Help Bailey Relocate After Hurricane Helene Struck Marshall

Hey I'm Bailey Nickerson, from Marshall NC. My boyfriend and I got away from Helene, and we're now trying to relocate to SC. Can you help us with moving, storage, and motel costs until we get our first paystubs in the area?

I own a micro sewing/embroidery business, and I'm no stranger to working and working to keep ahead of Asheville/WNC rent increases. But after hearing about the storm on Tuesday I missed work to build ramps and to get a uhaul and get my things out (industrial sewing machines are heavy!!)

The rain started at 2 pm, and it came down HARD but our Uhaul wasn't til 6pm. We asked Uhaul if we could pick up our rental an hour early, packed up the kitty, some clothes, and left.

Not 15 or 20 minutes later, a neighbor callled and told us a tree fell into the house. The rain was affecting all of Asheville, and traffic was at a standstill.

We put our kitty safely in our evacuation place, got the uhaul, and made the hour drive around the mountain to see if my machines were ok (The main way was not trustworthy with the rain!).

There were beams broken and in the way of the door so we were worried we wouldn't be able to get my machines (the whole reason I was living in a tiny place far out like this was so I could pay them off).

Thankfully we were able to remove the machines, my printers, my computer, and my embroidery tools but not much else. The rain beat down on Marshall and we only got away with one load instead of our originally planned 2-3.

Next morning my driveway was flooded, and by lunchtime, the entire road. After the hurricane Friday all my clothes, supplies, food, photos, sketchbooks, dishes, and sewing patterns were all lost -- and most importantly my stable housing.

The flood waters reached so high, they breached the island and went into the courthouse. Our place took on water, likely up to the roof and we still haven't been able to get back there. The mud is caustic, contaminated with acidic chemicals that eat clothing and make volunteers sick.

There it took us a week to get out of town somewhere safe. Renting in Asheville was already a nightmare, and I never want to go back. Everything is down, no water, and most realty places aren't open to take your application if you tried.

I'm grateful we're ok, and I hate asking for this. We are resourceful folks, and I promise your donation won't be wasted. We just need more time to get situated away from this mess. We tried so hard to prepare, but it wasn't fast enough for Helene so we lost our place and just about everything in it. I can deal with losing things, but we need housing asap!

My old place