The people of Western North Carolina have had a stable Christmas and will definitely have a happier New Year thanks to a number of organizations, from Samaritan’s Purse to United Cajun Navy to individuals like Shawn Hendrix, Chris Hall, and so many others. They have worked (and are still working) to provide food, shelter, and resources to the families affected by September’s Hurricane Helene disaster, and they also brought Christmas to everyone in the region who experienced the devastation of their homes and their lives.
But the Amish of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, have risen like cream to the top. This is not even their region of the country, but a group of them with “Cabins for Christ” came down in October, created campsites for themselves away from the wreckage so that they would not disrupt the cleanup and assessment, and set themselves to build homes for the people who had lost theirs.
🚨#BREAKING: Boone NC officials have confirmed that 62 members of the Pennsylvania Amish community have completed the construction of 12 tiny homes in under 48 hours.
The total cost of the project for #WNC was over $300,000, all of which was donated by the Amish community. pic.twitter.com/ysbZIXP06d
— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) December 31, 2024
But to no one’s surprise, the resurrection of Western North Carolina will have little to do with the governmental agency that is supposed to be boots on the ground in the midst of disaster: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They claim, “Our mission is helping people before, during and after disasters. Our core values and goals help us achieve it.” Tragically, despite billions being poured into their coffers, they haven’t achieved much for the citizens of Western North Carolina who had their homes destroyed by Helene. And winter is already here, and more storms are coming.
🚨#BREAKING: FEMA has officially confirmed that out of the 26 families that were told they would receive a temporary home before Christmas…
…only 3 families received one
You read that right. THREE. pic.twitter.com/s0K7d5qy1b
— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) December 31, 2024
Twelve homes in 48 hours versus three homes over three months. Really awful optics for FEMA. Maybe all that disaster money should be given to Amish communities. In October, after the citizens of Western North Carolina, particularly those in the Chimney Rock and Lake Lure area, started calling FEMA and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper out for their malfeasance and sloth in responding to this disaster, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Cooper tried to deny and dodge responsibility.
A North Carolina resident is calling out Governor Roy Cooper for failing to address the critical needs of the state.
Hurricane Helene destroyed 126,000 homes, leaving 577,000 people displaced and homeless, yet $2.2 billion in FEMA funds remain unaccounted for.
This… pic.twitter.com/LXmAmj5QQ1— Carla (@thecoffeesfresh) December 1, 2024
A North Carolina resident is calling out Governor Roy Cooper for failing to address the critical needs of the state.
Hurricane Helene destroyed 126,000 homes, leaving 577,000 people displaced and homeless, yet $2.2 billion in FEMA funds remain unaccounted for.
This mismanagement is unacceptable, and the people of North Carolina deserve immediate action and accountability to rebuild their lives.
The band of Criswell and Cooper told people not to believe their lying eyes; FEMA was on the ground doing the good work of helping people, and anyone saying otherwise was simply spreading misinformation.
🇺🇸 Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA posted NC Governor Roy Cooper & @FEMA_Deanne is this short update clip.
The comments in the replies tells the story.
FEMA are either completely incompetent or actively working against The American People. pic.twitter.com/fOFkhmek5a— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) October 5, 2024
Two months after that video was made, a FEMA spokesperson had to eat their crow.
A spokesperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, apologized Wednesday in response to a question from WBTV about why the agency failed to deliver dozens of travel trailers and manufactured homes to North Carolina residents displaced by Hurricane Helene.
Our questions came after a FEMA spokesperson told WBTV the week of Thanksgiving that the agency would deliver a total of 103 temporary travel trailers and manufactured homes to families in North Carolina by the end of that week. At the time, FEMA had delivered 27 homes.
By Wednesday, Dec. 4, FEMA had still only delivered 46 homes — well short of the number of promised temporary homes.
WBTV learned that more than 500 families have been approved for a FEMA travel trailer or manufactured home in the wake of Helene. The agency’s slow deployment of the homes means hundreds of families are weathering the snow and freezing temperatures currently hitting the North Carolina mountains.
Of course, Criswell and Cooper are nowhere to be found. Criswell is looking for another job, and Cooper is rumored to be putting his efforts into a Senate run against incumbent Republican Thom Tillis. Evil never dies; it just finds another political office to fill.
This FEMA mea culpa was 16 days before the December 20 passage of the continuing resolution that avoided a government shutdown. In that still pork-laden bill, Congress dropped another $29 billion on FEMA to use for disaster relief.
In the meantime, the Amish keep doing the job that FEMA cannot seem to do: giving vulnerable people quality shelter, and doing it without bureaucratic red tape.
I tell you what, every single time I hear something new about the Amish my respect and admiration for them grows.
This was taken on Route 421 leaving Boone.
The Amish are cranking out tiny houses for the Hurricane Helene victims like worker bees even though the government and… pic.twitter.com/8hRYiyb4NW
— Appalachian Liberty (@Liberty_Xtreme) December 30, 2024
I tell you what, every single time I hear something new about the Amish my respect and admiration for them grows.
This was taken on Route 421 leaving Boone.
The Amish are cranking out tiny houses for the Hurricane Helene victims like worker bees even though the government and FEMA told them no!
This, this is the real spirit of America right here!
America and Americans are making a comeback, thanks to our fellow Americans like the Amish and all the organizations lending a hand to their fellow man and woman. May they all experience the blessing of a happier and more stable 2025!
