‘Spread some joy’: Charlotte group delivers Christmas gifts to children in WNC impacted by Helene

SWANNANOA, N.C. — On Monday, members from a Charlotte ministry took gifts to children in Swannanoa, a community in western North Carolina heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene.

West Blvd Ministry in Charlotte arrived with a 20-foot U-Haul truck full of donations it had collected to ensure each child at W.D. Williams Elementary received presents. Some families in the area lost their homes and are struggling to get by during the holidays.

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Amanda Son and her three children are currently living in a donated RV after their home was destroyed by flooding from Helene. She’s thankful for organizations like West Blvd Ministry for providing presents for children at the school.

“If it wasn’t for the community and people coming in, I don’t think our family would have made it through everything,” she said. “It’s a beautiful thing. When I walked in and saw what was happening, I was a little shocked. It’s wonderful that they’re able to do that.”

The ministry says it collected donations from people across Charlotte to purchase enough gifts for the more than 400 children at the school.

“There’s nothing like putting a smile on a child’s face this time of year,” said Bart Noonan with West Blvd Ministry.

Volunteers helped the children choose two gifts each.

“Some of these kids may have nothing right now and could be living in a tent,” said Cullen McNulty with West Blvd Ministry. “They could have lost every single toy they had. (We’re) just looking to spread some joy.”

The organization also made sure the 75 teachers and faculty got gifts this year.

Teachers and staff are thankful to be back after several classrooms flooded and school was out for weeks.

“For us to have something like this for our kids, just to have a day to have fun and have a great time together is amazing,” said Principal Christy Jones.

The ministry says it’s helped people in Asheville, Old Fort, and Swannanoa since the storm and organizers say they will continue to pray in hopes of finding more ways to assist the families in WNC.

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