University's Area of Greatest Need

Your gift to the Area of Greatest Need equips us with the maximum level of flexibility in response to emergencies.

Here is what UNC Asheville was able to accomplish in the aftermath of Helene through the support of our Area of Greatest Need fund:

• UNC Asheville staff had the resources to safely relocate 1,300 residential students in the days after the storm.
• We turned our campus into a home base for Salvation Army support, a FEMA team from Arizona, and over 200 staff from our sister UNC institutions — grounds personnel, safety workers, plumbers, counselors, and clinicians.
• We provided drinkable water and over 14,000 hot meals to emergency responders in Brown Hall.
• Campus Operations were on the ground immediately, tending to downed trees and clearing debris. Essential personnel from all departments worked around the clock — many staying on campus 24/7, sleeping in Governor’s Hall — coordinating with emergency responders, setting up a communications hotline, and providing safety, food, water, medical, and mental health services to our students.

Your gift of any size to the Area of Greatest Need is a commitment that reflects the heart of UNC Asheville's mission — caring for our students, even in the toughest of times.