John,

It's been a little over a month since Hurricane Helene hit our community, and many in Asheville, and the wider Western NC and Southeastern region, are still reeling from the devastation it caused. We are grieving people who have died or are still unaccounted for, and mourning the tremendous collective losses we have all experienced in the wake of the hurricane. Some are starting to rebuild their lives after losing loved ones, homes, and more. Many are still struggling without access to water, power, and consistent cell service. We are fully immersed in the recovery process as more resources become available, infrastructure is being repaired, and schools prepare to re-open. Daily acts of heroism too numerous to list are on display as people dig deep to help each other, and to connect with a sense of hope and community. Here at CSE, our hope is as enduring and rugged as ever. 

We will get through this devastating season and the long road to recovery together. That's what we do – have each other's backs, hold each other tight, and get creative. For the last two weeks as conditions have started to stabilize and our community is moving into the recovery phase, we've formalized our ongoing efforts into a weekly LGBTQ+ Resource & Supply Center on Thursdays from 11 AM - 5 PM at our Asheville offices. We're sharing basic supplies like warm clothing, blankets, and propane, and also things we know our queer and trans community may need right now – like gender-affirming clothing, chest binders, and make-up. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community members, folks have also been able to get free delicious meals from Chef J. Chong, haircuts from local queer barbers and stylists, a warm space for art therapy, and chair massages from our Healing & Resilience team. 

We're going to keep our Resource & Supply Center open for the foreseeable future, and need support to keep providing everything folks need right now – especially as the weather gets colder. If you're able, consider donating $10 right now to help us support our friends and neighbors as we recover from this devastating storm.

When natural disasters occur, LGBTQ+ folks can be impacted in compounding ways – because relief institutions and processes may not be built with our needs in mind, and past experiences can lead to discomfort with frontline relief institutions. Many of our friends and neighbors in Asheville still can't get into their homes, have lost their jobs, and are struggling to get in touch with therapists or doctors, which can be especially challenging with reduced access to power, wifi, and cell service. Many trans community members have reported particular challenges of feeling heightened gender dysphoria because of the hurdles to taking regular showers, washing gender-affirming clothing, and more. Our guiding star the last month has been making sure that no one in our community is left behind in relief and recovery efforts.

To that end, we're also coordinating with several phenomenal local organizations offering food, supplies, financial assistance, and resource-navigation – with a particular focus on reaching folks who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+, living on low incomes, or facing compounding barriers to accessing care and services right now. We've been assembling supplies for our local frontline partners to distribute specifically to LGBTQ+ folks in need, and we're honored to be partnering with a number of local queer-led and queer-inclusive organizations like Blue Ridge Pride and Tranzmission to coordinate broader relief efforts. We now have a weekly schedule for resource and supply spaces to help folks get support on a schedule that works for them, and are exploring more ways to expand our impact together.

When we asked for help in the immediate aftermath of the storm, many of you responded right away and because of that, we were able to shift gears quickly to stand up these resources. Now, we're asking for your support again to grow these efforts – if you're able, please donate $10 today to help Western NC rebuild.

Every day, we're seeing extraordinary courage, love, and grit in action. Folks are banding together to support one another and rebuild in the face of immense loss. We care deeply about supporting Western NC through this crisis, and will continue to help wherever we can.

Thank you for supporting our work, and empowering us to show up for our friends and neighbors when people need us the most.

With love and gratitude,
Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara
She/Her
Executive Director
Campaign for Southern Equality