It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Bennett Place gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Volunteer, NC is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“Such a wonderful place to work! Caregivers that genuinely care with office support that go above and beyond for staff/clients. Highly recommend for employment and senior in-home care support.”
“I bn with this company for Abt a year and I love working for them . They work with you,they care about ur personal life/ problems, really good at matching you with good clients..”
“I cannot say enough good things about this company and the caregivers they provided after my mom's recent accident and stay in a rehab facility. The staff were constantly in communication with us keeping us abreast of any little or big updates. Their attitudes were always helpful and they seemed to genuinely care. The caregivers they sent to sit with and take care of mom were EXCELLENT. I'm not sure how many different caregivers she had over the few weeks of her stay but there wasn't a single one that wasn't kind and extremely helpful. It took a tremendous load off of everyone in our family knowing that she was being well cared for when we couldn't be there. Thank you to Brandi, Joanne, Gina, and anyone I'm missing for everything you all did for us from the beginning of the process all the way to my mom's release today. Hopefully, we won't need your services again, but if we do, I know who I will be calling!”
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“Sandy is very knowledgeable of assisted living options in the Winston Salem area. She helped with a family member’s search with care and consideration. We highly recommend.”
“I highly recommend Sandy Bowen with Always Best Care. I called her with a very tight timeframe to find a suitable memory care facility for my family member. She asked a lot of questions about my loved one to try and get to know her as much as possible. She worked very fast and lined up several appointments for us to tour places within a matter of days. She explained the process to me every step of the way and made sure we stayed on track. She attended the appointments with me and asked questions that I would never think to ask. I can’t thank her enough.”
“The staff and caretakers are wonderful. Would absolutely recommend to anyone who needs at home care for themselves or loved ones”
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“The staff and caretakers are wonderful. Would absolutely recommend to anyone who needs at home care for themselves or loved ones”
“During an unexpected hospital stay, Joanne provided much needed assistance. She provided excellent care and supportive advocacy. It made dealing with the discomfort more bearable and gave me a safeguard to decipher the complicated choices to resolve health issues. I highly recommend this service.”
“If you are looking for attentive, quality home care look no further than Joanne and her team. A passion for excellence is driven for from this team. Family oriented and willing to work with all families.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Carpenter Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local The Melting Pot or visit Joel Lane Museum House, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Volunteer, NC, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Volunteer, NC understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Volunteer, NC 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Blue-collar workers prevailed over bureaucracy in Hurricane Helene-ravaged western North Carolina by rebuilding a highway at breakneck speed on their own terms — allowing residents to finally return home.Coal miners from West Virginia — whom locals in the Tarheel State mountains have lovingly dubbed the "West Virginia Boys" — moved a mountain in just three days to reopen a 2.7-mi. stretch of U.S. Highway 64 between Bat Cave and Chimney Rock that was washed away by the late September storm.Chimney Roc...
Blue-collar workers prevailed over bureaucracy in Hurricane Helene-ravaged western North Carolina by rebuilding a highway at breakneck speed on their own terms — allowing residents to finally return home.
Coal miners from West Virginia — whom locals in the Tarheel State mountains have lovingly dubbed the "West Virginia Boys" — moved a mountain in just three days to reopen a 2.7-mi. stretch of U.S. Highway 64 between Bat Cave and Chimney Rock that was washed away by the late September storm.
Chimney Rock residents who fled the hurricane will now be able to return home for the first time within a few days, months earlier than they expected, the New York Post noted in an Oct. 27 article.
"The river swallowed the road," Robin Phillips told the newspaper. "The West Virginia boys have moved the mountains. All of the roads were just gone, until now. It's nothing short of miraculous.
"I haven't been to my house since the flood, but I know very soon I'll be able to," she continued. "Without their help, who knows, it would be months before I could access our house."
Phillips and her husband also run a campground in Chimney Rock, she said. They have not been able to assess the condition of their business since the hurricane roared through Sept. 26-27.
"For a small community like ours without many residents that could easily get overlooked, it's unreal what they're doing," she said of the miners' efforts.
The Post previously spoke to survivors from Chimney Rock who expected to spend a year on the open road until road access to their homes was restored.
On Oct. 25, a Post reporter watched while the miners balanced a bulldozer and two excavators on the banks of the newly-widened Broad River to shift the final 20-ton granite boulder into place to restore access between the two towns.
An official estimate of when a permanent repair to the U.S. 64 roadway between the Henderson County community of Bat Cave, and the town of Chimney Rock in Rutherford County, will be completed is currently unknown.
