On Friday, December 20, the City of Concord sent more than two tons of essential supplies to the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry located in Arden, N.C. The supplies were collected by City employees during a month-long donation drive to help meet the needs of Western North Carolina families as they continue to rebuild and recover from Hurricane Helene.
In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene, more than 65 employees from the City of Concord Aviation, Electric Systems, Fire, and Police departments deployed to Western North Carolina to assist in recovery efforts in Forest City, Black Mountain, Asheville, Ashe County, and Rutherford County. The City’s airport team also stepped up to quickly establish the base of operation for Operation Air Drop at Concord-Padgett Regional Airport and facilitated moving more than one million pounds of supplies through the airport by air and truck.
While not every member of Team Concord could directly deploy to the mountains or assist at the airport, they all wanted to help, so staff initiated a donation drive to help meet the ongoing and emerging needs of communities impacted by the hurricane. During the month of November, City employees donated essential items like diapers, formula, toiletries, pet food, winter weather supplies, non-perishable food, and more. In total, 4,624 pounds of supplies were donated by members of Team Concord. The City’s Buildings & Grounds and Warehouse teams facilitated the collection and storage of items, and the Fire Department delivered them to Arden, N.C.
Team Concord’s mission is to provide excellent service, and that service doesn’t stop at the city’s borders. Rooted in shared values of compassion and service to others, Team Concord continues to support its neighbors in Western North Carolina.