Pittsboro, NC – The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office recently helped transport a shipment of donated goods to Western North Carolina, where many communities are still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene last fall. The donations, collected by the Chatham Community NAACP and the Community Remembrance Coalition-Chatham (CRC-C) in conjunction with recent Martin Luther King Jr. Day events, were delivered by Sheriff’s Office deputies to Varick Chapel AME Zion Church in Asheville.
“The communities in Western North Carolina continue to need everyone’s help now that the national attention seems to have declined,” said Mary Nettles, president of the Chatham Community NAACP. “This tragedy could have happened in our area.”
The donation drive saw contributions from a wide range of Chatham County residents, including elected officials, students from Seaforth High School and Woods Charter School, and members of Mitchell Chapel AME Zion Church. Many residents from throughout Chatham County also stepped up to help.
In total, approximately $2,350 in cash and gift cards to stores including Food Lion, Walmart, and Walgreens were collected. Donors also provided essential supplies, including clothing for all ages, baby diapers and wipes, incontinence products, emergency kits, paper goods and bottled water.
To ensure the donations reached those in need, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office deputies Reggie Griffin and Felix Jiminez personally delivered the supplies to Asheville last Friday.
“In times of crisis, it’s not about where you’re from – it’s about coming together to help those in need,” said Deputy Griffin. “We’re all one community, and if we can ease someone’s burden, even just a little, then it’s worth the effort.”
Nettles expressed gratitude for the agency’s continued support, saying, “It meant the world to us to have the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard play a key role in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration as well as their entire department being so incredibly supportive and helping provide for our Western North Carolina neighbors.”
While future donation drives are uncertain, Nettles encouraged the community to remain engaged in helping those in need. “We do not want to forget about the critical needs of our Western neighbors, and we hope more organizations will get involved.”
For more information about how to assist with ongoing relief efforts, community members are encouraged to reach out to local organizations dedicated to disaster recovery and humanitarian aid.