Nearly 2 years after Helene, Rally Augusta still rebuilding homes across CSRA

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene damaged thousands of homes across the CSRA, a local nonprofit says it is still rebuilding — and one of its most pressing needs now is finding the people who have not yet asked for help.

Rally Augusta, a community recovery group serving Richmond, Columbia and McDuffie counties, held a news conference Tuesday at Golden Harvest Food Bank in Augusta. The organization said many of those still struggling are older homeowners who lack insurance or the money and physical ability to rebuild on their own.

Privately funded, faith-driven effort

Former Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver said the recovery effort is funded entirely with private money, with no government funding, and that much of the work is being carried out by faith-based organizations — including volunteer teams traveling from across the country.

“We obviously never expected to get hit by a Category 1 hurricane,” Copenhaver said.

He said the response has required careful coordination. “For this to work, the stars had to align, because if there was one piece that was out of place, it would have been like Jenga” and fallen apart, he said.

Copenhaver said Mennonite volunteers are expected to return in September or October. Rally Augusta is working to raise $1 million more for supplies, which he said could allow those teams to stay and work through April.

Finding those still in need

The Rev. Scott Parrish, who described himself as a “disaster pastor” working with hundreds of United Methodist churches in Georgia, said organizers began shifting to long-term recovery operations in January and February following the Sept. 27, 2024, storm.

By February or March 2025, outside volunteer teams were brought in and base camps were established at churches and campgrounds across the area, Parrish said. Those groups have been rebuilding homes to match the character of the original house and surrounding neighborhood.

With another wave of volunteer groups returning soon, Parrish said identifying who still needs help is now among the most critical steps.

“If you have neighbors who still have blue tarps, those are the people we are trying to reach,” he said. “We want to get them signed up because we want to build out our list for this next year. … We’ve got volunteers; we need to find neighbors in need.”

Derek Dugan of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Augusta echoed that message. “We have the workers coming into town looking for the work to do. … We need to identify the homes, and we have some of the funding,” he said.

Dugan said recovery from a disaster extends well beyond the immediate aftermath. “A disaster is not done when the power comes back on, it’s not done when the grocery stores reopen,” he said, adding that recovery is a three-year process — “and we are far from done.”

One family’s road back

Annie Thompson said her daughter’s home was split in half when a tree fell on it during Helene. The National Hurricane Center reported the storm moved through the CSRA with wind gusts topping 70 miles per hour and dropped a foot of rain in some areas, leaving hundreds of homes destroyed and thousands more damaged across the greater Augusta area.

The city condemned the house. With repair costs exceeding $100,000 and no insurance, Thompson said her daughter had no clear path forward and was fielding offers from buyers looking to purchase storm-damaged properties.

“I had an offer… 35,000… you give a house for 35,000 — that’s like a down payment,” Thompson said.

After seeing a news segment about Rally Augusta, Thompson said her daughter reached out — at no cost to the family. Work began in January, starting with a near tear-down and full rebuild.

“They started… like January… a new roof… totally… and the whole floor was down to the ground,” Thompson said.

Thompson’s daughter has been living with her since the storm.

Rally Augusta’s impact so far

Since February 2025, Rally Augusta reports:

• More than 525 requests for disaster recovery assistance received
• 197 recovery cases completed
• 135 major construction projects finished, including major repairs and full home rebuilds
• 65.9% of homeowners served are age 60 or older
• 100% of homeowners assisted are uninsured or underinsured
• More than 2,000 volunteers mobilized
• Over 80,000 volunteer hours contributed
• Nearly $3 million in donated labor
• No government funding used

How to get help

Homeowners in Richmond, Columbia and McDuffie counties who still need Hurricane Helene repairs or rebuilding can register for assistance through the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church at ngumc.org/disasterassistance.

How to donate

Financial donations help purchase construction materials for families still recovering. Online donations can be made at: cfcsra.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4432

Who’s helping with the rebuilding

Rally Augusta has coordinated volunteers and materials from a range of faith-based and community partners.

Volunteer labor:

• North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church
• United Methodist Church
• Mennonite Disaster Service
• Christian Disaster Response
• NOMADS
• Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
• Catholic Charities
• Richmond County Board of Education
• United Methodist and Lutheran volunteer teams from across the country

Building materials and funding partners:

• The Community Foundation for the CSRA
• The Knox Foundation
• Homebuilders of Greater Aiken-Augusta
• The Salvation Army
• American Red Cross