Last week, under gray skies and shifting weather, volunteers from across the country came together in Hendersonville to clear fallen trees at one of the sites left devastated by Hurricane Helene.

Before a single tree hit the ground, our team, led by a skilled volunteer instructor with experience in Nechama, Team Rubicon, and NCVOAD walked us through the essentials. Safety first. Always. That meant proper gear, clear communication, and hands-on instruction with the saws. It also meant honoring the fact that every piece of machinery is a tool for service- not just a means to an end.

The group was as diverse as it was capable: volunteers came from Southern California, Minnesota, New York, and all points between. Different backgrounds. Different walks of life. Same commitment to showing up when it counts.

The rain started not long after we fired up the machines. But we kept going. Rain doesn’t stop recovery; it just makes the work heavier. It wasn’t until the thunder rolled in that we paused for safety. And even then, we didn’t waste the moment. Instead, we gathered for chainsaw maintenance training, learning how to keep the tools sharp, functional, and safe for the next cut.

We’re deeply grateful to the team at Nechama for traveling so far to stand beside us while they were in town, and we’re already looking forward to future collaborations. When folks from every corner of the country show up with steady hands and humble hearts, real progress happens. Even in the rain.

Months ago, as Tropical Storm Helene swept through Western North Carolina, a friend of our founder, John Badger, lost her home while she was working a shift as a 911 dispatcher. Her name is Miah. While she answered emergency calls for others, her own home was being gutted by the storm.

In the wake of that loss, Grounded Boots Relief partnered with our sister organization, Divine Disaster Relief, to help secure a trailer by the generosity of a donor where Miah could live while her home was being rebuilt. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it was a safe, dry, air-conditioned place to rest while the long process of recovery began.

This week, we went back to check in on Miah.

Her street still bears the marks of the storm. Some windows are still boarded. A few homes remain tagged with spray-painted search and rescue Xs. But amid the damage, there’s movement. Miah’s home, though stripped to the studs by volunteers, is taking shape again. The walls are going up. Cabinets have been hung. Progress is slow but steady. There's still work to be done, but Miah is full of hope and so are we.

The camper still sits behind her house, a small refuge in the heat of summer, offering shelter and a moment to breathe between work shifts and rebuilding days.

We captured a short video from our visit to share her story and the work still unfolding. You can find it on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Follow along, share it, and remember—recovery takes time, but every visit, every wall raised, and every show of support makes a difference.

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Nearly the Entire U.S. Feels the Impact
An astounding 96 percent of Americans live in counties that have been hit by at least one federally declared weather-related disaster since 2010—showing how nearly all of us face the consequences of extreme weather
Source: environmentamerica.org

This week’s been a full one at Grounded Boots Relief. Not the kind of busy that burns you out, but the kind where things start clicking into place. Momentum’s building- not just in pace, but in potential.

There’s a lot I could share, but we’re not there yet. I’ve learned to wait until the eggs hatch and file the proper paperwork.

Right now, we’re gathering support to cut down the cost of our “readiness buckets.” Name’s still in progress (open to ideas), but the purpose is locked in: 72-hour survival kits, ready to move before the dust even settles.

We’re also looking for warehouse space. Seven pallet slots minimum. Fourteen would be better. If you know someone with stackable storage and a heart for practical disaster relief, point them our way.

And then there’s the stuff that used to feel mundane like filing, scanning, sorting. After months of living out of a suitcase and dodging paperwork like I was playing Space Invaders, I finally spent time organizing the mess. Insurance docs printed. Receipts labeled. Volunteer lists sorted. It felt good. Necessary. Long overdue. We’ve also added a new volunteer out of Georgia who’s helping us go after grant funding. If you know of a grant, or if you write them yourself, email us at info@groundedbootsrelief.org. We could use the backup.

I don’t usually write these with a script. Today’s no different. But what I am saying is this: we need your help. We always have. Everything we’ve done so far has been possible because people showed up. If we want to do more, we’ll need more.

John S. Badger