Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene devastated communities across western of North Carolina, Baptists on Mission has reached a major milestone in the ongoing rebuild efforts in the region by completing work on its 1,000th home.
The home belonging to Theresa Allison became the site of that milestone. Her Swannanoa residence was inundated with 3 feet of floodwater and thick mud after Helene swept through the area in late September of 2024. After months of work, hundreds of volunteers helped restore Allison’s home, allowing her to return.
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For Allison, the completion of her home represented more than the end of a construction project. Volunteers not only repaired walls and floors damaged by the flood, but they also demonstrated the care and compassion that have marked the ministry’s long-term response to the disaster.
“I just love the place,” said Allison, who bought her home in 1986. “And I love the way they fixed everything. But it just makes me feel really good, and everything is so beautiful.
“We don’t always know why things happen, but we know God is in control of all of it. And we must trust Him.”
Officials from Baptists on Mission, as well as a number of the volunteers who worked on the home, joined Allison on June 25 for a special celebration at the residence to mark the home’s completion.
Loss, hope and restoration
Allison’s home also represents one of the numerous recovery stories of loss, hope and restoration that Baptists on Mission leaders and volunteers have witnessed since Helene struck.
The milestone reflects nearly two years of ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts by Baptists on Mission following Hurricane Helene. Since the storm, thousands of volunteers have served homeowners across western North Carolina, completing projects ranging from mud-outs, tear-outs and debris removal to major reconstruction.
Repairs are underway on more than 200 additional homes, with even more projects in the pipeline. Volunteers have also built one home from the ground up and are currently constructing 24 others.
Rebuilding continues
Although Baptists on Mission has reached a significant benchmark, rebuilding efforts continue as volunteers work to help families still recovering from Helene.
“Rebuilding our 1,000th home is a testament to God’s faithfulness and to the thousands of volunteers, churches and partners who have answered the call to serve,” said Richard Brunson, North Carolina Baptists on Mission’s executive director. “Every home represents a family that has experienced tremendous loss, and our mission has always been to share the hope and love of Christ while helping them rebuild. We’re grateful for this milestone, but we know the work isn’t finished. Many families in western North Carolina are still waiting to come home, and we’re committed to continuing to help meet that need.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Chad Austin and originally published by the Biblical Recorder.
