SUPPORTING
LONG-TERM RECOVERY

Our Aim

We are working together across Western North Carolina (WNC) to recover from Tropical Storm Helene by supporting: 

• emotional healing and community well-being, 

• accessible civic engagement, and 

• trust-based, cross-sector collaboration.  

Our focus is on weaving the social infrastructure and relational fabric to help achieve long-term recovery efforts focused on rebuilding physical infrastructure, restoring natural landscapes and watersheds, and regenerating local economies.

Core Strategies
We do this by:

1. Supporting Emotional Healing
   We focus on our individual and collective healing from the traumas brought up by the storm. This means raising awareness of the issue, providing just-in-time collective healing support, and working with long-term recovery leaders to implement trauma-informed care.

2. Involving the Community in Decisions
   We help our long-term recovery leaders ensure the people most affected by the disaster are at the center of the recovery process. This means: 

• supporting institutional partners who will be making decisions and channeling funding to recognize, listen to, and give influence to local, trusted community leaders

• equipping partners with necessary support and resources for participatory processes

• engaging networks that connect impacted communities to decision-makers

• practicing transparent communication

3. Building Trust and Strong Connections
   We focus on strengthening relationships and building trust across those involved in recovery: 

• WNC community members and businesses 

• organizations and associations 

• government agencies and institutions 

These connections help people work together, share resources, and support each other more effectively during recovery.

4. Supporting Collaboration Across the Region
   We uplift talented facilitators, mediators, conveners, and trauma-informed practitioners who can skillfully guide collaborative and participatory processes among our different WNC communities, local governments, and organizations. This helps eliminate silos and makes recovery efforts stronger and more effective, with a more systemic and integrated response.

5. Promoting Information Sharing and Learning
   We create opportunities for the exchange of ideas, experiences, and lessons learned from recovery efforts. This helps us learn from each other and adapt successful practices to our own needs. 

Specific strategies are further explained here. 

Core Values

We adhere to these core values:

1. Honoring Local Culture and Resilience
   Recognize the unique histories, traditions, and strengths of each WNC community, ensuring that all external support honors local values and efforts already underway.

2. Including Collective Healing at Every Step
   Disaster recovery work should promote healing through trauma-informed engagement and attunement with each other and all living systems.

3. Promoting Equitable Access and Inclusive Participation
   Aim to overcome barriers to participation, ensuring that all voices are heard, especially the communities and ecosystems experiencing the greatest impact.

4. Fostering Transparency and Openness
   Commit to regular, open communication across all stakeholder groups to build trust, reduce misunderstanding, develop systemic approaches, and enhance community participation.

5. Remembering We Are All Teachers and Learners
   Regularly assess approaches and learn from each phase, allowing for flexibility to adapt to evolving needs and the changing context of recovery. 

This living framework will be periodically updated; last update 11/18/2024.  

"We're not trying to save the world, but we are giving the best we can."  - Scott L.