**New Nonprofit Launched to Enhance Community Connection and Resource Reallocation Through Communication  During Disaster Recovery Effort**
 
 
**Asheville, NC, October 11, 2024** – In the wake of the devastating Hurricane Helene, a new nonprofit has been established to coordinate and improve communication within our community and to hopefully set precedent for other communities countrywide to create self established organizational tools to utilize during a crisis- a resource that has been desperately needed in our current situation. This organization was founded in response to the incredible outpouring of support and solidarity seen both locally and from our neighboring states, which have come together to provide essential aid to those affected. The volunteer efforts and the manpower that it has taken our community to receive, process, donate, and allocate has not been unnoticed. 
It has been two weeks since the hurricane struck, and our community has made remarkable progress with a big thanks to the dedication of volunteers and residents. Power is gradually being restored, but as resource needs shift and change, it is clear that a structured communication network is critical to the continued recovery effort of this magnitude. 
This orginization aims to create a district-style communication system that centralizes dispatch methods, allowing us to efficiently deploy volunteers and coordinate resources from all locations, centralize help, and begin to integrate future needs when distributing. Our goal is to establish a unified communication hub that enables all major centers to connect, ensuring aid and information are distributed swiftly and effectively.
Power is being slowly restored in some areas, reducing the reliance on generators. As these generators become less essential in certain neighborhoods, it is crucial to relocate them to those areas where power restoration may take longer. This reallocation will ensure that resources are efficiently used and available to those who will need them for the foreseeable future, supporting the overall recovery effort. We have received an abundance of help from other communities and neighboring states and with a unified approach, we can dispatch the appropriate resources to the appropriate places. 
We believe that Asheville and Western North Carolina can set an example for communities nationwide in establishing robust self-supporting systems for resource allocation and information dissemination. By transitioning away from fragmented
communication platforms, like Facebook, and fostering a cohesive network, we can better respond to our community's needs during this recovery phase and beyond.
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To become part of this initiative, please use the “Distribution Hub Onboarding Link”, provided to register your hub as a main location,  and share it with other coordinated representatives. Communication is key, and we urge everyone to join our team in this collective mission. We have also attached a collection of additional ways our volunteers and community can connect to get involved! 
 
We are grateful for the relentless commitment and effort put forth by everyone involved, and we invite more community members to join our cause. Together, we can rebuild stronger and more resilient than ever.
For more information or to join our communication network, please contact the local team at Operation Communication WNC828.
 
Operation Communication WNC828