Support Our Local Community with Love

My name is Kent Wolff, and as an Asheville native with 55 years of friends and family here, I feel uniquely positioned to help. I know the leaders of local organizations, and I understand this community—its people, strengths, and struggles. I am asking to be your vessel for kindness, reaching those who need it most. We welcome all forms of giving, whether through this campaign or other reputable organizations. However, we desperately need your help, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Hurricane Helene has devastated Asheville, North Carolina, and surrounding communities, leaving destruction from Spruce Pine to Mars Hill, through Black Mountain, Swannanoa, Chimney Rock, Bat Cave, Lake Lure, and many other areas. Homes are destroyed, families displaced, and businesses severely affected. The community is shaken to its core.

This GoFundMe campaign started when friends in Atlanta and Charleston asked, "What can I do to help?" Initially, we didn’t have an answer. We were overwhelmed by the destruction. However, their generosity, encouragement, and insistence motivated us to take action even as life is surreal. Their generous and preemptive gifts allowed us to immediately start addressing "smaller" critical needs and help our neighbors in ways that larger relief efforts understandably couldn't.

While major organizations provide food, water, shelter, medicines, and so much more, our mission is to fill in the gaps. We focus on meeting smaller critical needs that fall through the cracks of traditional aid systems. We know the road to recovery requires flexibility, and that’s where we come in.

At first, funds were used to provide large amounts of food, which was essential as many families faced empty pantries and limited access to supplies. With road closures and supply disruptions, food was scarce. Ensuring no one went hungry was everyone's top priority.

Our friends have supported multiple single mothers who have lost their homes, one or more having lost her vehicle also.

In one simple instance, the friends you're supporting helped relocate a family's large breed dog so they could move into a temporary pet-restricted home. Though it may seem like a small issue, these challenges can be overwhelming after a disaster. We found someone willing to take in the dog and provided pet food to ease the burden, allowing the family to focus on recovery.

As needs evolved, our group of friends fulfilled an urgent request to provide small propane tanks to families camping at home—those unable to find fuel but needing a way to cook and stay warm. Even basic necessities like heating a meal are a significant challenge after a disaster. In these instances, friends and loved ones are making sure essentials arrive quickly and efficiently from other cities, sometimes overnight, near and far.

Yesterday, retired special forces asked for us to research and collaborate on attachments that effectively turn cell phones into radios. These tools will enable relief workers to communicate better, navigate closed roads, and coordinate efforts more effectively in rural areas. Our goal is to make their efforts as efficient as possible. Today we have been asked for 10w-30 oil as generators are soon to be airdropped and distributed as early as today. The needs change with every request, and that's okay.

These smaller efforts may seem minor compared to the large-scale work done by major organizations, but they are vital for individuals and families who have nowhere else to turn. We adapt to each challenge as it comes—whether helping a displaced family, providing propane tanks, or securing tools for relief workers. The resilience of this community and the generosity of those willing to give have created some of the most heartbreaking yet beautiful moments I have witnessed.

Your generosity has already made a difference—providing food, supplies, and hope to those who have lost so much. But the need is still great. Now more than ever, we need your help to continue adapting and responding to these needs.

Without power, water, or Wi-Fi, and relying on spotty cell service, I am heading to a food kitchen that I depend on now even though I don't have any personal financial needs. While there, I know I will meet others who will be blessed by your generosity. The people of our region are in desperate need, and we are committed to helping them as best we can.

We are deeply grateful to the friends who have contributed since day one and continue to give so generously. Your support makes all the difference. These acts of kindness have a profound impact on recipients—deeper than the giver could ever imagine. The resilience of this community, combined with your willingness to help, has brought light to our darkest days.

Thank you from all of us in Asheville, and from our region as a whole. Your compassion has touched so many lives, and we look forward to continuing this mission together. Let’s rebuild, restore hope, and ensure no one is left behind.