WNC Student Emergency Fund

My name is Courtney Kelly; I head up partner engagement and communications here at Backrs, and I’m writing from my home in Asheville, NC to ask for some help.

Not for myself. I’m one of the lucky ones. I have my family, friends, house and health. Post-Helene, so many of my fellow Western North Carolinians cannot say the same. And that includes young people–hundreds of whom were ready to join the Backrs community before the hurricane tore our mountains apart.

High school and university students across our WNC partner institutions have found themselves stripped overnight of loved ones, shelter, belongings, and sources of food and water. At the same time, their education has been placed on hold indefinitely, as the storm destroyed both our public water system and access to it. 

Restoring water to our schools (and most everyone else) has been predicated on rebuilding roads, which requires electricity, which has meant whole power grids have had to be reconstructed, and…it’s one thing after the other all the way down.

I’m humbled to report that despite the singular challenges presented by a hurricane in Appalachia, the response to this catastrophe has been swift, collaborative, and freaking impressive. Every WNC resident who has something to contribute, whether that’s a skill, a platform, a resource, or time, has rolled up their sleeves and jumped into the toxic mud to help their neighbor. 

Having been on a few volunteer crews myself, I can tell you that the loss WNC has experienced is worse than what you’ve seen on TV. I won’t go into the grisly details; suffice it to say we’ve been dealt one hell of a blow. 

But we are also resilient. And since WNC is one of Backrs’ hubs, I invite you to join us in our rebuilding efforts. Our non-profit partner, All Flourish is currently raising money to ensure our region’s hardest hit students and families can:

• Access food, water, medicine, and other critical supplies.
• Make rent, car, and other essential payments.
• Cover education expenses.
• Procure winter clothes and other cold weather necessities.

Please consider donating to All Flourish’s WNC Emergency Fund; 100% of your contribution will be used to cover the basic needs of the students and families most impacted by Helene.

Thank you so much for hearing me out, for all you’ve done to support young people, and for considering this opportunity to help WNC students. I’m truly grateful for your time, and I’m honored to be in community with you.

Sincerely,

Courtney Kelly

Marketing Lead, Backrs

All donations via All Flourish are tax deductible.