The government of Taiwan has donated $300,000 to the North Carolina fund dedicated to helping rebuild mountain counties after Hurricane Helene swamped the western part of the state a month ago.
Officials from Taiwan visited North Carolina to present the donation, which will go to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, established by Gov. Roy Cooper to encourage donations to help communities recover from unprecedented damage caused by Helene.
“Taiwan has experienced similar tragedies and understands the profound sense of loss that follows typhoons and earthquakes. It is this shared experience that motivates us to stand in solidarity with the people of North Carolina during this difficult time,” said Director General Yi-Lung Wang of the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Atlanta.
Estimated damage totals from Helene top $53 billion, while 99 people are known to have died as a direct result or in the aftermath of the storm.
North Carolina has the second-largest Taiwanese community in the Southeast U.S., and there are long-standing economic and cultural ties between the people of North Carolina and the people of Taiwan, Cooper said in a prepared statement.
“North Carolinians are determined to recover and rebuild from this horrific storm and we’re grateful for the help pouring in from across the country and around the world,” Cooper said. “It’s heartwarming to receive this donation from Taiwan and the support of its people for ours.”
United Way of North Carolina is the fiscal agent for the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund and is using donations to provide grants and reimbursement to nonprofits working in communities hit hard by the storm.
Donations made to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund are currently going to nonprofits working to meet the immediate needs of storm victims, such as food and water, cleaning supplies and other emergency supplies. At least 21 nonprofit organizations have received funding so far.
More information including an application form for nonprofits seeking grants and a list of organizations that have received grants is available here.
