Restoring Hope in North Carolina: National Mental Health Alliance Brings Healing and Support After Hurricane Helene

The National Mental Health Alliance is helping families displaced by Hurricane Helene by constructing primitive camping structures to provide immediate housing.

ASHEVILLE, NC, UNITED STATES, November 26, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The National Mental Health Alliance has launched a critical initiative to help families displaced by Hurricane Helene, constructing primitive camping structures to provide immediate, temporary shelter. The storm devastated Western North Carolina, destroying thousands of homes, damaging tens of thousands more, and leaving entire towns washed away. As communities face severe housing shortages and winter weather looms, the Alliance’s project offers a lifeline to those left without shelter.

The impact of Hurricane Helene continues to be felt. The confirmed death toll has risen to 102 as of Oct. 30, with the final count still unknown. Many families remain isolated due to damaged roads and infrastructure, while others are living in tents, campers, RVs, and makeshift shelters with limited access to clean water, sewage treatment, or electricity. Snow is predicted in higher elevations, creating an urgent need to move people into secure structures.

The camping structures, designed to be cost-effective and quick to build, provide a warm, safe place for families to sleep, store belongings, and begin recovering from the trauma of displacement. “Our mission is to bring light into darkness,” said Justin Peck, founder of the National Mental Health Alliance. “These structures are more than just walls and a roof—they’re a symbol of resilience, a reminder that no one is forgotten, and a promise that together, we can overcome even the greatest challenges.”

The Alliance is collaborating with local organizations, businesses, and volunteers to bring the project to life. Partners include Team Rubicon, who are helping supply structures to replace uninhabitable campers, and a tiny home contractor, who is pre-building walls at their facility to speed up construction. Church mission teams, along with North Cedar Fire Department Captain Carl Fultz, are ensuring compliance with fire safety codes and assisting with logistics.

Despite the team’s ability to build eight structures per day, challenges remain. Persistent rain has made construction difficult, turning project sites into muddy battlegrounds. Families living in tents, RVs, and shelters face additional hardships as Buncombe County recently lifted its boil water ban, leaving many unsure of where to access clean water for bathing and drinking.

Other urgent needs include large 20-pound propane tanks, 7,500-watt generators, and free hot meals for communities hardest hit by the storm. Volunteers are also critically needed to assist with construction as the Alliance continues to vet families to ensure resources go to those most in need.

Donations are essential to support the initiative and will directly fund the construction of shelters and provide vital supplies to displaced families. These contributions can be made online at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/thenationalmentalhealthalliance.

“This isn’t just about rebuilding structures—it’s about rebuilding lives,” said Peck. “Every nail we drive and every wall we raise sends a message to these families: You are not alone. We see you, and we are here to help you rebuild not just your home, but your life.”

The National Mental Health Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families through life’s most challenging moments. From mental health advocacy to disaster relief, the Alliance strives to empower and uplift communities in need. Justin Peck and his hardworking team of volunteers are celebrating one of their many wins ahead in completion of the home built for local Asheville resident best known as "Mr. Bobby," seen in the photo attached. The organization is calling out for more helping hands and hearts to reinstall hope and rebuild those displaced from the disaster-struck last month. While the aftermath has been overwhelming for so many, the National Mental Health Alliance proudly serves as boots on the ground to provide basic food, clothing and shelter.

For more information about the project, to get involved or for interview inquires with Founder Justin Peck, please contact stacey@Mentallyheal.org.

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Stacey Barker
Jade Umbrella. PR
+1 323-833-8358
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