To the Editor:

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) buys about $2 billion — billion — in U.S. agricultural products per year. American crops like wheat, peas, lentils, rice, corn, soybeans, vegetable oil and sorghum are purchased for USAID programs. 

For the fourth time in four months, the North Carolina General Assembly has introduced a bill to address lingering unmet needs in communities affected by Hurricane Helene last year — and there’s a strong chance it won’t be the last. 

After serving as the executive director of Haywood Pathways Center since 2017, Mandy Haithcox is stepping down. Haithcox and her family will be moving back to Minnesota where aging family members live and need the comfort of family in their midst. 

On Jan. 31, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, alongside Dogwood Health Trust, unveiled a $30 million grant program to aid small businesses in Western North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Haywood Christian Ministry’s food infrastructure is moving to a new facility in Bethel.  

HCM’s new food plan aims to ensure equitable food distribution across the county, not just in the population centers.

With billions in damages, limited state aid and considerable uncertainty surrounding federal funding, local officials are still pushing for streamlined disaster response to rebuild their communities months after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina.

At the request of Gov. Josh Stein, FEMA has granted North Carolina an extension for local governments and certain types of non-profits to apply for public assistance until Feb. 6, 2025. 

The deadline for North Carolinians in 39 counties to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance after Hurricane Helene has been extended to Jan. 7, 2025. 

When the Coronavirus Pandemic resulted in the closing of millions of businesses across the United States in March 2020, federal response was swift and decisive, helping to save as many as could be saved with multiple forms of assistance.

North Carolinians who lost access to water through a private well or damaged septic system as a result of Hurricane Helene may be eligible for FEMA assistance.