URGENT: Helene Survivors Need Help with Shelter 

In the wake of Helene, FEMA has failed our fellow Americans.  These folks are our friends, neighbors, families, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and children.  The cold weather is setting in and it's claiming lives.  Since most of us can't be on-the-ground to help #Helene victims, we can pitch in by providing heated, 4-season, shelter that will get folks through the tough months ahead.  

The Goal of #OperationShelter 

To fund, purchase, deliver and distribute pitch-ready shelter packages, tiny homes, and/or  RVs to #Helene victims in #NC  

WE STARTED #OperationShelter with heated 4-season tent packages that worked as complete shelter solutions. 

Based on our experience, expertise, and #Helene victims' needs, we put together shelter packages specially designed to solve immediate shelter needs, while also considering a range of other challenges.  I have personally spent weeks living in the Kodiak canvas tents and can vouch for their quality, durability and efficiency. These 4-season tents with wood burning stoves can handle extreme weather plus rain/moist conditions. What's so great about these tents is they create rooms where adults can stand up comfortably, so every-day life is much more comfortable and organized. The shelters can be easily shipped to NC, deployed in affected areas, and relocated on the ground.  

We have two hot tent shelter options: 

1. Large Hot Tent Shelter Package: $3000 - $4000

The large shelter package is a canvas cabin style tent with a wood burning stove.  It provides heated shelter for a family up to (I'd say comfortably) 6 adult sized people - & obvs different combos of adults, kids, pets & gear.  Bonus: The wood burning stoves can also be used for cooking.

2. The Small Hot Tent Shelter Package: $2000 - $3000

The small shelter package is a canvas cabin-style tent that provides heated shelter for a family up to (I'd say comfortably) 4 adult sized people - & obvs different combos of adults, kids, pets & gear.  Bonus, the wood burning stoves can also be used for cooking.

WHERE WE'RE AT NOW:  We've been at this for a few weeks and have learned from being in the field, we needed to add more options on top of our heated tent solutions.  

Hot Tents: These are the perfect shelter solution for some folks; so we're providing these where it makes sense.   

RVs & Trailer Donations:  Operation Shelter is taking RV, Camper and Trailer donations and delivering them to families in need.  It's true that if shelter isn't deemed suitable by the state, kids are being separated from their parents.  These are the cases where we're working to secure RVs or trailers for these families.  We are equipped to help with logistics like minor repairs, pickup, towing, gas, lodging associated with delivery etc. 

Hotel Stays:  Operation Shelter has also helped families with paying for short-term hotel stays, and other accommodations.  

HOW #OperationShelter WORKS:

Funding:  Donations made to this GSG go toward providing shelter (described above) for Helene victims. 

On-the-ground-team: Led by Shawn Hendrix @theshawnhendrix

Shawn is an expert survivalist who is on the ground in NC.  He is assessing the shelter needs, buying, receiving, and deploying the tent and stove packages. Follow @theshawnhendrix on X to get his OS updates, news, and latest interviews.  

My Role (@Cholly): 

My name is Holly Kasun.  I'm from Colorado and have a lot of extreme camping experience.  I've personally used all of this equipment and can vouch for the quality, safety, and reliability of the shelter kits I've put together.  My background is tech startups, and I'm good at building logistic systems from scratch, and executing these types of missions.  I'm handling front-end logistics & partnerships.  I'm on X a ton, promoting OS & giving updates. You can vet me on Twitter @cholly.  DMs are open. 

Known Challenges:

1. Product Availability:  Originally I anticipated the canvas tents with stove jacks may have limited availability.  Turns out, thankfully, not so!  We've had no problems with stock or shipping!   **RVs and trailers are tougher to get and are especially needed.  They're a bit handier bc, of bathroom/kitchen facilities for families with kids.

2. Delivery: We anticipated potential issues with equipment delivery.  Turns out, we've had no problems/issues.  Shawn is arranging OS funding for gas, lodging etc. for volunteers who are towing/delivering RVs/ Trailers / Campers.

3. Cost:  #OperationShelter packages are coming in within our initial cost estimates; even with our need to customize shelter solutions.  RVs are turning out to be a bit more expensive than the heated tents, but not cost prohibitive.  Shawn has done an especially amazing job with the RVs and Trailers.  Overall, we're doing extremely well managing our costs - big bang for the buck!

4. Admin:  Shawn and I aren't taking any money from this for ourselves, for admin etc.  All donations go to the sheltering project.  

5. Keeping it Rolling!  Our first few weeks of this project are going extremely well.  We've blown through our initial funding goal, thanks to everyone's generosity.  Your donations, encouragement, sharing posts & word-of-mouth is working.  So far, we've helped 12 families and counting!