Volunteer Road Builders Embody 'The American Spirit'
The group of coal miners, from Alpha Metallurgical Resources in Julian, W. Va., spent the fourth week of October in North Carolina rebuilding the heavily-damaged road using different pieces of heavy equipment to both create a drivable road and move debris.
According to Andy Eidson, CEO of Alpha Metallurgical Resources, A&P donated additional equipment and workforce to help the miners.
Among the West Virginia crew were Charles Dunbar, Darrell McCune, Jimmy Wood, Stephen Boone, Jeff Barnhouse, Ben Harris, Derek Butler, Bobby Thomas and Jon Campbell, Lootpress reported.
All of the miners were volunteering their time for the effort, but most did not wish to speak on the record about rebuilding a highway without legal permission.
Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and the local sheriff's departments, though, all visited the site but did nothing to stop the unsanctioned rebuilding, according to the Post.
Logan Campbell, another volunteer from Mississippi, said the miners embodied the American spirit.
"To see this many wonderful men, women, all races, different political views — none of that matters at all in these situations," he told the Post. "Weak people don't show up for [stuff] like this, and if they do, they don't last long.
"It's such a heartwarming thing to see amidst all the heartbreak," Campbell added. "It gives you so much hope for the America we all want to believe in and the America we want our children to experience."
He and his friend Dan Lewis had been sleeping in tents for the previous three weeks volunteering to help residents in the North Carolina towns hardest hit by the hurricane.
"Different road crews came in and said, ‘It's not doable. The people who live between Bat Cave and Chimney Rock will be trapped in all winter,'" explained Lewis, who traveled to the rugged region from Oklahoma.
With the hurricane's damage being so horrific and spread over such a vast area of largely mountainous terrain, NCDOT officials and engineers, along with folks from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA have done their best to access as many sites as possible in the last month.
"The Corps of Engineers took a look and said they'd send some surveyors and engineers, the same thing NCDOT said," Lewis continued. "I told them, "You might as well not waste your time because the West Virginia guys will have this road built before you finish your paperwork.
"It's unfathomable what has happened in the past few days."
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ASHEVILLE — Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Western North Carolina over a month ago, and the Red Cross is still operating 8 shelters for about 300 people in 7 counties, while also delivering hot meals and emergency supplies to some of the hardest hit areas.Since our efforts in North Carolina began, the Red Cross has been coordinating relief services with local officials and community partners across the state. Together, we opened over 80 shelters throughout North Carolina and provided over 20,000 overnight stays for people ...
ASHEVILLE — Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Western North Carolina over a month ago, and the Red Cross is still operating 8 shelters for about 300 people in 7 counties, while also delivering hot meals and emergency supplies to some of the hardest hit areas.
Since our efforts in North Carolina began, the Red Cross has been coordinating relief services with local officials and community partners across the state. Together, we opened over 80 shelters throughout North Carolina and provided over 20,000 overnight stays for people seeking refuge from the storm. Also, here in North Carolina, with the help of our partners, we have served nearly 400,000 meals, water and snacks to those in need.
Today nearly 600 trained volunteers from around the country, including North Carolina, are working tirelessly to deliver on our mission to help alleviate human suffering. Affected communities are facing different struggles, and the timeline for recovery and what support they need will be different. While the current focus is on addressing the immediate needs of those affected, the Red Cross also plays a critical role in long-term recovery after a disaster.
The Red Cross is currently looking for individuals who would be willing to donate their time and become a volunteer. Whether you have a few days or a couple of hours, the Red Cross can use your help. For example, volunteers can help in our shelters for a few hours organizing activities for residents or helping to keep things clean. Volunteers can also help with serving meals, or work at one of our many Community Care Centers by setting up and distributing emergency supplies to those who need them.
Mark and Ann Dunkel are a North Carolina couple who just started volunteering with the Red Cross. At a Community Care Center in Asheville, this husband and wife team greeted guests with kind smiles and provided information on services available. Mark said that signing up and getting started with the work wasn’t difficult. He explained the feeling of looking around after a destructive event like Hurricane Helene and wanting to join the community recovery effort, noting, “if I’m ok, there’s no excuse not to help.”
To become a volunteer email [email protected] or visit https://www.redcross.org/local/north-carolina/volunteer.html
HOW TO FIND HELP
Many areas remain inaccessible. If you need assistance, please consider coming to a shelter. We know connectivity is difficult, but if you can, first download the Red Cross Emergency app to find service locations or visit redcross.org/helene. You can also find shelters by following your local Red Cross and local emergency officials on social media, or by monitoring local news. If you’re unable to access the information you need, call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).
