Thousands of Western North Carolina small businesses have moved further down the road to recovery, thanks to grants from the public-private Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative (WNCSBI). According to a report from Appalachian Community Capital, the entity that leads WNCSBI, a total of $55 million in recovery grants were distributed to nearly 2,200 small businesses across 31 North Carolina counties, helping companies re-open, rehire and recover following Hurricane Helene.
Ed Graves’ five-acre farm in Hendersonville, Tiny Bridge Farm, was saturated by Helene when 15 to 20 feet of water covered his fields. He lost all crops slated for harvest in the final quarter of the year, and the storm destroyed the farm’s high tunnels, which are needed to protect crops from the elements and to extend the growing season. Today, Graves is among 2,182 small business owners who received a WNCSBI grant for Hurricane Helene recovery.
Thanks to a $25,000 grant, Graves was able to keep his team of six employed in the weeks after the hurricane and purchase soil, seeds, compost and other essential supplies for the next growing season. Plans are also in the works to leverage the balance of the grant funds with additional federal funding to rebuild the high tunnels and other infrastructure destroyed by Helene.
“We saw how our community rallied after the storm to take care of each other and also to express concern for our business and to encourage us to continue,” Graves reflected. “We were surprised by how our connection with people in our community became a lot deeper, and that gives us hope and helps us to keep going.”
Dogwood Health Trust initially funded WNCSBI through a $20 million investment in the early weeks after the storm, offering immediate relief grants up to $25,000 to qualifying businesses in counties ravaged by Helene. WNCSBI then expanded quickly and significantly, with an additional $10 million from Dogwood, a $20 million investment from the State of North Carolina, and $5 million from The Duke Endowment.
“When we think about the health of Western North Carolina, ensuring that the economy remains strong and that people can find quality jobs that support their families is incredibly important,” said Dr. Susan Mims, president and CEO of Dogwood Health Trust. “Each small business that receives a grant employs the people who help create the vitality of our region.”
The team at Black Mountain-based Paws Mobile Veterinary Clinic benefited from WNCSBI after Hurricane Helene’s powerful wind and rain tore open the roof of the clinic’s specially outfitted Ford Transit cargo van. The van was crucial to business, enabling veterinarian Dr. Leslie Dragon and colleague Heather Collins to bring veterinary services to animals in need often owned by elderly or disabled people who were unable to drive or without cars.
Thanks to WNCSBI, Paws Mobile combined a $10,000 grant with a private donation to help purchase a used cargo van outfitted with necessary equipment, medicines and vaccines to start serving the community again. “This grant has allowed us to get back on our feet and start helping the animals of Western North Carolina again,” Collins said. “We cannot thank you enough.”
For many businesses like Platt Dental Studio, Hurricane Helene’s impact was economic – preserving jobs and making payroll to retain employees was a heavy lift. While Dr. Kristi Platt’s practice wasn’t physically damaged, without power and water, she had to close up shop. In the meantime, Platt remained committed to taking care of her four employees and continued to pay their salaries. But with utility restoration months away, she worried about how long she could provide steady paychecks.
Just a few weeks later, Platt received a $25,000 WNCSBI grant, which she used to continue paying her staff and catching up on some business loan payments that she postponed while her business was recovering. “I had no idea that we would actually receive the grant. It just felt like a leap of faith,” Dr. Platt said. “I’m just so grateful. It makes me want to pay this blessing forward — to give to organizations that help-out during disasters or give grants to other small businesses that may need financial assistance.”
WNCSBI grantees like Platt represent a diverse array of industry sectors, including retail, arts, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, health and food and hospitality, among others. More than $315 million in physical damage and over $144 million in economic losses have been reported as a result of the hurricane. In total, WNCSBI grants have supported 8,189 jobs with businesses that employed an average of five employees and earned roughly $316 million in annual revenues.
WNCSBI grantees Joey and Kathy Luther of Luther Trucking are also counting their blessings today as they continue to recover from the complete destruction of four of their fleet of five semitrucks. The Luthers closed for three months and went without revenue. They used their $25,000 grant to repair and replace the trailers and other equipment and materials that were damaged or destroyed. The grant also helped them pay their other driver during the months when there was no work.
“The grant was an answer to our prayers and a huge blessing from the Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative and our Father in Heaven,” Kathy said. “It helped us to stay afloat during a time when we could not work and to return to being a productive and helpful part of this community that we love.”
Led by Appalachian Community Capital with ACC member Community Reinvestment Fund as the operational partner, WNCSBI was made possible through collaboration with regional Community Development Financial Institutions and community organizations, including Mountain BizWorks, Partner Community Capital, Carolina Small Business Development Fund, Western Women’s Business Center, Carolina Community Impact, ICAP, Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation, regional Chambers of Commerce and many others.
