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As we approach the 1 year anniversary of Hurricane Helene and its lasting impact on our mountain region, GreyBeard Realty remembers folks in our community who were most affected by this event. While so much has improved in a year's time, we recognize that for some, recovery is still happening. Similar to anyone who has experienced a natural disaster close to home, the experience is uniquely personal when it is a firsthand encounter. Our thoughts are with the families of those who experienced loss of life, homes, jobs, and a general sense of security and stability.
In acknowledging that recovery is still ongoing for people in our community, GreyBeard Realty has partnered with a variety of non-profit organizations, both through volunteer work and financial assistance, in an attempt to meet members of our community at their point of need. We have recently become a sponsor of the Grace in Action Fund, which is a community-based initiative that provides direct rent, mortgage, and utility assistance to neighbors across Western North Carolina counties.
Directed by Asheville’s Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in collaboration with the Land of the Sky Association of Realtors (LOTSAR), the program aims to keep families in their homes in Western North Carolina. Recipients of the assistance include storm survivors, single parents, seniors on fixed incomes, and service/hospitality workers who are at risk of losing housing as a result of this traumatic event. To date, the fund has distributed over $5.5 million to families and individuals.
We know that community support and service are the heartbeat of our mountain communities, and it's a big reason we have staff and team members who actively 
volunteer with non-profit groups such as Appalachian Community Relief and Bounty and Soul, which provide free groceries and produce to folks in the community who have ongoing needs. After the storm, we also had many staff members who rallied together and volunteered for everything from home cleanup to trail maintenance to tree work. The collective effort has been inspiring, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support our community.
Twelve of our GreyBeard realtors and rental staff had the opportunity to participate in the ExploreAsheville-sponsored Helene Milestone Day of Service on the first anniversary of the event. Team members launched canoes and embarked on a clean-up in and around the French Broad River and Karen Cragnolin Park with local non-profits RiverLink and Asheville Greenworks.
Looking forward, many positive changes and improvements have taken place, yet we recognize that there’s still progress to be made and challenges to overcome. Thank you for partnering with our team to care for this extraordinary and resilient community and build a bright future for Asheville and the surrounding Western North Carolina region. To learn more about the non-profit organizations and boards that our GreyBeard team members are involved with, take a look at our community involvement page.