Comment: Post-Helene Appalachia Needs Swift Congressional Action

More than two months have passed since Hurricane Helene tore through central Appalachia, claiming 230 lives, displacing thousands and causing an estimated $225 billion in damage—the worst natural disaster in our region’s history. Much of the area has been left to struggle with the devastating realities of food shortages, lack of clean water, loss of homes and limited connectivity. Meanwhile, Congress has failed to pass an emergency relief bill and strengthen FEMA’s funding, as relief for Hurricane Katrina arrived within 10 days and Hurricane Harvey within seven days, by comparison. We need Congress to act this week to pass an emergency relief package before the Christmas holidays that mobilizes resources and empowers communities to define their own recovery.

Years of disinvestment in central Appalachia left our region ill-prepared for a disaster of this magnitude, leaving many to turn to philanthropic organizations that have answered the call. However, private philanthropy cannot bear the weight of this daunting task. The federal government alone has the ability and authority to mobilize resources to the extent required by a disaster of this magnitude. At this crucial moment, federal and philanthropic leaders alike must act with urgency and purpose. Without clarity from the federal government about the scope of its response, philanthropy faces challenges in identifying gaps and determining how best to apply resources to meet immediate and long-term needs.

Helene was no ordinary storm; it was a disaster of biblical proportions, dumping record-breaking rain, wind and flooding on western North Carolina, East Tennessee and parts of Virginia. Entire cities were washed away. Local heroes are still doing all they can – clearing roads, delivering supplies and helping neighbors save what little is left – but they can’t do it alone. Communities that have already given so much to America are now in need of rebuilding, facing challenges that require immediate, sustained attention.

But as we work to provide aid, Appalachia’s history is often misrepresented by a national narrative that paints the region as isolated, backward, or resistant to outsiders. These stereotypes, long used to justify neglect and exploitation, continue to distort the realities on the ground today. As my father, Ronald D. Eller, once wrote in Uneven surface“We know Appalachia exists because we need it to exist to define what we are not.” The truth is more complex, not told in false elegies about hillbillies by politically motivated opportunists, but rather better seen as a mirror in which America can see itself.

Appalachia receives a fraction of the philanthropic support that other regions see, with funders in rural central Appalachia having access to only one-tenth the resources of their urban counterparts. This disparity is all the more striking given the scale of challenges here even before the storm—broadband, health care and food deserts; intergenerational poverty born of extraction; and the ongoing opioid crisis. In light of the over $225 billion in damages from Hurricane Helene, the losses go beyond infrastructure. We have lost lives, homes, communities, ecologically rich lands and irreplaceable cultural sites, including up to 20% of our forest cover. It’s not just a financial loss; it is a deep wound in the fabric of our region.

Appalachia has given this country more than most realize: its lumber built our homes, its coal fueled the Industrial Revolution, and its people — who serve in the military at the highest per capita rates in the nation — have sacrificed for America time and time again. This region needs more than our admiration; it requires action and undivided attention.

Appalachia has enriched our nation’s cultural, historical and social landscape and embodied a spirit of service that reaches far beyond the nation’s borders. Our country owes Appalachia more than thoughts and prayers—it owes a commitment to help these communities rebuild stronger and safer. This is not about right, but about honoring a due debt of respect and action. We urgently need swift government action to complement the philanthropic efforts that ensure a comprehensive, equitable recovery for our region. Congress must not allow the needs of Appalachia to be forgotten in the mix of election promises and political agendas. Emergency legislation is needed to address the immediate and long-term effects of this disaster, ensuring that Appalachia’s road to recovery is not delayed.

Pastor Ryan M. Eller is the Executive Director of Appalachia Funders Network.

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