The floodwater may be gone, but the hard work is still here. We sit down with Jacob Reuter, co‑founder of Helene Rising, to trace the real story of recovery after Hurricane Helene—how a family road‑tripped home with a truck full of chainsaws and supplies, and turned that urgency into a year of steady, practical help across Appalachia.
Jacob walks us through the invisible backbone of disaster recovery: access. From rebuilding a washed‑out driveway so a hospice patient could see loved ones, to installing plumbing and electrical where families were stuck, to raising a bridge in Irwin, Tennessee, the work is about restoring connection. We get inside the rhythms of volunteer life—sleeping in firehouses, organizing fifty‑person cleanups in Deep Gap, and forming a flexible network with Appalachian United Initiative and Forward Network that matches skills to needs in real time. You’ll hear how tiny homes and community hubs provide shelter, why some sites still look like “day one,” and what it takes to keep momentum when the cameras leave.
If you’ve wondered what actually moves the needle after a disaster, this conversation lays it out: hands, materials, and the will to return tomorrow. We share clear ways to help—donating propane, blankets, and lumber; contributing funds and gift cards; or showing up to volunteer through Helene Rising’s Facebook page. Recovery is a marathon built from small wins that add up to safety and dignity. Join us to learn how you can turn concern into action and help Appalachian families make it through the winter and beyond. Subscribe, share this story, and leave a review to help more people find the show and the helpers who keep communities standing.
