WNC Hurricane Relief – Ways to Help

UNC Health Employee Assistance Fund

Gifts to the UNC Health Employee Assistance Fund will help provide emergency support to teammates in western North Carolina who have experienced catastrophic losses in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Your generosity will directly impact teammates facing urgent financial needs, offering assistance with temporary housing, food, water, and other essentials.

UNC School of Medicine Emergency Student Support Fund

Gifts to the UNC School of Medicine Emergency Student Support Fund provide immediate resources and solutions to assist medical students with urgent requests. Your generosity will support a wide range of emergency needs, from temporary housing, transportation, food, medical expenses not covered by insurance, mental health needs, and more.

Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Fund

Gifts to the AHEC Fund will be used to help Regional AHEC teammates in western North Carolina recover from the impact of Hurricane Helene.

UNC Health Teammate Giving Options

UNC Health teammates who wish to donate via payroll deduction or those who wish to donate PTO can do so at the link above.

UNC Health Resources and Updates

Read the latest on hospital and clinic closures, open pharmacies, and other relief resources.

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A Note From Wesley Burks, MD

Dear Friends,

The past week has been extremely difficult for our teammates, their friends, and families in Western North Carolina as the remnants of Hurricane Helene have had a devastating impact on the region.

Our teammates are dealing with widespread power outages, extreme flooding, mudslides, road closures and more, all while continuing to care for our patients and each other. Some teammates at our hospitals in Western North Carolina can’t even get into their workplaces because so many roads are completely shut down. Others have lost their homes and community members have been lost to the storm.

Our team is hurting across the region, but people are stepping up to help in whatever way they can. UNC Health will continue to take care of our patients as we support our teammates in this time of greatest need along with recovery and clean-up efforts.

We are working closely with leaders across our UNC Health system on the best ways to provide support both in the short term and the long term, as this will be a lengthy period of significant need for everyone in Western North Carolina. Our top priority is to help those who need it most while ensuring that well-intentioned assistance does not create additional challenges for these communities.

I hope you will consider a gift to one of the three funds listed above. This is the best way to have a positive impact right now and will allow leaders in WNC to address emergency needs as quickly as possible. Please continue to monitor this page and other communications from UNC Health Foundation with updates on the best ways to help.

Sincerely,

Wesley Burks, MD

CEO, UNC Health
Dean, UNC School of Medicine