When Hurricane Helene struck in September 2024, neighbors didn’t wait to be asked for help — they simply showed up. Then, when a Facebook video capturing early acts of kindness spread online, people from across the country joined in.
From Michigan to North Carolina and beyond, hundreds of people, including hurricane relief volunteers, contractors, churches, and local businesses joined forces to rebuild homes after hurricane damage. What started as a small movement quickly became something far bigger than anyone expected.
A mission takes root
Before the storm, Pastor Michael Marcum of Meades Branch Freewill Baptist Church in Louisa, Kentucky, was preparing to rebuild his church. But when the hurricane and subsequent floods devastated nearby Tennessee communities, those plans changed overnight.
Marcum and his congregation began delivering supplies to affected areas, not knowing just how far that mission would go. “We just wanted to help,” said Marcum. “It’s hard to explain and put into words, but we’re just one part of it. God has worked in so many ways to make these miracles happen.”
During one of those trips, Marcum met Courtney Dailey, a Tennessee woman whose Facebook post showing the damage and pleading for help went viral, gaining more than five million views and inspiring people from all over the country to get involved.
The video that sparked a movement
For Dailey, posting on social media was about faith and urgency. After seeing her friend’s home destroyed, she made an emotional video from her garage, hoping someone would listen.
“Over the next week, over five million people watched it, and my inbox flooded with messages from all over the world asking how they could help,” said Dailey. “When the funds and materials were more than we needed for my friend’s home, we moved down the street and then across the river. To date, God has sent over one million dollars in funds through the account set up at our church. We started house number 19 this week.”
Dailey’s story went far beyond rebuilding homes; it rebuilt faith in community. “This horrible storm brought people out of their homes and back onto their front porches, talking for hours with their neighbors until the sun set. It transformed hearts and lives,” Dailey said. “I spoke with one volunteer who said to me, ‘When this flood first happened, I thought it was the worst thing that ever happened. Now I see it was actually the best thing that ever happened.’”
Rebuilding begins
After the video gained national attention, Marcum committed to rebuilding homes after hurricane devastation in Hampton, Tennessee. Volunteer electricians, plumbers, and carpenters began arriving from across state lines, all eager to lend a hand.
“When we first started, I thought we’d just rebuild two homes,” Marcum said. “Then I met a man operating an excavator and found out he’d also lost his home. I couldn’t ask him for help. So, I decided we’d rebuild his home, too.”
By January 2025, construction was underway. Supplies were donated, appliances furnished, and contractors offered free labor. Then in February, when flooding struck Marcum’s own hometown in Kentucky, that same man who’d once lost his home showed up at Marcum’s door, ready to return the favor.
“I was confused about what he was doing at my house. He just said, ‘Well, you guys showed up to help me, so I’m showing up. I want to help you,’” Marcum recalled. “That’s when I realized that’s what this is all about.”
The power of teamwork
One of the many volunteers who was moved to help was Jacob Hogg, owner and master electrician of Cornerstone Construction Services in Ann Arbor, Michigan. While on vacation in North Carolina, when the hurricane hit, Hogg began helping families restore power by installing generators.
When rebuilding efforts began, he reached out to a group of electricians he had previously worked with including Snider Electric out of Belleville, MI, Powerhouse Electric out of Mooresville, NC, and Guza Electric out of Milan, MI. When Hogg called and asked if they wanted to help, they all immediately said yes.
“Families lost everything, and insurance wasn’t covering it all,” Hogg said. “If items or services weren’t donated, the church would’ve had to pay for them. Wiring isn’t cheap, so if we could help, we wanted to. It’s just something we enjoy doing.”
Hogg reached out to his local supplier, City Electric Supply (CES) Ann Arbor, to ask if they would be open to donating materials. What happened next took him by surprise.
“CES Ann Arbor is our main supply house,” Hogg said. “I was just going to ask if they’d let contractors come together to donate. But then Branch Manager Jim Zaborowski said he’d take care of it and donated everything. I wasn’t expecting it. They’re good people.”
CES Ann Arbor steps in
When Cornerstone Construction Services approached CES Ann Arbor, Zaborowski immediately knew he wanted to help. He credits Operations Manager Jordan Burch for taking the lead to help.
“Our customer approached us with a folder filled with photos of the families and homes affected by the hurricane,” Zaborowski said. “I took a look at everything and said, of course we’ll help out — but really it was Jordan who took the ball and ran with it after that.”
What started as a simple supply donation quickly became something much more personal.
“I didn’t just want to drop off materials. I wanted to get involved,” said Burch. “When the opportunity came up to go down and help out, I thought to myself, ‘Why not?’ It ended up being a lot of fun.”
When Burch joined the team on-site and donated his own time to help with electrical work, he said it almost felt like destiny.
“When I first started in the industry, I wanted to be an electrician,” Burch said. “So, helping out that day wasn’t just meaningful; it felt bigger than that.”
In addition to donating supplies directly from CES Ann Arbor, Burch also reached out to another local business as well as vendor partner Siemens, both of which were eager to contribute materials to the rebuilding efforts. Their support helped ensure the electrical work could be completed quickly and safely.
The work moved fast. At one point, nearly a dozen electricians were wiring a single home, finishing in record time.
“We were able to wrap things up in a day and a half,” Hogg said. “If it were just me, it would’ve taken two weeks.”
After long days on the jobsite, moments of gratitude reminded the crew why they came.
“We went out to eat at a BBQ place nearby,” Burch said. “A man came up wearing a veteran’s hat. He saw our vans and thanked us for being there. Everyone was so grateful. It meant a lot.”
A shared mission of rebuilding and renewal
Months later, Marcum’s own church was blessed by the generosity he had shown others. When he met a couple who connected him with the Mississippi Nail Benders, a group of contractors who build churches nationwide, they offered to rebuild Meades Branch Freewill Baptist Church free of charge.
“Our church started with $20,000 in savings,” said Marcum. “We were willing to draw out $300,000 to help others rebuild. I told our congregation we’ll build their homes, and God will build us a church back. And he did exactly that.”
For the families who received new homes, the kindness was almost too much to believe. Kriston Hicks, one of the homeowners whose family lost everything in the flood, described the experience as nothing short of miraculous.
“I was in disbelief. When we stood by watching our house be destroyed, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that we would ever have a home again or that anyone would care that we lost everything,” said Hicks. “We were overjoyed when we were told that they would be building us a home. We love all the businesses and volunteers who helped and thank God every day for them. This has been way more than anything we had prayed for.”
Hicks shared a moment that will stay with her forever: watching her grandfather, who lost almost everything in the flood, drive the first few nails into the new foundation of their home.
“He was so happy to be able to help do something,” Hicks said. “Life has certainly changed for the better since we’ve moved into the new house. My grandfather can get around easier now that everything is handicap accessible. He’s delighted and enjoying having a bit of independence back.”
A legacy of hope
Today, nearly a year after the storm, hurricane relief volunteers continue rebuilding homes after hurricane destruction and restoring lives in Tennessee and Kentucky. Through shared dedication and hands-on support, contractor hurricane relief efforts have helped keep the mission moving forward. What started with one woman’s plea for help has turned into a nationwide movement of compassion.
Dailey reflected on the journey, “The devastation was gut-wrenching. But it never gets old watching the light in the eyes of a hopeless flood survivor when we tell them their home will be rebuilt. No company or organization could have rebuilt 19 homes in 12 months at zero cost. This is what happens when people come together.”
From church congregations and contractors to local suppliers like CES, the story of Hurricane Helene’s aftermath isn’t one of destruction — it’s one of restoration. It’s proof that when people work together, anything is possible.