BOONE, N.C. — The immediate relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Helene have focused on food, water, and shelter.
Boone businesses say there's another gap needing immediate relief: childcare.
“The more news we got, the worse it got," said Halee Hartley. "That's when we realized, 'man we’re actually in disaster mode at this point. We’ve got to make sure our families are taken care of.'”
Hartley is the owner and director of Kid Cove, which operates multiple childcare facilities in the area.
While their facilities are open, others aren't as lucky. Multiple are damaged beyond reopening, and some are fully inaccessible because of road conditions.
On Monday, Mary Stiles was finally able to reopen her center, Merry Land Academy. She says it was important that she get it back up and running as soon as possible.
"There's already a shortage of childcare in Watauga County," Stiles said. "They need a place that they know is safe for their children to be able to take them in every day for them to go to work."
Watauga County was already short more than 500 childcare sports, according to a recent report from the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce.
That's why they decided to step in. The Chamber of Commerce Foundation Board of Directors has allocated $125,000 to families needing to pay childcare tuition this month.
“Those payments aren’t small, right?" said David Jackson, President and CEO of the Chamber. "That could be meaningful income that could stay within the family so they could deal with some of the other things.”
Hartley says it's generosity like this and camaraderie between the childcare centers that makes this possible.
"Childcare is not a competition in Boone," Hartley said. "We're all here for each other."
Kid Cove at Lynhill is accepting donations. They're in need of formula, diapers, wipes, and warm clothes for children and people of all ages.