At the beginning of the 2025 calendar year, Grounded Boots Relief was just receiving its very first grant and learning the complex reality of nonprofit administrative work behind the scenes. We had only recently become a nonprofit and had very little to our name beyond donated supplies and determination. There was no equipment inventory, no established systems, and no operational history to lean on.

 

One year later, that picture looks very different. Thanks to donor support and community trust, Grounded Boots Relief now operates with an enclosed cargo trailer, a landscape trailer, a Kawasaki Teryx, a 27 ton log splitter, a humanitarian tent, and equipped a Chevy Colorado to support field response. These assets exist so they can allow us to move faster, reach farther, and work more safely.

Operationally, 2025 proved what was possible even with limited resources. Through our Crisis Response program, we responded to flooding in Virginia, supported fire crews during the Polk County wildfires, and assisted with logistics during Tropical Storm Chantal in the Piedmont region. These deployments reinforced the importance of mobility, coordination, and readiness.

 

On the Long Term Recovery side, we worked both independently, and alongside trusted partners such as Nechama and Team Rubicon. Crews cut and removed significant volumes of storm damaged trees, cleared debris that blocked access and threatened homes, and supported residents who could not afford to address these hazards on their own. Donations received were not stockpiled. Items like propane and baby formula were delivered directly to partner nonprofits to meet immediate needs.

 

Internally, our Board of Directors became more steady and engaged while we continue rounding out our leadership team. We also hosted our first two public events, Bootstraps and Bids and Grounded and Grateful at Bold Rock, which helped build awareness, relationships, and sustainability.

 

For an organization still in its earliest stages, the amount accomplished in a single year is meaningful. It reflects what can happen when clarity of mission meets community support.

Looking ahead to 2026, the focus shifts from building capacity, to refining it. Growth remains ahead of us, but it is now more intentional. Early outreach was slow because we were unknown in spaces we had never entered before. As trust builds, access improves. Momentum compounds.

 

In the coming year, we are finalizing volunteer handbooks, formalizing training pathways, and strengthening deployment structures for both Long Term Recovery and Crisis Response. As teams become more comfortable in their roles, attention can move from broad planning to operational detail. Those details will define professionalism, safety, and reliability.

 

The goal for 2026 is not expansion for its own sake; it's about consistency, preparedness, and discipline. We will remain focused on why Grounded Boots Relief exists while improving how we execute the work.

Beyond 2026, the vision continues to grow with purpose and restraint. We plan to strengthen our ability to operate in snow, mud, rugged terrain, flooding, and areas affected by infrastructure failure throughout our response range. Medical aid delivery, chainsaw operations to clear access for emergency responders, and landscape assessments in access-limited environments will remain key priorities. At the same time, our Long Term Recovery work will continue locally for as long as unmet needs remain in our communities.

 

Grounded Boots Relief does not seek to replace emergency services. Our role is supplemental. We exist to extend reach, fill gaps, and support response systems when conditions overwhelm traditional access. Over time, we envision a multi location organization with strategically placed teams capable of responding regionally while remaining grounded in local partnerships.

 

These goals are ambitious. We recognize that. But it is worth remembering that this organization began with a single fundraiser to buy a chainsaw in response to Helene. If one year can produce this much progress, the next ten hold enormous potential.

 

We are ready for the work ahead.

An estimated 429 people are expected to die on U.S. roads during the 2026 New Year’s Day holiday period, making it one of the deadliest holidays for drivers each year.  
Source: nsc.org

(All events pending Blue Skies)  
Volunteer Work Day: January 3

As I was writing this edition of the Grounded Gazette, I had a quiet, sobering moment. We accomplished an incredible amount in a very short period of time. This year moved faster than almost any I can remember. We did more than I thought possible, and yet there were still things I wished we had time to finish. It was a reminder of why organizations are not built in a day. Still, when I think back to this time last year, when I was not even sure what Grounded Boots Relief might become, I feel deeply encouraged by how far we have come.

 

None of this happened in isolation. Our Board of Directors and advisory panel brought experience and credibility when we needed it most. Donors trusted us before we had a long track record. Readers stayed engaged and helped spread the word. Volunteers showed up and did the work. And the people we were able to help remind us why this all matters. Because of that collective effort, families did not have to shoulder thousands upon thousands of dollars in costs they simply could not afford. That is something I am incredibly proud of.

 

I look toward 2026 with high expectations, but I look back on 2025 with genuine pride. This year proved what is possible when people believe in a mission and commit to seeing it through.

 

As we move into the new year, please take care of yourselves. Thank you for making 2025 what it was. We are excited for what lies ahead and hope you are too. Happy New Year, and happy holidays to anyone I may have forgotten to mention earlier. It has been a busy year, as you might imagine.

 

We will see you in 2026, and hopefully in person at one of our volunteer events. January 3 in Edneyville might be a pretty good place to start.