In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene, local governments in the impacted areas of North Carolina had an unprecedented number of challenges. Seeing the great needs of governments in the region, a partnership was born in an attempt to align resources, identify gaps, and have a coordinated strategy for helping. Southwestern Commission, Land of Sky Regional Council, High Country Council of Governments, Foothills Regional Commission, Western Piedmont Council of Governments, Centralina Regional Council, GROW NC, the Western Carolina University Local Government Training Program, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, the North Carolina League of Municipalities, and the UNC School of Government decided that an essential element would be a platform where both partners and local governments could go to identify funding sources, training calendars, contact information, and a resource library. From this, the NC Local Government Disaster Recovery Portal was created.

An additional element for successful coordination identified by the partner organizations was a navigator role. So, let me introduce myself. I am Amanda Stratton, Western North Carolina Recovery Navigator. As someone from (and living in) Asheville, I witnessed firsthand what happened when Helene hit. As someone with a decade of local government experience, I knew what local officials were facing. Joining the School of Government and our partner organizations in supporting the region in recovery is a great honor, and I look forward to keeping this portal up to date with relevant and useful information. If you see anything missing or have additional questions, please reach out to me. When you aren’t sure who to contact or where to look for information or resources, consider the portal and myself a first stop.

Amanda Stratton | astratton@sog.unc.edu | 919-445-0501