Support the Bates Family's Recovery from Helene

Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief

Hello, my name is Richard Bates. My family and I live in Swannanoa, NC, and as I'm sure you've heard, our town was simply devastated by Hurricane Helene. Thankfully our home is still in one piece, but my SUV no longer runs due to water damage. My partner has a car, but her and the baby are with family in Georgia until things get straightened out, even then it's not big enough for all of us, nor can I work out of it.

Altogether, my partner and I have 4 kids, 3 of whom live with us, one being a 4-month-old baby. My partner is a stay-at-home mom, and I do custom painting and was in the process of starting up a small painting business. I haven't been able to work since the storm, and it may be weeks before I'm able to start back. As of 11/1, we'll be behind 2 months on rent and have many other bills that need to be caught up, including utilities, phone service for 5 people and much needed Internet service, all of which are past due. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions. Please and thank you so much for your time!

• Bates Family