This post was originally posted to the Lutheran Disaster Response Carolinas blog.

Several individuals and congregations have asked how we can help provide some Christmas cheer for families impacted by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina.  We had an idea, but wanted to follow our own advice to not just send stuff without determining what was actually needed.  So we reached out to the ELCA pastors from Hendersonville to Boone for information about how we could best support families in their communities.

We learned that our idea of sending gift cards would work well in some areas, but not as well in others.  Some congregations are already planning to work with social ministry programs in their communities, and a partner organization has plans to provide special parties at local schools.  As a result, we are offering multiple suggestions about how we can all work together to help provide Christmas gifts to others who are struggling after the storm, in both North and South Carolina.

1. Provide gift cards ($25 per card) that can be used to purchase food, fuel, tools or home repair supplies, or other gift items. Suggested retailers include Ingles, Aldi’s, or Food Lion; Speedway or Shell; Lowes or Home Depot; Walmart or Target; or Visa gift cards.
2. Make financial donations to LDR Carolinas (designated for Christmas).  These donations will be distributed to congregations to assist community organizations already planning Angel Trees, Blessing Bags, or other programs in their local communities.
3. While we already have several hundred Children’s Comfort Kits on hand, one of our NCVOAD (North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) partners would like to distribute them at several school events in December, so we can use even more.

Please let us know if you plan to participate in one of these ways.  Whatever you choose, please make sure your gift or donation will arrive by Friday, December 13.

You can make donations online here.

Send checks or gift cards to LDR Carolinas at the NC Synod office (1988 Lutheran Synod Drive, Salisbury NC 28144) for distribution.

Deliver Children’s Comfort Kits to the NC Synod office or one of these congregations which are serving as collection points:

• Good Shepherd,  Raleigh NC
• Zion, Hickory NC
• Zion, Lexington SC