Adjusted plans for a fall break trip with the Habitat for Humanity trip to Winston–Salem, North Carolina, are allowing students to offer more aid to regions directly impacted by Hurricane Helene by providing hands-on support at a local furniture reuse store.
100 deaths occurred in North Carolina alone when the Category 4 Hurricane Helene ripped through the west side of the state on Sept. 27, 2024, reported Carolinas’ Own Queen City News. According to AccuWeather, it caused an estimated $225–$250 billion in damages nationwide.
Winston-Salem, where one of this year’s Habitat for Humanity trips takes place, is less than 200 miles from the epicenter of hurricane destruction in Asheville, North Carolina. Trip leaders Kadar Yusuf and Rodrigo Sanchez Sosa assure that there is no immediate risk for the traveling group despite the devastating event.
“The area in which Winston–Salem is located hasn’t been severely hit by the hurricane, so it wasn’t as bad as other parts of North Carolina,” said Yusuf, “so it’s safe in terms of that part.”
Habitat for Humanity is an international nonprofit organization focused around combatting housing insecurity and homelessness. They strive for “a world where everyone has a decent place to live.” They operate in approximately 70 countries around the world and in all 50 states in the US.
When students originally signed up for this trip in early September, they only agreed to help with the housing construction in the area. Now the team of 16 will be divided into two separate groups, working every other day to supply the area’s ReStore on top of their original responsibilities as a way to better address recovery efforts for those affected by Hurricane Helene.
The ReStore—fittingly named with its current focus on restoration—is a “reuse store” run by Habitat for Humanity that helps redistribute high-quality donated furniture for a cheaper price to be of better access to those in need. The profits from these sales go towards housing construction and repair efforts.
“We’re helping where it is needed,” said Sanchez. “That’s probably the biggest part of the mission. We just want to make sure the transition to getting a new home and the whole process goes as smoothly as possible.”
Teams will spend half their time at the ReStore this year, alternating between stocking supplies and constructing homes during their fall break. According to Yusuf and Sanchez, students have responded incredibly positively to this change.
“They’ve actually been pretty excited just to be able to help out,” said Sanchez. “I remember I told them, ‘how do you feel about getting a different job compared to what you signed up for?’ And they were all just ready. They [were] curious to see if they can even help even more.”
The Concordia Habitat for Humanity team will travel by road in a multi-day trip that stretches from Moorhead-Fargo to Winston-Salem. Even though the aftermath of the hurricane has thrown down literal roadblocks for them, with parts of their usual route washed away, they remain determined and have altered their route to come in from the north instead to avoid the damage.
“This came a little bit out of the blue, but we’re prepared,” Yusuf said. “We have good support from the school and also from the habitat community.”
