Hurricane Helene made landfall in Pickens County on a Friday night. Chris Jordan woke to the sound of a tree crashing onto his home. Water poured into his finished basement, but once his family was safe, he joined other volunteers to coordinate emergency response efforts. As the Executive Director of the Piedmont Baptist Association, a network of local churches, Chris had a front-row seat to the unfolding recovery.

In the earliest days after the storm, United Way of Pickens County turned to long-time partners like Piedmont Baptist Association to meet urgent needs. “They asked if we would be willing to partner with them and the city of Liberty to come do laundry,” Chris recalls. Piedmont Baptists deployed their laundry unit so storm survivors, emergency personnel, and volunteers could clean up and regroup. “Within just a couple of hours, a United Way staffer brought us laundry detergent to use.”

That gesture signaled the beginning of a deeper collaboration. As weeks turned to months, United Way helped Piedmont Baptists focus on the people who often slip through the cracks—senior adults, widows, and families without the means to remove storm debris from their properties. “I think 80 to 90 percent of our clients were senior adults needing help,” Chris says.

One year after Helene, this continues to be the reality for many vulnerable residents. Debris that remained after the storm wasn’t just an eyesore; it posed safety hazards, blocked driveways, and delayed repairs. Insurance policies often covered only limited situations—especially when it came to debris removal. Some insurance companies “would pay for debris removal if the tree was on their home, but if it was blocking driveways or things like that, the insurance didn’t cover it,” Chris explains.  

United Way stepped into that gap, channeling grant funding directly to non-profits like the Piedmont Baptist Association to clear long-term debris and help people get back into safe housing. This work was not abstract. In February 2025 in Sunset, SC, Piedmont Baptist completed a multiday debris-clearing project at one of the county’s only domestic violence shelters, a secluded, mountainous refuge that consistently receives survivors.  

Chris sees United Way’s role as a convener and mobilizer of resources as essential. “Other community partners knew that United Way was there. Even though they did not have personnel out in the field, they played a much-needed support role, to provide funding and support.” He also notes how this approach has evolved into a long-term strategy. Using grants from United Way Worldwide, the American Red Cross, and United Way of Greenville County, United Way of Pickens County has strengthened local systems, launched a Long-Term Recovery Group, and is coordinating a non-profit coalition to prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises.  

Together with longstanding partners like Piedmont Baptists, United Way has moved beyond repairing homes to restoring stability and building resilience for Pickens County families. 

This article first appeared in UnitedWay.org:  https://www.unitedway.org/news/supporting-long-term-recovery-in-pickens-county

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About United Way of Pickens County
United Way of Pickens County mobilizes the caring power of Pickens County to improve communities and individual lives in measurable and lasting ways. A member of the world’s largest nonprofit network, United Way of Pickens County brings together individuals, businesses, nonprofits, community leaders and government to tackle root causes and achieve specific, measurable goals in the areas of Education, Financial Security, Mental Well-Being, and Disaster Preparedness. Both directly and through grants to nonprofits, we are investing to build economic opportunity, advance childhood learning, expand philanthropy, and to drive policy and participation. To learn more, visit uwpickens.org.