(updated 8/25/2025)

In June 2024, Kevin, Jen, Zane, Matteo, Kezia, and Grandma Esther (and their two dogs Comet and Glacier) followed God's call to leave their home, family, and church behind in Michigan and move to Black Mountain North Carolina. They packed most of their belongings into storage units in NC, and lived in various rental homes for 6 months while searching for an affordable home of their own.

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the southeastern USA. Many of you have seen the pictures and videos -- the areas surrounding Asheville North Carolina were some of the hardest hit. It will take years for the community to recover.

While the Heeres family was safe and their Airbnb didn't flood too badly, their Black Mountain storage units were under 5 feet of water, including sewage. They lost all of their beds, bedding, furniture, and many clothes, toys, and tools.

Their renters insurance did NOT cover flooding, and they were denied support from FEMA.

In one month of fundraising last fall, we were able to raise $16,000 to help the family replace some of their items and cover some of their other costs while renting. THANK YOU!!! In December 2024, they purchased and moved into a home in Black Mountain, where Kevin and Jen now work for Presbyterian-Reformed Ministries International.

HOWEVER... their crazy year continues.

At the end of June 2025, Jen broke her foot while they were visiting friends and family back in Michigan. Unfortunately, out-of-state insurance coverage was very minimal.

Then in early August, while using crutches to get up the steps into their house, Jen lost her balance and fell, fracturing her wrist. This time they were in-between insurance plans, and had no coverage.

The medical bills are starting to arrive, and combined with an already difficult budget -- low paying ministry jobs plus high cost of living in Black Mountain -- the family is feeling stretched very thin.

We are asking friends, family, and anyone who knows the Heeres family to consider coming together once again to financially support them.

It's been quite a traumatic year, but we trust God has them in the Black Mountain community for such a time as this.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. -Romans 15:13

(GoFundMe is asking me to share who I am and why I've started this fundraiser. My name is Carrie Roer, and I worked in the church office in Michigan alongside Pastor Kevin for 8 years. Their kids and my kids also became good friends. It was hard to see them leave, but I trust God's call and plan for their lives.)