"We have the earth to bind us." — bell hooks, Appalachian Elegy

Appalachian Helene

Response Fund

Sustained, Equitable Recovery for Appalachia

This Fund is a collaborative funding response to the deadliest disaster in Appalachia’s history and the deadliest in mainland U.S. history since Hurricane Katrina.

OUR APPROACH

Our Approach to Recovery

This is a collaborative effort launched by the Appalachia Funders Network (AFN) in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene across Appalachia. We leverage our network of over 80 AFN members to ensure aid is distributed swiftly and equitably. We are committed to building and strengthening relationships with those working on the ground and in ways that are generative, restorative, and non-extractive.

Focus on Long-Term Efforts:

The Appalachian Helene Response Fund works with member partners on intermediate and long-term recovery efforts. For immediate, on the ground response, we always recommend donating to mutual aid collectives in the areas feeling the impacts.

Place-Based & Non-Extractive:

We believe in the power of place-based support, and will always follow the lead of our partners, kin, friends, and neighbors on the ground.

Regional Strength & Climate:

Our region is no stranger to the impacts of severe weather, especially as we face the growing challenges of a changing climate. We channel Appalachia's strength and resilience, uniting our region to provide critical support.

We recognize the need for both immediate response and long-term recovery efforts in our region. For immediate, on the ground response following any disaster, we always recommend donating to mutual aid collectives in the areas feeling the impacts.

SUPPORT

Contributions from individuals and organizations will be pivotal in helping those most affected by the storm.

Donate Now →

AMPLIFY

We urge the public to share the fund's information widely, as maximizing the reach of donations is vital in the weeks following disaster.

Share the Fund →

AFN DONORS

Donors

  • Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation

  • Appalachian Community Fund

  • Dogwood Health Trust

  • Educational Foundation of America

  • Floyd County Community Foundation

  • Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky

  • Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky

  • Foundation for Appalachian Ohio

  • Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation

  • Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund

  • Invest Appalachia

  • Laughing Gull Foundation

  • Margaret A. Cargill Foundation

  • The New York Community Trust

  • Perry County Community Foundation

  • Pikeville Community Foundation

  • Waymakers Collective

  • Weissberg Foundation

PARTNER DONORS

Philanthropic Partner Donors

  • Amalgamated Foundation

  • Bluegrass Community Foundation

  • Brooke Brown Barzun Philanthropic Foundation

  • Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond

  • Community Foundation of Abilene

  • Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga

  • Hamilton County Foundation

  • Hamilton Community Foundation

  • Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund

  • Hill-Snowdon Foundation

  • Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation

  • Kataly Foundation

  • Marin Community Foundation

  • New Hampshire Charitable Foundation

  • Park Foundation

  • Pianfetti Foundation

  • Pikeville Community Foundation

  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

  • Essential Tremors Podcast

  • Festive Water

  • Knox Community Street Dance

  • Lexington Philharmonic

  • New Pluralists

  • ORCA

  • Our Streets

  • Proof Bakery Collective

  • Argosy Foundation

  • San Diego Foundation

  • Surdna Foundation

  • The Carriuolo Family Foundation

  • The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation

  • The JEM Project

  • The JM Kaplan Fund

  • The Philadelphia Foundation

  • Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts

COMMUNITY DONORS

Community Donors

  • Appalshop

  • Apodlachia

  • Barchart

  • Bashful Bee Press

  • Black Girl Environmentalist (Knoxville)

  • Causemedic

  • Coal Country Candles

  • Essential Tremors Podcast

  • Read Spotted Newt

  • SWOP Hawaii

  • Synscrypt

  • TAIT

  • TeePublic

  • Velocity Risk Underwriters

  • Ya'll Company

AND THOUSANDS MORE INDIVIDUALS.

TO YOU ALL:

THANK YOU.

NEWS & UPDATES

News & Updates

AFN Coordinator · 10/2/25

Resources and Stories from a Year After Helene

AFN Coordinator · 10/2/25

Appalachian Helene Response Fund: A Year in Review

AFN Coordinator · 9/28/24

Appalachia Funders Network Launches the Appalachian Helene Response Fund to Support Communities Devastated by Hurricane Helene