If you’re searching for a loved one affected by the storm, please complete the form at redcross.org/helene for the state where they live. Provide as much detail as you can. We realize this is an incredibly emotional time and Red Cross reunification teams are working as quickly as possible to help families reconnect.
The Red Cross has disaster mental health workers available at many locations. If you or a loved one needs help, reach out through the Disaster Distress Helpline for free 24/7 multilingual support by calling or texting 1-800-985-5990.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
People affected by Hurricane Helene need urgent help now, and we can’t do this alone. You can help by making a financial donation by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or texting the word HELENE to 90999. Financial donations for Hurricane Helene enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.
Helene led to the cancellation of blood drives across Western North Carolina for about three weeks, causing nearly 2,000 blood donations to go uncollected. The Asheville Blood Center is now open and operating under a normal schedule, and blood drives are being scheduled across Western North Carolina. The Red Cross encourages individuals to schedule a blood donation appointment now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or using the Blood Donor App to help restock the shelves
The devastation from flooding during Hurricane Helene in North Carolina will have long-lasting effect on farms and homes, said a former Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief volunteer who is now a county extension agent in the Tar Heel state.David Davis, who spent about 10 years in Kentucky before taking the extension agent job in his hometown of Yancey County in June 2020, said many in the county will be without power for another 10 to 14 months because of damage to roads, including some that are completely washed out.“They a...
The devastation from flooding during Hurricane Helene in North Carolina will have long-lasting effect on farms and homes, said a former Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief volunteer who is now a county extension agent in the Tar Heel state.
David Davis, who spent about 10 years in Kentucky before taking the extension agent job in his hometown of Yancey County in June 2020, said many in the county will be without power for another 10 to 14 months because of damage to roads, including some that are completely washed out.
“They are resilient in the county,” he said. “They are running generators for their power and counting on each other.”
North Carolina Baptist Disaster Relief, where Davis volunteers, has asked KYDR for help with generators. It has asked for 100 new or gently used generators and Kentucky has responded with more than half that total, according to the latest report from KYDR Director Ron Crow.
Davis said he has not been able to volunteer with North Carolina DR because of his own job as a county extension agent trying to mitigate some of the damage that flooding from Hurricane Helene has done to the county.
“Right now, they are focused on personal homes, where are they going to live, some equipment and getting livestock cornered in and fenced in,” he said. “Focusing on basic needs.”
He said there is a way to restore the fields by bringing in fill dirt or topsoil from somewhere else and backfill with what they have left but it will take a lot of heavy equipment and “that’s an expensive process.”
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said in a press conference this week that the bill to recover would be $53 billion. “I personally think that’s an underestimate,” Davis said.
Cooper told reporters the state’s previous record for storm damage was $17 billion from Hurricane Florence, which struck eastern North Carolina in 2018.
Davis has already distributed 76 generators and 50 propane heaters this week alone. It has been reported that 2,000 residential structures were destroyed in the storm and more than 700 homes damaged. “That doesn’t include the barns and businesses,” he said.
The flooding happened quickly, he said, after 32 ½ inches of rain fell on Mt. Mitchell. Fifteen inches came between 6 and 8:45 in the morning. “It’s a different kind of flooding than they experienced here. This time it was more like a flashflood with force,” Davis said.
“Before the storm, 60 to 65 percent of farmland was located near the river and creek bottom. This storm did not just impact named bodies of water, but streams became rivers. Some of these places are bigger than the largest river. Cane Branch, which normally you can stop up by putting two feet in. It was up over a four-unit apartment building.”
Davis said the storm took out the county water system with two intake plants completely wiped out. “We still don’t have sewer restored. We’ve got water pumping stations in from FEMA pretty quickly. There are shower units and feeding sites because people couldn’t cook in town.”
Shower units and feeding sites are where Southern Baptist Disaster Relief has been of great assistance. Kentucky Disaster Relief has been in Georgia, North Carolina and Florida dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and Milton. They have provided nearly 100,000 meals over the past month. Chainsaw teams continued to work in Georgia as well.
Davis said he was thankful for KYDR and others who have provided aid in North Carolina and his home county.
His first callout was during Katrina when he went with the Baptist Campus Ministry at Berea College. He also went to Gulfport, Miss., and Fremont, Tex., along with many in-state deployments.
"David Davis is a good friend and former KBC Disaster Relief volunteer," said Jamie Reynolds, the associational mission strategist for the Three Forks Baptist Association. "Having served with him, we know him to be a hard worker, and cheerful and encouraging while working. His Gospel singing in our evening 'share sessions' blessed everybody.
