CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Over the past several days the WCNC Charlotte team has been working hard to make an impact alongside so many of you in our community after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina.
The overwhelming amount of support WCNC Charlotte has seen from everyone Is nothing short of incredible.
WCNC Charlotte's Vanessa Ruffes has been on the ground in Hickory, North Carolina, as nonprofit Operation Airdrop crews collected necessities like food, water, and medicine and delivered them straight to those who need it most. WCNC Charlotte's cameras were there as the teams flew in evacuees from these devastated areas, finding refuge in our area. These heroes worked around the clock, taking 554 flights to haul 317,000 pounds of supplies for our North Carolina neighbors in need. But Operation Airdrop couldn't have done all of that without your life-saving donations.
WCNC Weather Impact Team Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich and Weather Forecaster Larry Sprinkle were there as thousands of WCNC Charlotte viewers and Charlotte area businesses came to Concord, North Carolina, in droves, handing off pallets of paper towels, cleaning supplies, and canned goods.
Closets By Design will be donating 1% or up to $20,000 of their sales for the month of October to Operation Airdrop and hurricane disaster relief.
Earth Kind donated boxes filled with 1,450 pocket mosquito sprays to the Operation Airdrop supply drive.
And Nissin Food Group USA donated 4,000 Cup Noodles to Operation Airdrop.
Both Brad and Larry themselves, along with our photojournalists pushing up their sleeves, loading up trucks, meeting with people from all corners of the Carolinas, hearing their stories and their impact.
On Thursday, WCNC Charlotte teamed up with the American Red Cross to host a phone bank at the TV station, and the viewers stepped up.
Phones were ringing for 11 hours as WCNC Charlotte team members answered their calls, accepting monetary donations. WCNC Charlotte, along with the TEGNA Foundation, contributed to the fundraising efforts, too. The result was WCNC Charlotte collecting more than $141,000 for the Red Cross.
Hughes Floor Covering and Closets by Design each donated $2,500.
For those who have already donated and continue to donate, WCNC Charlotte thanks you so much for making an impact.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross, Operation Airdrop or to a number of other organizations helping Helene relief, here's how:
If you wish to donate by mail, you can print and fill out a donation form and mail it to:
American Red Cross
PO Box 37839
Boone, IA 50037-0839
Donations can also be made via phone at:
1-800-435-7669
TDD Operator: 1-800-220-4095
Operation Airdrop
Through Thursday, the nonprofit Operation Airdrop collected donated supplies to fly from Concord to western North Carolina for Hurricane Helene relief. Thursday was the last day for supply donations at the Walmart in Concord.
Donations are still being accepted at
Statesville Regional Airport
238 Airport Road
Statesville, NC 28677
8am-4pm
Lincolnton Regional Airport
714 jack Dellinger Road
Iron Station, NC 28080
Operation Airdrop asks that donations be sent directly to these critical locations:
Maggie Valley Police Department
5095 old river road, Waynesville 28786
Contact: Chris Anthony (+1 828-246-7969)
West Jefferson - Musicians Mission of Mercy / Compassionate Commissary
20 E Ashe St., West Jefferson, NC
Contact: Catherine Steele (+1 828-434-8888)
Ground Force Humanitarian Aid - SAFE Camp
2514 Halltown Rd, Spruce Pine, NC 28777
Sign up to volunteer at Volunteer.GoCajunNavy.org
Donations for Operation Airdrop are being collected at the following locations in Charlotte:
Patagonia Charlotte
101 Worthington Ave. Charlotte, NC 28203
Monday-Friday 11 a.m. - 7p.m; Sunday, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m.
SEAC Village
500 Bradford Dr. Charlotte, NC 28208
Monday-Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Common Market Oakwood
4420-A Monroe Rd, Charlotte, NC 25205
Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Carolina Migrant Network
3400 Shamrock Dr, Charlotte, NC 28215
Monday- Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Chabad of Charlotte
6619 Sardis Rd, Charlotte, NC 28270
PlantHouse
2452 Park Rd Unit D, Charlotte, NC 28203
7211 Waverly Walk Ave B-3, Charlotte, NC 28277
16641 Birkdale Commons Pkwy Suite 210, Huntersville, NC 28078
Compleat KiDZ
54 Myrtle St. Belmont, NC 28012
This support is incredible, but of course, there's more work to be done. WCNC Charlotte is dedicated to being in the communities, hearing their stories and, most importantly, making an impact.
WCNC Charlotte wants to thank the viewers for their continued generosity.