Last week Tropical Storm Chantal devastated parts of the Triangle with historic flooding, leaving certain communities with unimaginable damage to their homes, businesses, and neighborhoods.
Mutual Aid groups around the Triangle have been hard at work helping out and organizing volunteers to help pitch in. One of those volunteers is Steph Stewart of the band Blue Cactus. Stewart has been working Triangle Mutual Aid at their distribution hub in Carrboro. Triangle Mutual Aid is an organization that collects donations and connects volunteers within the Triangle with communities that need their help. Volunteers for the organization work both on site where the damage has happened, and in a distribution center where they collect, organize, and distribute donations of food and clothing.
"I've particularly been helping out at Camelot Village Apartments in Chapel Hill. Triangle Mutual Aid has been helping people remove water damaged items from their homes and to find temporary housing for people who don't have homes right now," Stewart said. "There are a lot of different people with different skill sets helping out who are not only helping themselves but teaching other people how they can help."
Stewart added that while the damage is devastating, she's been inspired to see the community chip in to help.
"Yesterday there was an older man who lost his beloved record collection to the flood. It broke my heart knowing this collection that meant so much to him was covered in mold, so I made some calls," she said. "The people at the Southern Folklife Collection were really helpful with explaining how to wash the records and preserve them. Then Ethan (Clauset) from All Day Records volunteered to do the cleaning and donated some clean sleeves. The man who lost his collection was so excited. I could see the life come back in him. The original sleeves were ruined but we were able to clean the records and preserve the music, and that's what mattered most to him."
Stewart said the best way for people to get involved is to follow Triangle Mutual Aid on Facebook and Instagram. You can also find up-to-date information on their website.
"I just want to highlight that you don't have to be an expert to help out at all. You can just show up and do whatever you feel called to do. There are so many different needs right now."
Another organization helping the community right now is Durham-based Day One Relief. On their website you can find information on how to volunteer and also where you can drop off supplies. Day One Relief says they support frontline organizations that are often ignored when it comes to recovery efforts.
