North Carolina Community Foundation Awards 110 Scholarships To Students Impacted by Helene
The North Carolina Community Foundation awarded 110 scholarships to students impacted by Hurricane Helene through its Disaster Relief and Resilience Scholarships. This scholarship program helps students who were significantly impacted by Helene to pay for college.
In total, the scholarship provided over $1.3 million in support, with more than $500,000 in scholarships awarded in the 2025-2026 academic school year. Students will be able to renew scholarship funding in the subsequent years.
“These students have shown incredible strength and resilience in the face of significant challenges experienced after Hurricane Helene,” said Kathryn Holding, NCCF Vice President of Philanthropic Services. “We’re honored to help them stay on track toward their degrees and long-term goals.”
The scholarships are available to students from Helene-impacted counties and support first-time college students, current undergraduate, and graduate students.
Key statics about the scholarship recipients:
44% are incoming first-year students
42% are currently enrolled undergraduates
13% are graduate students
11% are attending community colleges
89% are enrolled at four-year institutions
What the scholarship recipients had to say about the program:
“I am deeply grateful for this support,” said scholarship recipient Anna Barnette, a Mars Hill resident who will attend Emmanuel University. “This scholarship relieves the financial strain on my family and enables me to pursue my education with peace of mind. It is a blessing I will never forget.”
“This scholarship is especially meaningful because my family was affected tremendously by Hurricane Helene last year, which made our financial situation even harder,” said Jesus Ramos-Tellez, a Marion resident who is attending McDowell Technical Community College. “NCCF’s support brings real relief and hope during a time when it’s truly needed.”
About the North Carolina Community Foundation
The North Carolina Community Foundation brings together generous people and connects them to causes and organizations they care about, with a focus on inspiring philanthropy in the state’s rural communities.
With $460 million in assets, NCCF sustains over 1,300 endowments and partners with donors and a network of affiliates in 60 counties to strengthen our state. By stewarding and growing donors’ gifts, NCCF makes a powerful impact through a robust grants and scholarships program, awarding over $300 million since 1988.
