A NOTE FROM JOY

Friends,

Earlier this month, as I sat at a dinner table in Asheville with nonprofit partners from western North Carolina, I felt a deep sense of gratitude.

When Hurricane Helene tore through the mountains a year ago, these nonprofits showed up for their communities — and they haven’t stopped since.

• MountainTrue crews have cleared more than 3 million pounds of trash from rivers and are now working to clean 150+ miles more.

• Mountain BizWorks has helped keep small businesses open with millions of dollars in grants in Buncombe County and beyond.

• Pisgah Legal Services and other legal aid nonprofits have secured millions in insurance funds for people who lost homes or businesses.

• Colaborativa La Milpa and others delivered emergency supplies and have continued to support people in hard-to-reach areas, including Spanish-speaking families.

These are just a few examples. There are so many more.

Philanthropy stepped up, too. The Community Foundation of Western NC, Dogwood Health Trust, and WNC Bridge Foundation, with support from other foundations including ZSR, have mobilized tens of millions of dollars to resource nonprofit-led recovery efforts.

But recovery isn’t over. Many families are still hurting, and more government support is needed.

Each of us has a role too. We can help keep western NC open not only by visiting and spending money there but also by volunteering with nonprofits or advocating for our neighbors in the region.

At a time when headlines are filled with division and violence, western NC reminds us of what’s possible when we come together: a North Carolina that is resilient, caring and united from east to west.

All For NC,

Joy Vermillion Heinsohn

ZSR Executive Director

GET INSPIRED

Stories of hope and action

from our partners across NC

Clean Water for NC released new interactive maps to help communities track proposed methane gas pipelines and their impact on drinking water. In Guilford County, residents are already using the maps to flag well water risks and push for stronger protections. Due to extensive public comments, the NC Department of Environmental Quality has even asked one pipeline developer to create a well water testing plan, showing how grassroots tools can drive accountability and safeguard healthy, safe water for everyone.

On Labor Day, Just Economics’ Sam Stites authored an op-ed highlighting how workers across western NC are organizing for living wages, safer working conditions and economic justice. Workers power NC’s economy, and their collective action strengthens communities by supporting families and building a more equitable economy for everyone.

Following a month of political violence dominating headlines, finding ways to embrace our shared humanity is critical. This op-ed argues that healing polarization requires respectful listening and engagement, pointing to the NC Leadership Forum as a model for bringing civic leaders together across divides to rebuild social capital.

Latino farmworkers face great risk during hurricanes and extreme weather events, and a new database aims to help. In partnership with the Carolina Population Center, the Hispanic Federation is helping lead the creation of a database charting camps, emergency services and shelters in eastern NC counties, with hopes of expanding statewide. This information will help fill gaps in disaster response, from ensuring workers’ locations are known to translating life-saving materials.

In response to the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools budget crisis, local leaders are joining together to support the people most affected: teachers and students. From supply drives to advocacy, this community-led effort offers ways for people to support Winston-Salem’s local public schools with love, creativity and collaboration.

This month, NC Child launched a data center that centralizes more than 35 metrics assessing six different dimensions of child health and well-being. The data comes from publicly available sources but also features datasets not otherwise publicly available, such as the number of pediatric behavioral health visits per county and the number of child care centers over time.

After years of litigation by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of Sound Rivers, a Durham-based developer has agreed to pay to keep a critical tributary of Falls Lake safe, and to stop sediment pollution at the site. The legal settlement includes payment to Triangle Land Conservancy to help buy and protect 62 acres of land in the watershed that feeds into the lake, which is Raleigh’s primary drinking-water source.

WHAT’S NEW WITH ZSR?

ZSR joined more than 150 other foundations across the country in condemning political violence, defending free speech and rejecting the mischaracterization of charitable foundations and nonprofits as proponents of violence.

Ricky Hurtado, ZSR program officer, presented the Hubert B. Humphrey, Jr. School Improvement Award to Eastern Guilford High School during the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce's "State Of Our Community" annual luncheon. The award, named for a former ZSR trustee, goes to the most improved high school in Guilford County each year.

We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Rick Dove. Rick was a dedicated environmentalist and NC nonprofit leader who helped transform polluted rivers into cleaner, more viable waterways, mentoring others along the way and helping found a powerful global movement for water protection. Learn more about Rick’s life and legacy.