Honoring Helene’s Heroes

On November 13th, Governor Josh Stein honored eight extraordinary “Helene Heroes” during the 2025 North Carolina Awards ceremony at the historic Grove Park Inn in Asheville. Established by the General Assembly in 1961, the North Carolina Awards recognize individuals whose contributions strengthen and inspire our state—making it the perfect setting to celebrate the heroes who stepped up after Hurricane Helene.  Governor Stein praised the honorees for their resilience, service, and compassion, noting that each embodied the spirit of neighbors helping neighbors during a time of immense loss.

The Helene Heroes recognized were:

• Claire Neal, CEO of MANNA Food Bank, whose team rebuilt operations after catastrophic damage and distributed more than 9.2 million pounds of food in the first five months after the storm.

• Matt Martinka and Nathan Curlee of Duke Energy, who hiked nearly two miles through dangerous terrain to restore power to the Asheville VA Medical Center.

• Amanda Watts, a Yancey County nurse who helped establish a field hospital in Burnsville to ensure continued medical care after the storm.

• Pastor David and DeLaina Lewkowicz of The Bridge Church in Hendersonville, who partnered with Mercy Chefs to serve thousands of hot meals to families who had lost their homes.

• Katherine and Eric Church, co-founders of Chief Cares, who raised millions to build homes for families displaced by Helene. 

Their stories offered a powerful reminder that even in the darkest moments, hope rises through the hands and hearts of everyday heroes.

Boost Donor Participation—Add an Exciting Giveaway to Your Drive!

Tie a giveaway to your collection drive! Drives on Benevolist.org have seen incredible donor engagement when an attractive incentive was offered. Consider giving away tickets, a gift card, or a freebie from your business in exchange for a donation.

One nonprofit recently offered a free concert link for anyone donating two toys from their list—and the response was huge. Get creative and give it a try!

Learn how to start your first drive here:

New Features Spotlight: Tools to Help You Build Better Drives

We’re always working to make Benevolist easier to use, more flexible, and more impactful for the nonprofits and volunteers who use it. This month, we’re excited to share three new enhancements designed to give drive organizers more control and customization than ever before:

Rich Text Editor for Drive Descriptions
Your story matters—now you can tell it your way.

Drive descriptions now include a full Rich Text Editor, giving you the ability to bold, underline, add lists, embed links, and format your message exactly how you want. Now you can create clearer calls to action, highlight urgent needs, and share your mission with more personality and polish.

Up to 3 Rotating Images on Your Drive Page
Bring your drive to life visually!

You can now upload up to three images to your drive page. They’ll rotate automatically in the image section, giving supporters a more dynamic, engaging view of your mission—whether it’s photos of your programs, volunteers in action, or items being collected.

Manually Adjust Item Pricing
No more deleting and re-adding items when merchant prices fluctuate.

Organizers can now manually adjust pricing for any item in a drive. This makes it easier to keep your lists up to date, avoid confusion for donors, and maintain momentum even when retailers change prices behind the scenes.

CEO REFLECTIONS

In October 2024, I traveled to Western North Carolina to help with Hurricane Helene recovery. My friends with Third Wave Volunteers graciously welcomed me as we fearlessly ventured into mountain areas that had been completely devastated by flooding. Going door to door, we met families who had not yet received any assistance—many without electricity, running water, or any way to get down the mountain for essential provisions. The shock on their faces was palpable. Together, we distributed solar lights, water purification bags, blankets, and hugs, trying to offer both practical help and a bit of comfort.

A year later, many of these families are still struggling—especially renters whose homes were completely washed away. They were truly left with nothing. But programs like Renew NC and Blue Haven are now offering security, hope, and a fresh start to families who once feared they had been forgotten.  

Together we can make a difference!

Cari Newton, Founder & CEO

Meet

Amanda Watts, RN

Pediatric ICU Nurse, Burnsville, North Carolina

Burnsville native and veteran nurse Amanda Watts became a lifeline for her community after Hurricane Helene. When her parents evacuated to the Burnsville Fire Department, Amanda immediately stepped in—helping transform the station into an emergency field hospital that she lived and worked in around the clock for more than two months.

With little more than first-aid supplies in the early days, Amanda and a small team triaged patients, made critical transport decisions, and even rode with a laboring mother to Mission Hospital to ensure safe care.

Her compassion didn’t end when the crisis passed. The field hospital she helped build has since inspired a long-term free medical clinic, where Amanda still volunteers weekly, caring for 10–20 patients who might otherwise go without.

Amanda’s steady presence and deep love for her community made her an indispensable force in Helene recovery—and a true North Carolina changemaker.

Thank You to Our Partners!

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