LOTSAR has been at the center of recovery since Hurricane Helene, from opening our building as a supply hub to connecting neighbors with $1.2 million in relief. To keep that momentum going, we partnered with Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church this summer to launch the Grace in Action Fund—a lifeline for residents still feeling the storm’s impact.
Grace Covenant has been a powerhouse since the storm, distributing more than $5.5 million in emergency rent, mortgage, and utility assistance to over 2,500 people. The Grace in Action Fund carries that work forward, making sure housing support continues long after the headlines fade.
One of the people helped through Grace Covenant’s emergency relief efforts was Micah Taylor Hayes, an Asheville native, U.S. Army veteran, and father to 14-year-old Micah Jr.
After four years in the Army, Micah returned to North Carolina struggling with substance use disorder, which led to a six-year prison sentence. While incarcerated, he earned a degree in mass communication and planned for life after release. Today, he works for Operation Gateway, a local organization that supports people reentering society after prison or rehab.
When Helene hit, Micah poured his energy into connecting clients to housing assistance and delivering emergency supplies to friends and family. The work took him all over the region, often on rough, storm-damaged roads.
One trip ended abruptly when his car slammed into a washed-out section of road and bottomed out. The repairs would cost $3,000—money he didn’t have. The hit to his budget could have put his mortgage—and the hard-earned stability he’d built in recovery—at serious risk.
Thankfully, Grace Covenant stepped in to help with the urgent repair costs, allowing Micah to keep his footing and stay on track.
“If I hadn’t received assistance through Grace Covenant, I could have easily foreclosed on my mortgage or just given up,” he said.
Stories like Micah’s stretch across 12 Western North Carolina counties—from Buncombe to Burke to Haywood—where the Grace in Action Fund serves as a fast, flexible lifeline. Powered by both public and private dollars, the fund delivers quick turnaround and direct impact for neighbors working hard to stay housed.
“Grace Covenant saved people from being on the streets,” Hayes said. “But there are still a lot of people who need support. We can’t forget about them.”
Visit lotsar.org/grace to donate and learn more.
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