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With donations pouring in, this district set up a distribution site complete with delivery service

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In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Henderson County Public Schools (HCPS) has gone the extra mile. After receiving an outpouring of donations, including clothes, food, and other essential items, HCPS set up a district-wide distribution site for families complete with a home delivery service if needed.

“This is what we do,” said Sugarloaf Elementary Principal Ashley Newcomer. “We take care of our families each and every day.”

Katie Bradley, principal of Hillandale Elementary School, echoed the sentiment: “We did it before (the storm), and we are doing it now.”

Since Helene forced HCPS (and many other districts in western North Carolina) to close, principals and district staff have gathered daily to plan for the return of staff and students.

In a message to parents, Superintendent Mark Garrett praised district staff, detailing their commitment during this challenging time. 

“Over the past 13 days, they’ve shown remarkable dedication—checking on students, staff, and families, working at distribution centers, and offering their support wherever it was needed. Their work behind the scenes, from cleaning up storm damage to preparing our schools for reopening, has been inspiring. It is thanks to their hard work that we’re able to move forward, and I know our schools will feel the love and care that went into making them safe and welcoming once again.”

Mark Garrett, Henderson County Public Schools Superintendent

Henderson County Public Schools will reopen on Oct. 15th. The opening is an attempt to provide enough time for families and educators to prepare as well as give the county a few more days to improve its infrastructure, according to a district message.

Garrett said the district plans to run as many bus routes as they safely can but will need to employ community stops while roads are being repaired.

Atkinson Elementary School suffered damage, forcing the district to relocate staff and students to the Fazio Family Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County.

“While 22 schools will resume their regular operations, Atkinson Elementary School experienced flooding during the storm, resulting in some damage that needs to be repaired before students and staff can safely return to campus,” a press release stated.

A distribution site with a twist

In the days following the storm, Sugarloaf Elementary School became a distribution site for the 23 schools in the district.

The entire gym was filled with clothes arranged by size for babies all the way to adults, and their cafeteria became a makeshift storefront of tables lined with essential items — a general store to aid in Hurricane Helene relief efforts, with a twist. 

Instead of families “shopping” for essential items, school staff and volunteers started fulfilling orders. 

As personal donations started pouring into the county, some coming from as far as California, the district quickly stood up the store.

Community members in need filled out a Google Form requesting essential items — everything from food to paper goods to cleaning supplies to clothes. If an item was listed on the form’s general list, families could indicate a need in a separate entry box.

Sugarloaf staff wrote the order on a slip of paper and passed it to other volunteers, who loaded items in boxes. 

Families indicated whether the items were needed within the next 24 hours. The form asked if transportation was an issue and if delivery was needed. 

Once an order was fulfilled, the box was placed in one of three categories: delivery, school pick-up, or distribution site pick-up. Families could pick up from the distribution site once they were notified their order was ready. Staff members from other area schools were picking up fulfilled orders and taking them to their school, eliminating the burden of long drives for families.

For those who indicated transportation was an issue, staff delivered items to their homes, some using personal vehicles to do so. 

As of Oct. 7, nearly 150 families had been served by the distribution site at Sugarloaf. 

Sugarloaf is now preparing their building for students’ return on Oct. 15. The school plans to maintain their clothing and supply site in the gym for one more week – inviting staff of the remaining 22 schools in the district to shop for their schools’ families and students.

Resources and supplies are still available for all families at their individual schools.

Supporting students and families long term

HCPS principals and administrators are currently anticipating ongoing needs for the coming weeks and and months — items like winter clothing, furniture, home or property repairs, heating assistance, and other unexpected needs, said Kimbrell Arrowood, public information officer at HCPS.

The district created a Hurricane Helene relief fund to prepare for long-term support of families through the Henderson County Education Foundation. Every dollar donated will be used to assist HCPS students and families.

Emily Thomas

Emily Thomas is the Director of Postsecondary Attainment for EducationNC.