Below are community opportunities to help those affected by the flooding here in Haywood County. This page will be updated as new and/or different opportunities become available.

St. John the Evangelist and Immaculate Conception Mission took a second collection for local flood relief the weekend of August 21st and 22nd. If you wish to contribute to this cause, you can donate through the regular collection. Put FLOOD RELIEF in the memo line.

There are new volunteer opportunities in our community to assist with flood relief.

  • The first opportunity is to be a Hospitality Host at the Cruso Community Center.  You can find out more information and sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4fa8ac2da6fcc16-hospitality

  • If you are bilingual in English and Spanish and would like to be included on a volunteer list for reaching out to and assisting Hispanic families outside of our parish who were affected by the flooding, please click HERE.

  • There is another opportunity to help provide meals throughout the upcoming weeks at Cruso Community Center.  If you have worked before with The Open Door as a cook, or have experience preparing meals for a lot of people, please email the office ([email protected]) and let us know.  We will need a point person and probably an 8 person team.

Cruso United Methodist Church will be setting up an aid station to provide hospitality for First Responders and other Search and Rescue Teams as they work along the river in and near Cruso.  There will be four-hour shifts needing no more than 4 people per shift, Monday-Saturday (7am-7pm) and Sunday afternoon.  As “hosts” you will

  • Ensure bathrooms are stocked and clean,

  • Ensure coffee and water and snacks are available,

  • Offer hospitality, welcome and a listening ear.

Please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050c44afaf2ea2ff2-hospitality

There are a few specific needs for the communities hit the hardest.  After communicating with other local ministers, PLASTIC TOTES are definitely in need.  This gives the residents places to store their belongings as they’re trying to recover/rebuild.  If you would like to donate them, you can drop them off at Longs UMC parsonage (1064 Coffee Branch Rd, Canton, NC 28716).

If you are looking to donate goods, please go to the HEARTS WITH HANDS website where you will find information on what is needed for Hygiene Kits and Boxes of Hope. Please do not drive into the affected areas unless you are going to visit family members or have been authorized to deliver goods into the Cruso and Lake Logan areas.  Law Enforcement has asked that people not drive past barricades set up by the state.  They will lock things down tightly if the construction and relief workers can’t do their jobs because of unnecessary traffic.

If you are looking for volunteer opportunities please visit the Recover Haywood website and contact them by the phone number or email listed there.  They will be able to direct you to where there are current needs/opportunities.