October 31, 2024

When disaster strikes, communities pull together, and North Carolina’s community colleges are no exception. After Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina, causing devastating flooding and loss, Forsyth Tech employees joined forces with other community colleges to support our colleagues at Haywood Community College. This collaborative response is indicative of the strength and unity that define the Great 58—North Carolina’s Community College System.

Haywood Community College and its community suffered severe impacts, with many employees and students facing considerable damage, and some have lost everything. Hearing about this devastation, Forsyth Tech’s faculty, staff, and students quickly expressed a desire to help. Forsyth Tech is stepping up in partnership with six other North Carolina community colleges—Alamance, Beaufort County, Guilford Tech, Martin, Randolph, and Rockingham—to provide critical support.

Starting November 1 and continuing through November 22, Forsyth Tech will collect financial donations to aid Haywood Community College as they begin the journey of rebuilding. Every dollar raised will go directly to support Haywood’s employees and students who are navigating the difficult road to recovery. This collective effort, coordinated by the North Carolina Community College President’s Association, shows the power of community colleges when they rally for each other.

Donations can be made through the Haywood Strong Donations link, where contributions of any size will help provide urgent relief. The funds will go toward those who need it most, offering a helping hand from one college family to another.

The response to Hurricane Helene is a profound reminder of what it means to be a part of North Carolina’s community college system. This is more than a network of colleges; it’s a supportive family that rises together in times of hardship. Through this joint effort, Forsyth Tech and its fellow institutions are showing that, when one of us faces a challenge, we all rally to make a difference.

Forsyth Tech’s role in supporting Haywood Community College highlights a core belief within the community college system—that together, we can weather any storm and offer hope and stability to those who need it most. This united response speaks to the strength and compassion that define North Carolina’s community colleges and the impact they have on communities across the state.