"We knew his heart to be for farmers and his hometown in North Carolina, so it was no surprise that he moved back there when he had the opportunity. From North Carolina, he was also one of the very first people outside our area to contact me after the July 2022 flood in our region, letting us know of his prayers and asking how he could help."
Davis is proud to be part of the SBC Disaster Relief family.
“I’m a trained volunteer (for Disaster Relief) but haven’t had much of an opportunity to do Disaster Relief this time,” he said. “I know how important they can be during times like this. It’s a blessing to have them around.”
Make a difference in your community by volunteering with Raleigh Parks! Assist with landscaping, coaching, special events, the Adopt-A-Trail program, and other opportunities. There are many ways for individuals, groups, students, and businesses to contribute to our quality programs and facilities.Upcoming EventsThese single-time events help fulfill a program, maintenance, or special event need. By signing up, you are directly supporting Raleigh Parks in building a better community. Pre-registration through CERVIS at the links...
Make a difference in your community by volunteering with Raleigh Parks! Assist with landscaping, coaching, special events, the Adopt-A-Trail program, and other opportunities. There are many ways for individuals, groups, students, and businesses to contribute to our quality programs and facilities.
These single-time events help fulfill a program, maintenance, or special event need. By signing up, you are directly supporting Raleigh Parks in building a better community. Pre-registration through CERVIS at the links below is required for all volunteers. Click on the event names listed below to learn more and to register.
If you have a group that needs assistance choosing a project or would like to reserve slots for an event that does not have a waitlist, please contact Volunteer Services. All staffed projects are first come first serve, based on staff's availability and needs while unstaffed litter cleanups at City of Raleigh parks and greenways can be scheduled at any time.
Making a yearlong commitment with parks gives you a greater opportunity to make an impact on your community. All of the following opportunities require an application and background check. Individuals/group contacts must be at least 18 years old to apply.
Program | Description | Conditions | Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
Interested individuals and groups can participate in park litter cleanups and support the Raleigh Parks System. | One year minimum with optional renewal. At least 6 cleanups a year. | ||
Interested individuals and groups can participate in trail litter cleanups and support the Capital Area Greenway System. | One year minimum with optional renewal. At least 6 cleanups a year. | ||
Interested individuals can help parks staff in maintenance and horticultural needs within a park. | One year minimum with optional renewal. Meet weekly or biweekly depending on program. | ||
Docents will be responsible for giving one-hour park tours that include the historic Mordecai house, outbuildings, and landscape. | Weekly: each Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. or Sunday 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. | ||
Interested individuals can help make a difference by mentoring and coaching for youth organized sports leagues. | Season long commitment with weekly practices and games. |
Program | Description |
|---|---|
Learn about the Fred Fletcher Outstanding Volunteer Awards, view award categories, find past recipients, and nominate an outstanding volunteer! | |
Learn ways you can donate to the Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources including the donor bench program and the general park enhancement fund. | |
Raleigh Parks Volunteer Services offers scouting projects for earning Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, or Gold Awards, Eagle Scout Awards, Adventure Scout Awards, Quartermaster Awards, and more. Learn how to partner with the City of Raleigh to receive your scouting award. | |
Learn about identifying invasive vegetation, their negative impact on the environment, and how to effectively remove them. | |
Learn about the Cultural Outreach and Enrichment (COE) Program. Volunteering with COE may include teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) at a community center or virtually. | |
Learn how you can support local museums and historic sites by volunteering. |
This program provides an opportunity for individuals who need to complete requirements for court appointed volunteer hours and/or volunteer hours suggested by a lawyer or court official. Volunteers in this program can assist at the City of Raleigh Greenhouse. This is the only location and opportunity available for this program and is based on staff need. Days and times open for volunteering are Tuesdays and Thursdays between 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Volunteers assigned more than 24 hours of service are unable to volunteer for this opportunity. Please contact [email protected] with inquiries.
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Two weeks after Hurricane Helene tore through the southeastern United States, killing hundreds of people across multiple states and knocking out electricity for millions, volunteers are bringing solar power to hard-hit areas in North Carolina....
Two weeks after Hurricane Helene tore through the southeastern United States, killing hundreds of people across multiple states and knocking out electricity for millions, volunteers are bringing solar power to hard-hit areas in North Carolina.
Helene made landfall Sept. 26 as a powerful Category 4 storm, causing disastrous flooding and landslides that destroyed neighborhoods and left at least 225 dead in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. North Carolina's death toll accounted for around half of all of the victims as the hurricane brought several days of severe, torrential rainfall to the western part of the state. Around 1.5 million electricity customers in that region lost power during the storm, and many remain without it in Helene's aftermath.
