LEXINGTON, Ill. – Responding to a plea within a recent Farm World article for capable volunteers to come to the aid of Hurricane Helene-stricken North Carolina residents, a group of a half-dozen or so Indiana carpenters was compelled to travel to the disaster area to offer their services for an extended period of time. This is according to Dennis Schlagel, executive director of the Fellowship of Christian Farmers International (FCFI), who said the skilled group of carpenters hailed from the southern Indiana Amish community of Charles Town.

“These carpenters re-sheetrocked a house in one day, and really helped us get things going. The owner was so thrilled to have a secure house for the winter,” said Schlagel, who helped mobilize volunteers from colleges in Illinois and Tennessee to join FCFI members in transporting relief materials, such as tools and hay for farms, to workers in western North Carolina. The majority of the work being conducted by FCFI-led volunteers is in a remote area west of Asheville. 

“On a road in a remote cove is an assembly line of Cabins for Christ, an attempt to house the many families who lost their homes in the disaster. Many own properties that no longer exist; that’s how bad it is,” Schlagel continued. “Volunteers are now busy with site preparation and building these cabins for people left without homes.”

Water purification plants have been set up along the disaster zone and fresh water is being hauled to communities and residences. Many roads remain impassable, and infrastructure problems still abound.

“You’ve got to be there to believe it,” said Schlagel, adding that FCFI is still in need of skilled carpenters and laborers who can travel to their remote base camp to help the residents of western North Carolina recover from Hurricane Helene, which ravaged the area Sept. 27, 2024 and caused over 100 deaths. “Winter is coming soon to the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the clock is ticking.”

FCFI is also seeking hay donations for their Hurricane Helene disaster relief effort. To respond to the urgent need for hay and livestock supplies, FCFI is collaborating with key partners to coordinate hay donations. This will help farmers recover from the disaster and support their livestock through the coming winter.

FCFI has identified two main ways to contribute to the effort:

1. Midwest Food Bank’s Hay Donation Program

Midwest Food Bank (MFB) has committed to sending 20 loads of alfalfa hay to Canton, N.C., to aid livestock farmers devastated by Hurricane Helene. This initiative is supported by a dedicated team of volunteer drivers and semi-truck transport, covering both the logistics and trucking costs, which are estimated to reach $25,000. MFB is committed to delivering this hay over several weeks, providing vital support as farmers work to rebuild.

To support this initiative, donations can be made directly to MFB on their website. Funds raised will go toward covering the trucking expenses, and any additional funds will increase the volume of hay transported, directly benefiting North Carolina’s hardest-hit farmers.

2. Bales of Hope - Hay Drive by Pontiac FFA

FCFI is also working with the Pontiac FFA on their “Bales of Hope” campaign. This relief initiative specifically targets affected countries in Tennessee and North Carolina, aiming to deliver donated hay, particularly large square bales but also rounds and small squares. These deliveries will reach towns along the Tennessee-North Carolina border, such as Washington, Unicoi, Greene, Carter, and Johnson counties in Tennessee, as well as Mitchell and Yancey counties in North Carolina.

If logistics can be worked out, farmers and ranchers may also consider donating hay. For further questions on how to help FCFI’s western North Carolina rescue mission, feel free to contact the FCFI team at https://www.fcfi.org/.

The FCFI has been active in missions around the world, including Mexico, Albania, Russia, Romania, as well in the United States.