HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. — Heroes are working around the clock to ensure victims of Fred’s flooding have everything they need to carry on.

Some of those heroes are a part of a new coalition called “We are WNC.” They're working to coordinate relief, hospitality and do outreach in the communities of those impacted.

Chelsea White-Hoglen, a western North Carolina native, is a community organizer for the group.

“I was told growing up that in order to get out of poverty that all of our folks out here dealing with that, I just had to get out of western North Carolina, and go where the jobs are,” White-Hoglen said. “And for me, leaving behind the village that raised me goes against my values very deeply and I always have fought for myself by fighting for my community.

Seeing her village broken by this tragedy quickly put White-Hoglen to work. When she heard her friends and family were trapped in their Cruso home for about 24 hours before any help could get to them, she knew it wasn’t a matter of if she was going to help, but how she was going to help.

White-Hoglen’s friend lost everything, but what hurt the most was the 70-plus years of family photos, sketchbooks and artwork.

“I’m a mother. I have a toddler and as long as my family was alive and well, this [pictures] would be the next most important thing to me,” White-Hoglen said.

The group is stationed at the Cruso United Methodist Church. The church was used for rescue workers to get breaks, take showers and eat. It’s also where they would bring pictures and other memorabilia they would find while out in the field.

“We are WNC” is doing everything to preserve some of the only items left behind for these families.

“We were able to get photographers in here to show us how to clean the photos and dry them properly,” White-Hoglen said. They’re also saving military flags, books, and anything else that’s brought to them.

“What breaks my heart most is that the folks who lost everything are the folks who didn't have anything to lose to start with,” White-Hoglen said.

The team is canvassing neighborhoods to find the people who may have fallen between the cracks, or those who don’t want to ask for help.

“The folks out here are so good, like such good people that we walk up to them and you know we say we got a place for you to sleep, a warm bed, and the first thing they say is, 'I don't want to take away from somebody else,'” White-Hoglen said.

"But everyone deserves a warm bed to sleep in, and to feel loved, and to feel like they matter and that we’re looking out for them," she said.

The group is able to get people connected with transportation, showers, hot meals and supplies. They also help put families in emergency shelters.

“Their homes may have been deemed safe, because they're not like a fire hazard, but black mold can deteriorate your lungs or start deteriorating your lungs in 24 hours,” White-Holgen said.

She said one of her canvassers brought in a 55-year-old who had been sleeping in his camper that was destroyed in the flood. It had no electricity. 

The county is waiting for FEMA to get there but if the meantime, if you or someone you know needs temporary housing, you can call the Haywood County helpline at (828) 356-2022.

“We are WNC” is asking that people please not be afraid to ask for help. They are there willing to give a hand to all.

You can contact the group on Facebook, or by email at weareWNC@gmail.com.