For Bobby Renfro, the constant din of a gas-powered generator is getting to be too much.
It's difficult to hear the nurses, neighbors and volunteers flowing through the community resource hub he has set up in a former church for his neighbors in Tipton Hill, a crossroads in the Pisgah National Forest north of Asheville. Much worse is the cost: he spent $1,200 to buy it and thousands more on fuel that volunteers drive in from Tennessee.
Turning off their only power source isn't an option. This generator runs a refrigerator holding insulin for neighbors with diabetes and powers the oxygen machines and nebulizers some of them need to breathe.
The retired railroad worker worries that outsiders don't understand how desperate they are, marooned without power on hilltops and down in "hollers."
"We have no resources for nothing," Renfro said. "It's going to be a long ordeal."
About 23,500 customers who lost power in western North Carolina still lacked electricity on Sunday, according to Poweroutage.us. Without it, they can't keep medicines cold, power medical equipment or pump well water. They can't recharge their phones or apply for federal disaster aid.
Crews from all over the country and even Canada are helping Duke Energy and local electric cooperatives with repairs, but it's slow going in the dense mountain forests, where some roads and bridges are completely washed away.
"The crews aren't doing what they typically do, which is a repair effort. They're rebuilding from the ground up," said Kristie Aldridge, vice president of communications at North Carolina Electric Cooperatives.
Residents who can get their hands on gas and diesel-powered generators are depending on them, but that is not easy. Fuel is expensive and can be a long drive away. Generator fumes pollute and can be deadly. Small home generators are designed to run for hours or days, not weeks and months.
Now, more help is arriving. Renfro received a new power source this week, one that will be cleaner, quieter and free to operate. Volunteers with the nonprofit Footprint Project and a local solar installation company delivered a solar generator with six 245-watt solar panels, a 24-volt battery and an AC power inverter. The panels now rest on a grassy hill outside the community building.
Renfro hopes his community can draw some comfort and security, "seeing and knowing that they have a little electricity."
The Footprint Project is scaling up its response to this disaster with sustainable mobile infrastructure. It has deployed dozens of larger solar microgrids, solar generators and machines that can pull water from the air to 33 sites so far, along with dozens of smaller portable batteries.
With donations from solar equipment and installation companies as well as equipment purchased through donated funds, the nonprofit is sourcing hundreds more small batteries and dozens of other larger systems and even industrial-scale solar generators known as "Dragon Wings."
Will Heegaard and Jamie Swezey are the husband-and-wife team behind Project Footprint. Heegaard founded it in 2018 in New Orleans with a mission of reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of emergency responses. Helene's destruction is so catastrophic, however, that Swezey said this work is more about supplementing generators than replacing them.
"I've never seen anything like this," Swezey said as she stared at a whiteboard with scribbled lists of requests, volunteers and equipment. "It's all hands on deck with whatever you can use to power whatever you need to power."
Down near the interstate in Mars Hill, a warehouse owner let Swezey and Heegaard set up operations and sleep inside. They rise each morning triaging emails and texts from all over the region. Requests for equipment range from individuals needing to power a home oxygen machine to makeshift clinics and community hubs distributing supplies.
Local volunteers help. Hayden Wilson and Henry Kovacs, glassblowers from Asheville, arrived in a pickup truck and trailer to make deliveries this week. Two installers from the Asheville-based solar company Sundance Power Systems followed in a van.
It took them more than an hour on winding roads to reach Bakersville, where the community hub Julie Wiggins runs in her driveway supports about 30 nearby families. It took many of her neighbors days to reach her, cutting their way out through fallen trees. Some were so desperate, they stuck their insulin in the creek to keep it cold.
Panels and a battery from Footprint Project now power her small fridge, a water pump and a Starlink communications system she set up. "This is a game changer," Wiggins said.
The volunteers then drove to Renfro's hub in Tipton Hill before their last stop at a Bakersville church that has been running two generators. Other places are much harder to reach. Heegaard and Swezey even tried to figure out how many portable batteries a mule could carry up a mountain and arranged for some to be lowered by helicopters.
They know the stakes are high after Heegaard volunteered in Puerto Rico, where Hurricane Maria's death toll rose to 3,000 as some mountain communities went without power for 11 months. Duke Energy crews also restored infrastructure in Puerto Rico and are using tactics learned there, like using helicopters to drop in new electric poles, utility spokesman Bill Norton said.
The hardest customers to help could be people whose homes and businesses are too damaged to connect, and they are why the Footprint Project will stay in the area for as long as they are needed, Swezey said.
"We know there are people who will need help long after the power comes back," she said.
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