Want to support Western NC? Check out these fundraisers, drives & other ways to help

In the wake of Helene, North Carolinians have mobilized to support communities in the western region of the state as they begin to recover and rebuild.

Well-known musicians such as Luke Combs, Eric Church, James Taylor, Billy Strings and Ben Folds have announced benefit concerts. Local businesses in the Triangle and Charlotte have collected clothing and other supplies to share as temperatures drop. The Carolina Hurricanes donated ticket sales and donations to hurricane relief funds. Michael Jordan and his 23XI Racing team contributed $1 million to Second Harvest of Metrolina and the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund. Restaurants in the Triangle set aside some proceeds from sales for relief efforts.

And still more is being done.

Here’s a list of fundraising events and donation drives.

Olympian Marion Jones hosts virtual group fitness event

Marion Jones , an alumna of the University of North Carolina and Olympic track and field athlete, is hosting a free virtual group fitness training event at 7 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 10 , in partnership with Driven Inc.

For every person who joins the class , a $50 donation will be made to BeLoved Asheville , which is focused on providing aid to North Carolina residents impacted by Helene.

Participants can also match or exceed the $50 donation with a contribution of their own, to receive a free T-shirt. Email a receipt of your donation, along with your name, address and T-shirt size to help@driveinc.com.

Raleigh-area musicians hold free concert & donation drive

The Heart of Carolina Jazz Orchestra and Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble are hosting a free concert in Raleigh.

Attendees are asked to bring cash to donate to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund or items such as tarps, bottled water, charcoal and lighter fluid, ready-to-eat food, manual can openers, plastic eating utensils, cleaning supplies, diapers and wipes, pet food and paper plates and cups.

The concert is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13 , at Greystone Baptist Church, 7509 Lead Mine Road .

Donate while buying NC State Fair tickets

You can support disaster relief efforts while purchasing tickets to the NC State Fair. All money collected will go to the MANNA FoodBank of Asheville , which lost its distribution warehouse in the hurricane.

When purchasing fair tickets online, a “State Fair Cares” boxed link will pop up on the shopping cart page before you check out. Visit ncagr.gov/divisions/ncstatefair/2024/buytixnow to buy tickets and donate.

Buy tee shirts to benefit western North Carolina

Many local and regional shops are selling apparel, like tee shirts and sweatshirts , to donate funds to organizations working in storm-hit areas, and all you have to do is click “buy.”

For details, designs and prices, visit charlotteobserver.com .

Country artist Sturgill Simpson fundraising concert in Cary

Country musician Sturgill Simpson will perform a benefit concert at Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre on Monday, Oct. 21 . All proceeds from the event will be donated to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund .

Tickets will be available beginning with a local venue pre-sale on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. and general sale Friday, Oct. 11 at 10 a.m. Visit sturgillsimpsonlive.com for information and tickets.

Simpson was originally scheduled to perform at Asheville’s ExploreAsheville.com Arena on Monday, Oct. 21, but the show has been canceled with plans to be rescheduled.

Appalachian Aid Music Festival to benefit Helene victims

The Appalachian Aid Music Festival will take place at Carolina West Wireless Community Commons in downtown Wilkesboro on Saturday, Oct. 19, 12-9 p.m. Tickets will be $20 for general admissions and are available on Eventbrite .

The event will feature Alex Key, John PayCheck, Wayne Henderson, The Contenders, Taylon Hope, Matt Bizzell, Holy Water, BRB and others. Proceeds will be distributed through Musicians Mission of Mercy , a nonprofit based in Ashe County.

Western NC shops and restaurants could use our help from afar

The hurricane devastated so many of our mountain towns who rely on tourism, especially right near the peak of leaf-changing season, and supporting these businesses feels more critical than ever. Officials have asked us not to travel to Western North Carolina for fun right now, and many of these shops were absolutely devastated, so there would be no place for us to visit even if we could get there.

But there are a few ways you can help support the area from afar:

• Local shops and restaurants are beginning to offer ways to support them online, including making purchases and supporting fundraising efforts. One business suggested including a note stating “Ship when the time is right” with your purchases, and that’s probably a great idea for all of these places.
• Another idea is to book a rental or a session with a place that you don’t plan on using, so the business is able to pocket the money. This may help hospitality folks who can’t work during this time.

Find a list of businesses and ways you can help at charlotteobserver.com .

Is there a fundraising event we missed? Let us know.

Ask the North Carolina Service Journalism Team

Have a question about your community you’d like answered? Or maybe a tip or story idea you’d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.

• If you have a question about the Charlotte area , send The Charlotte Observer team a question by submitting questions to this form .
• If you have a question about Raleigh or a Triangle area community, send The News & Observer team a question by submitting questions to this form .

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