Giving Tuesday Is Coming Up!

Nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville, N.C., is prepared for snow. But hurricanes? Not so much. When Hurricane Helene came roaring through in late September 2024, people in the region weren’t prepared. Many lost everything and were suddenly homeless. But Operation Blessing, which is a faith-based organization, is stepping up to help by building about 175 new houses and repairing others for the Asheville area’s hurricane survivors.

Operation Blessing is one of many non-profits that rely on contributions, and Giving Tuesday (Dec. 3) is a good time to give. Charities welcome donations throughout the year but Giving Tuesday places a special focus on giving rather than receiving.

It’s always held on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Donations are tax-deductible, and many are matched by donors to the charity.

What is Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday is a global effort that has been called a day of “radical generosity around the world.” It’s one day in the year when giving is definitely better than receiving, as it supports non-profit

organizations by:

• Promoting campaigns
• Involving supporters
• Attracting new supporters
• Soliciting donations
• Highlighting non-profit missions
• Encouraging year-end giving
• Strengthening connections with communities

The Devastation in Asheville

Hurricane Helene killed more than 200 people, making it the third-deadliest storm in this century after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Maria. Katrina, which struck in 2005, caused nearly 1,400 deaths, and Maria, which hit in 2017, resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths, per the news site Axios.

Helene was the worst disaster in the Asheville area since the Great Flood of 1916. It inflicted major damage in neighborhoods, caused landslides and washed away roads including a stretch of interstate in North Carolina. It also knocked out electricity and cell service and forced many residents to evacuate.

Housing Needs in the Asheville Area

Operation Blessing helps meet several needs when disaster strikes, such as providing hot meals and clean water, delivering medical care and assisting with decent housing.

At this point, a major need for Asheville is housing. Many people fled their homes with nothing but the clothes they were wearing. Sadly, many returned to find that their homes had washed away or were severely damaged.

Operation Blessing’s building and repair project in Asheville is a partnership with World Vision and other groups. It will be a godsend for hurricane survivors who are living in tents and struggling to survive as winter weather grips the region.

“Now, freezing temperatures, rain and snow are creating dangerous conditions,” said Drew Friedrich, Operation Blessing’s chief operating officer.

“… it’s a game of survival every day for the people of this region and surrounding mountain towns,” according to Operation Blessing media liaison Hayley Henson. “We don’t get to leave this disaster zone. It’s our reality every day.”

Setting Priorities

“The majority of homes that we work on will be located in the Ridgecrest/Black Mountain and Swannanoa areas, but we’re not necessarily limiting our reach to only these communities,” Friedrich explained.

He said the timeframe for repairs depends, in part, on the amount of damage a home’s structure has sustained. There also are permitting issues to resolve. “We’ve already identified 130 homes that are in the

system for assessment and construction,” he added.

Friedrich noted that the goal is to get people into homes as soon as possible. Helping business owners get back to work is another priority. To those ends, Operation Blessing is currently building warehouse space to house construction materials and is helping woodworkers return to work before the Christmas holidays.

Christmas will be an extremely difficult time for hurricane survivors in western North Carolina. Friedrich said his organization has already provided hundreds of hot meals for hurricane survivors, is distributing food for Thanksgiving, and has plans to deliver Christmas baskets. They also have received a truckload of donated toys that will be given to children impacted by the storm.

Lost Livelihoods

Operation Blessing also is helping give Asheville’s River Arts District a new life. Prior to Helene, about 300 artists displayed and sold their work in the 26 galleries located there. In the aftermath of the disaster, employees of the faith-based organization scoured the rubble in search of items such as hand-carved furniture, jewelry and paintings that could be salvaged.

More recently, the organization set up temporary space where woodworkers could go back to work. It’s also helping people like a winery owner whose business was swept away by flood water. And it may work with business owners to set up online services they can use to sell their products and regain some of their lost income.

A Labor of Love

“No one was prepared for flooding like this,” said Stuart Hough of Sunnyside Trading Co. Hough spent decades filling the store with beautiful furniture, rugs and other objects, only to see much of his inventory destroyed.

Operation Blessing’s CEO is optimistic, though. “The life and the energy that was there in the River Arts District will be back. And Operation Blessing’s going to play a big role in that,” Friedrich said. His

the organization intends to stay in Asheville and surrounding areas as needed. It also will continue to help people impacted by Hurricane Milton in Florida, Georgia and other areas.

“Workers and volunteers consider it a labor of love, all in the name of Jesus,” according to the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), which has been reporting on the devastation and recovery efforts in the Asheville area. (In the spirit of full disclosure, let me point out that the late Pat Robertson founded Operation Blessing in 1978 as part of the CBN umbrella of ministries.)

Prayer has been an important part of these efforts, according to Operation Blessing CEO Friedrich. “It’s that hug, it’s that letting people know that they’re not alone,” he said.

Finding the Right Charity

There is a great need for disaster relief and other aid in many parts of the world, and numerous organizations are dedicated to providing it. Among the best-known are UNICEF, the American Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Salvation Army, Volunteers of America, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).

It’s always a good idea to check into a charity before donating. One place to start is Charity Navigator, a non-profit that’s funded by individuals, foundations and corporations. It’s important to know that it does not accept financial support from the charities it evaluates.

You also may want to check the Internal Revenue website, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, or other reputable websites for information.

For Charity Navigator, click here. Then, enter the charity’s name in the “Making a Difference Starts Here” box to see a very brief overview, numeric score and rating for that charity.

Be aware that Operation Blessing International has a score of 99 percent and a 4-star rating, while the score for Operation Blessing Inc. is 77 percent and its rating is 2 stars.

And don’t forget Giving Tuesday. Please consider giving to the charity of your choice on Dec. 3. Donations are tax-deductible, and many are matched by donors who support the charity on that one day.

Looking for a unique way to participate in Giving Tuesday? Check out where Giving Machines are in your area.