Commentary: Post Helene Appalachia Needs Swift Congressional Action
Over two months have passed since hurricane Helene tore through Central Appalachia, taking over 230 lives, displacing thousands, and causing an estimated $225 billion in damages—the worst natural disaster in our region’s history. A large portion of the area has been left to grapple with the devastating realities of food scarcity, a lack of clean water, loss of homes, and limited connectivity. In the meantime, Congress has failed to pass an emergency relief bill and bolster FEMA’s funding when, for comparison, relief for hurricane Katrina came within 10 days and hurricane Harvey within seven days. We need Congress to act this week to pass a relief package before the Christmas recess that mobilizes resources and empowers communities to define their own recovery.
Years of disinvestment in Central Appalachia left our region ill-prepared for a disaster of this magnitude, leaving many to turn to philanthropic organizations that have answered the call. However, private philanthropy cannot carry the weight of this daunting task. The federal government alone has the ability and authority to mobilize resources at the scale required by a disaster of this magnitude. In this pivotal moment, federal and philanthropic leaders alike must act with urgency and intentionality. Without clarity from the federal government about the scope of its response, philanthropy faces challenges in identifying gaps and determining how best to deploy resources to meet immediate and long-term needs.
Helene was no ordinary storm; it was a disaster of biblical proportions, dumping record-breaking rain, wind, and flooding across Western North Carolina, East Tennessee, and parts of Virginia. Entire towns were washed away. Local heroes are still doing everything they can—clearing roads, delivering supplies, and helping neighbors salvage what little is left—but they cannot do it alone. Communities that have already given so much to America now need rebuilding, facing challenges that require immediate, sustained attention.
Yet, as we work to provide aid, Appalachia’s story is often misrepresented by a national narrative that paints the region as isolated, backward, or resistant to outsiders. These stereotypes, long used to justify neglect and exploitation, continue to distort the realities on the ground today. As my father, Ronald D. Eller, once wrote in Uneven Ground, “We know Appalachia exists because we need it to exist to define what we are not.” The truth is more complex, not told in false elegies about hillbillies by politically motivated opportunists, but rather, better seen as a mirror in which America can see itself.
Appalachia receives a fraction of the philanthropic support other regions see, with funders in rural Central Appalachia having access to only one-tenth the resources of their urban counterparts. This disparity is all the more striking considering the magnitude of challenges here, even before the storm—broadband, healthcare, and food deserts; intergenerational poverty born from extraction; and the ongoing opioid crisis. In light of the over $225 billion in damage from hurricane Helene, the losses go beyond infrastructure. We've lost lives, homes, communities, ecologically rich lands, and irreplaceable cultural sites, including up to 20% of our forest cover. It’s not just a financial loss; it’s a deep wound to the fabric of our region.
Appalachia has given this country more than most realize: its timber built our homes, its coal fueled the Industrial Revolution, and its people—who serve in the military at the highest per capita rates in the nation—have sacrificed for America time and again. This region needs more than our admiration; it requires action and undivided attention.
Appalachia has enriched our nation’s cultural, historical, and social landscape, embodying a spirit of service that reaches far beyond its borders. Our country owes Appalachia more than thoughts and prayers—it owes a commitment to helping these communities rebuild stronger and safer. This is not about entitlement but honoring an overdue debt of respect and action. We urgently need swift government action to supplement philanthropic efforts, ensuring a comprehensive, equitable recovery for our region. Congress must not allow Appalachia’s needs to be forgotten in the shuffle of election promises and political agendas. Emergency legislation is needed to address this disaster's immediate and long-term impacts, ensuring Appalachia’s path to recovery is not delayed.
The Reverend Ryan M. Eller is executive director of the Appalachia Funders Network.
This article first appeared on The Daily Yonder and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.