Western North Carolina reflects on the anniversary of Hurricane Helene

Jackie Henry, who was part of the Hope for Helene steering committee shared why the event was an important aspect of the region’s recovery, "As a psychologist, I know that whether it's individual trauma or collective disaster response, the single strongest predictor of recovery isn't the severity of what happened to us—it's the quality of support we receive afterward. Social connection literally rewires our traumatized brains, helping us move from hypervigilance back to trust, from isolation back to belonging.”

“After Helene, our trauma was met with an outpouring of love and support that transcended political and social divides and honored our shared humanity. The Hope After Helene events rose organically from that very same spirit of generosity—a community choosing to heal together."