As the people of Florida brace for the impact and aftermath of Hurricane Milton, clean-up work continues across the path of Hurricane Helene, which swept across parts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina before dropping as much as 20 inches of rain over North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. With recovery efforts ongoing, the death toll from the storm has exceeded 235 people. The Buddhist organization Southern Dharma, located northwest of Asheville, North Carolina, has teams of volunteers and staff working to aid neighbors and bring needed supplies to affected areas.

In a recent announcement, Southern Dharma stated that the organization had raised more than US$50,000 through the support of staff, volunteers, and donors, to provide essential supplies such as food, water, gasoline, and medicines to affected communities.

The announcement noted that utility companies were working diligently to restore electricity in Asheville, with most residents expected to regain power by next week. However, rural areas may experience delays in restoration efforts. Meanwhile, the availability of running water remains a significant concern, as residents have been without potable water since the hurricane hit on 27 September. Volunteers have been transporting water into homes manually, often navigating stairs where elevators are non-operational.

Members of the Southern Dharma community have conducted door-to-door canvassing in the hard-hit community of Spring Creek, checking on more than 400 homes. Spring Creek Community Center has been transformed into a staging area for distributing resources to the towns of Hot Springs, Barnardsville, and Burnsville. Peer support groups have also been established to offer emotional assistance to residents. Southern Dharma has also facilitated water distribution and Urban Dharma, located in west Asheville, has opened its doors as a distribution hub for water, supplies, and more.

Southern Dharma has also invested in a Starlink receiver, establishing a digital hotspot for staff and community members at the resupply location. This investment enables critical coordination and communication efforts amid the crisis. Further, they have teamed up with Oasis Church of Asheville, which has offered a portion of its facility for Southern Dharma’s operations, allowing for greater storage of supplies and creating an additional hub for resupply efforts.

The Dharma center and its volunteers have expanded their outreach efforts to Spanish-speaking communities, which have been significantly affected. Community member Lizeth is establishing routine supply drop-off points to ensure that these families receive the assistance they need.

The Charlotte area sangha has contributed supplies, including five-gallon buckets, full gasoline canisters, and more than US$3,000 in donations. Southern Dharma has issued a call for additional volunteers to assist with the redistribution of supplies. Financial contributions continue to play a vital role in facilitating relief efforts. Donations can be made through the organization’s website or via PayPal, specifically designated for disaster relief.

As the Southern Dharma community witnesses acts of courage and compassion each day, executive director Sonia Marcus expressed gratitude, writing: “Thank you for your continue well wishes and support. We witness tremendous acts of courage and compassion each and every day.” (Southern Dharma Retreat Center)

A well-known Buddhist teacher from the area, Vince Fakhoury Horn, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he was still without power, internet, and water as of 7 October.

Dharma Relief, an interdenominational Buddhist organization committed to bringing sanghas together to solve problems in their communities, has also begun work, coordinating with Southern Dharma Retreat Center, the Zen Center of Asheville, and other area Buddhist communities.

Dharma Relief wrote that their immediate goal was to raise US$50,000 to help those affected by Hurricane Helene. “Our long-term goal is to raise sufficient funds so that when any disaster strikes, we can immediately provide support to affected Dharma centers. We are acutely aware of our collective vulnerability to extreme weather and disasters. Any of us could be affected at any time by earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, or other unexpected events. We must come together to support those in need.” (Dharma Relief)

See more

How Hurricane Helene became a deadly disaster across six states (The Conversation)
Oct 6 | Hurricane Helene Update (Southern Dharma Retreat Center)
Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief Fund at Southern Dharma (Southern Dharma Retreat Center)
Urban Dharma New Temple Hours, Volunteer Efforts (Urban Dharma)
Help Dharma Centers After Hurricane Helene (Dharma Relief)

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