The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina has awarded three EDRF grants, $1.5 million to Baptists on Mission will support operating sites to mobilize up to 600 volunteers a day to repair 500 homes damaged by Hurricane Helene in Buncombe, Henderson, Mitchell, Yancey, and Haywood counties. In addition, $90,000 to AMY Wellness Foundation will provide case management to people needing housing assistance in Avery County. Blue Ridge Resource Conservation and Development Council was awarded $50,000 to implement a drone streambank seeding project in Yancey, Mitchell, and Avery counties. The seeding will benefit long-term recovery of our watersheds by providing initial native grass root soil stability until native shrubs and trees can begin to take hold. Areas that we have drone seeded will be prioritized for future livestaking and planting.
