The Aftermath of Hurricane Helene

Court Lewis is the BREDL chapter President of Unicoi Clear in Unicoi County, TN and currently living in Upstate, South Carolina.  In late September of this year, category 4 Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction and death across the Southeast United States including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. More than 230 people have been killed and it has caused more than $2 billion in damages.  Court witnessed the effects and aftermath of Hurricane Helene first hand. He tells about how unprecedented this disaster was, stories from neighbors and community members, the aftermath and clean up process, and what local organizations you can donate to. From talking with people from Western NC who were affected - here are 4 steps you can take to help with Hurricane Helene efforts: 1. Donate to Hood Huggers International. They are a resiliency organization in Asheville, NC that are providing immediate and direct support for those hit hardest in the area. 2. Refuse to shrug this off as a natural disaster. Talk to everyone about how unprecedented this was and how the destruction was due to human induced climate change. This can’t be the new normal. 3. Learn - learn how to bring more balance and justice to the world by educating yourself and others. 4. Vote - vote for people who support policies rebuilding impacted communities better before the storm. Donate: Hood Huggers International: https://hoodhuggers.com/ Helene was NOT a natural disaster: https://www.yahoo.com/news/helene-shows-that-hurricanes-in-the-age-of-climate-change-dont-wreck-just-coastlines-210015013.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJiD87rnbHmYtfOtq6X3HBm-xG6D7RzwZawgYkJwNxh8vbY3jfi_9J1Hns47GF-yMLr5jkYvVoe6MR50wY00NjY8-TlUekQWxaq8g1-Y0Lq32VV-AksvSDQ8QWC4iZzISFEpecHvNRmKS8fCOqku7s7UCI4lempBtfHuwiagYSX1&emci=4e0a2ebe-1780-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&emdi=d02158fd-4380-ef11-8474-6045bda8aae9&ceid=1121357&guccounter=2  Contact and connect with Court: [email protected]