What is the Wiregrass Reach Project?
This project was started by a group of local business owners and community leaders who wanted to help Hurricane Helene victims FAST. Day one after the storm a group set off with supplies for Georgia. As Georgia recovered, they focused efforts towards western North Carolina. Teaming up with local radio hosts Amie Pollard & Dave Gilligan on 105.3, together the group jumped in head-first to make connections in NC and meet needs. With the help of AAA Cooper and Summerford Trucking, freight costs were covered and drivers were provided. In the first 13 days of this project, communities from Dothan, Enterprise, Rehobeth, Headland, Ashford and Graceville filled two semi trailers with goods for Asheville distribution centers and supplies for Black Mountain rescue missions. Weeks later, we provide dozens of propane heaters to the Burnsville, NC area that was devastated. The Project has raised over $20,000 to purchase supplies and heaters for all three loads.
As media coverage of Helene destruction has slowed, our momentum has not. While delivering propane heaters for our third shipment of supplies, we met some of the locals in rural Western North Carolina and became aware of several needs. We are continuing to pray about how we can best help our new friends as we continue to receive donations. Currently, all donated funds are being used to purchase additional propane tanks for camps and to purchase food to provide a Thanksgiving Dinner for rural Burnsville,.
What have we done so far…
Our first delivery left Wednesday, October 9th headed to Downtown Asheville, NC. Supplies went to The Venue where local business owners converted their salvaged wedding venue into a hub for TWO Senior Adult/Assisted Living facilities, a nearby apartment complex as well as lodging a chainsaw crew that is knee deep in daily rescue missions. They are locals serving locals and we were blessed to work with them.
You can see the link to the unloading HERE.
The second route went to East Asheville on October 22nd, where Slocomb native, Scott Raines has lived for years. Scott is helping coordinate a distribution center at his church, Covenant Community Church, where all the essentials and senior care items are in great need. Additionally, they have taken on Rescue and Retrieval efforts and are in desperate need of camping and rescue supplies. They are supplying and participating in 11 rescue camps in the Black Mountain and Banner Elk area.
You can see the link to loading the truck HERE!
The third delivery was on November 18th, to provide dozens of heaters and hundreds of pound of propane to rural Burnsville, NC, an area that was devastated by Helene. So many homes were lost in this area and many are camped in groups along the Cane River. While larger towns like Asheville have seen major improvements, it’s so important to keep these rural areas in our focus, as their progress is much slower and their displacement is more uncomfortable than we can comprehend.
You can see video of some of the damage HERE!
GET INVOLVED
There are so many ways to help with this project! If you, your church or small group would like to get involved some way, please reach out to Nikki Enfinger at (334) 695-6824. There are hundreds of opportunities to serve, whether its boots on the ground or using your talents to help us reach others.
Monetary donations are being accepted and used for supplies heading straight North Carolina. There are NO ADMINISTRATIVE FEES with Wiregrass Reach Project; all fuel and lodging expenses for trips to NC have been covered by generous donors, independent of any project funds. Every dollar that we receive goes straight towards the cause. For full transparency, a summary of donations and detail of all purchases will be posted HERE and updated as time permits.
Cash – ANB Hardware & Outdoors ONLY (Rehobeth, AL)
Checks – make payable to Wiregrass Reach Project
Debit/Credit Card/Google Pay/Cash App – CLICK HERE
Sponsoring Businesses
Connect With Us
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @WiregrassReachProject. As you share our story and issue your own challenges, please use the hashtag #wiregrassreachproject to help us get the word out. We will update this site as time permits and our Trusted Partners will share updates on their socials.
Trusted Partners
This project would not be possible without our Media Partners B105.3 and WDHN that help keep this project in front of our community. Our transportation partnerships with AAA Cooper Transportation and Summerford Trucking have been crucial. From the local businesses committed to collecting and transporting your donations, to businesses who have agreed to sell goods at a discount, the countless folks who have given so freely, and our amazing volunteers…y’all are incredible! Together we all ARE the Wiregrass Reach Project! It’s all of us! We are blessed to be a part of this community and this project.
Please be sure to remember our Partners as you do business in the Wiregrass! These folks are sacrificing finances, staff, space, time and resources…it’s important that we keep locally involved businesses like these in the forefront of our minds and support them FIRST!
