Baala Shakya, Contributing Photographer

Yale College Democrats, the Rural Students Alliance at Yale and the Yale Student Environmental Coalition have raised $2,254 in donations intended for Hurricane Helene relief. 

The money earned will be evenly divided between the Equal Plates Project, BeLoved Asheville and Feeding Florida. These three locally based nongovernmental organizations, or NGOs, distribute essential food, water and aid across Florida and North Carolina. 

Hurricane Helene hit Florida at around 11 p.m. on Sept. 26, subsequently moving into Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The hurricane traveled  around 500 miles inland from the coast, decimating communities and washing away houses. As of Oct. 12, the death toll has risen to at least 241 with many more still missing. Now, counties are starting to recuperate and rebuild necessary infrastructure and their communities with the help of federal aid and local support. 

“Witnessing the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, we felt a strong desire to take action … being a part of a community means stepping up to help others in times of need, especially in the aftermath of Helene’s destruction,” Royce Haynes ’27, vice president of RSAY, said. “Through our fundraising efforts, we hope to provide relief and support to those affected by the hurricane.”

Haynes said that the $2,254 raised surpassed their initial goal of $1,254. The groups received donations through campus tabling efforts, Venmo and an Instagram post with an attached GoFundMe

The money is especially important for rural communities and areas that have been disproportionately hit by strong winds and heavy rains. But even beyond the financial implications, fundraising efforts are also informative. 

“YSEC’s mission relates to environmental advocacy and awareness … part of the goal of the fundraiser was to educate people on the happenings of Hurricane Helene while also trying to support a larger cause,” Jenny Liu ’26, co-president of YSEC, said. 

Liu added that the interconnectivity of the organizations was important in the fundraising process, saying that members of all groups helped with the donations and it was a “fruitful collaboration.” 

Both Yale Dems and RSAY echoed the importance of fundraising together. Yale Dems and YSEC took the logistical lead while RSAY provided manpower and chose NGOs directly related to communities close to members. 

“We believe that we can unite to rebuild a community that embodies home, health, equity, and opportunity for all,” reads the BeLoved Asheville website. “The response from our community and beyond has been nothing short of extraordinary … we are deeply grateful for the first responders, volunteers, and donors who have supported us thus far by putting love into action.” 

BeLoved Asheville’s specific focus is on Buncombe County which was hit especially hard during Helene. With many people displaced and hungry as the weather gets colder, they have made it an immediate priority to provide shelter and hearth to those isolated in the mountains. 

Organizations like BeLoved Asheville stand atop hope and national community. Without donations and consistent support from all sides, they wouldn’t be able to rehouse or resupply. 

“We all have a responsibility to help those in need when and how we’re able … we hoped that the fundraiser would encourage more people in the Yale community to talk about the communities heavily affected,” Yale Dems president Janalie Cobb ’25 said. 

Cobbs said that Yale students “exist in a massive bubble of privilege.” She said that because of this, it is difficult not to think that a large part of the reason why people at Yale weren’t discussing the hurricane is because the communities hit the hardest were “largely poor, rural towns in the South that many Yale students feel no connection to.” 

While fundraising and donations vastly surpassed original projections, there is still work to be done in Cobb’s eyes.

“We should all be more willing to help those in need, whether we can see ourselves in them or not,” Cobb wrote.

Hurricane Milton hit Florida’s west coast the night of Oct. 9, 13 days after Hurricane Helene.

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