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After Hurricane Helene devastated thousands of people in North Carolina, over a hundred young adults have chosen to help clean up during their spring break rather than take a holiday.
Cru campus ministry has sent out 150 volunteers to areas in North Carolina, including Ashville, a town that was unexpectedly almost washed out after Hurricane Helene six months ago.
"[Volunteers] have been working in some of the areas in Western North Carolina that are hard to get to and honestly (we) just needed some strong backs and willing hearts," said Cru Campus Ministry Executive Team member and site supervisor, Holly Allan.
College students from across the U.S.A. were invited to be a part of the recovery efforts, and volunteers came from all over, including New Mexico and Massachusetts.
"These young students have been getting under homes and putting on Tyvek suits, goggles, and masks and shimmying in these 2 1/2 foot spaces and pulling down wet insulation."
Allan shares that hundreds of homes were levelled by the category 4 storm, with many leaving with just the clothes on their backs.
"There are homeowners now who are making phone calls six months later asking for help. They haven't been asking for help. They've waited maybe for [help from] insurance, maybe for help from FEMA, and maybe just from family...but it's a little bit too much for them."
According to Cru, the work to help this community in particular could take a few years to rectify.
"In addition to helping to rebuild these communities, Cru students are also spreading the hope and good news of the Gospel message," said Shannon Compere, executive director of Cru's Campus Ministry. "Western North Carolina suffered significant damage during Helene, and we are proud of these students for choosing to give of their time to express God's love."
One college student, Katherine Borton from a university in Illinois, shares why she travelled to NC during her spring break.
"After watching what some of these families have gone through, I realized that if there was a need and I could help, I'd rather share God's love with those struggling than spend my spring break living for myself," said Borton.
Many of the homeowners are being impacted by the students kindness, as they continue to try and rebuild their lives after the hurricane.
"I talked to a girl yesterday during dinner and she had been, she found Christmas ornaments and articles from someone's house that was buried in 2 feet of mud as they were cleaning some areas out and I think for her for the first time it hit her just what loss people have experienced," said Allan.