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RJO, CERF+ Join Those Offering Hurricane Helene Relief to Affected Jewelers
Plus, how to apply for emergency funds and donate to recovery efforts.
A satellite image captured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showing Hurricane Helene moving into the Gulf of Mexico in the afternoon of Sept. 25
Editor's Note: This story was updated post-publication to include the addition of another resource, Treats Studios, which is working on a database of artists who need help.
New York—On Sept. 26, Category 4 storm Hurricane Helene made landfall along Florida’s northwest coast.
In the following days, the storm traveled across the Southeast, causing widespread devastation in nearby states including Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Virginia.
More than 130 deaths have been reported and as many as 600 people are still unaccounted for.
Some members of private Facebook jeweler community “Jewelers Helping Jewelers” posted about having been in the storm’s path, reporting disheartening store conditions.
Two jewelers on the coast of the Tampa, Florida area said their stores sustained damage from flooding, and one noted 4 to 5 feet of water.
A number of government organizations, nonprofits, and aid groups are working to bring relief to Asheville, North Carolina, an inland mountain town in western North Carolina that is experiencing unprecedented flooding and damage related to the storm.
Liz Kantner, the industry consultant behind Stay Gold Collective, the self-described jewelry community for marketing know-how, is based in Asheville and is working on a database of artists in the area who were affected.
She is sharing resources via her Instagram profile, such as BeLoved Asheville, Treats Studios, and the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+).
CERF+, a public charity organization, states that it provides craft artists with support and resources for disaster and emergency relief, and it also offers education programs and readiness grants to strengthen preparedness.
Its $3,000 Emergency Relief Grant is available for craft artists who experienced “a recent and substantially disruptive emergency or disaster.”
The application, as well as eligibility details, can be found here.
Those who wish to donate to the emergency fund can do so here.
Related stories will be right here …
New York—On Sept. 26, Category 4 storm Hurricane Helene made landfall along Florida’s northwest coast.
In the following days, the storm traveled across the Southeast, causing widespread devastation in nearby states including Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Virginia.
More than 130 deaths have been reported and as many as 600 people are still unaccounted for.
Some members of private Facebook jeweler community “Jewelers Helping Jewelers” posted about having been in the storm’s path, reporting disheartening store conditions.
Two jewelers on the coast of the Tampa, Florida area said their stores sustained damage from flooding, and one noted 4 to 5 feet of water.
A number of government organizations, nonprofits, and aid groups are working to bring relief to Asheville, North Carolina, an inland mountain town in western North Carolina that is experiencing unprecedented flooding and damage related to the storm.
Liz Kantner, the industry consultant behind Stay Gold Collective, the self-described jewelry community for marketing know-how, is based in Asheville and is working on a database of artists in the area who were affected.
She is sharing resources via her Instagram profile, such as BeLoved Asheville, Treats Studios, and the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+).
CERF+, a public charity organization, states that it provides craft artists with support and resources for disaster and emergency relief, and it also offers education programs and readiness grants to strengthen preparedness.
Its $3,000 Emergency Relief Grant is available for craft artists who experienced “a recent and substantially disruptive emergency or disaster.”
The application, as well as eligibility details, can be found here.
Those who wish to donate to the emergency fund can do so here.
The philanthropic arm of the Retail Jewelers Organization, the RJO Foundation, has a new Disaster Relief Fund, which it launched Sept. 19.
“Our hope is to aid as many as financially possible to support the recovery of our members,” said Sarah Streb, executive director of the RJO Foundation.
The fund is designed to provide immediate financial support in amounts between $500 and $1,000 to RJO members, their employees, and their families who are recovering from and facing losses due to the devastation from natural disasters.
Any RJO member affected by Hurricane Helene can apply for funding here.
The Disaster Fund Committee will review applications and send relief payment promptly upon their approval.
The fund is supported through donations from RJO members, vendors, and industry partners, and the organization encourages members of the retail jewelry industry, as well as supporters, to contribute to it.
To donate to the RJO Foundation Disaster Relief Fund, click here and include Disaster Relief Fund in the In Memoriam line, or mail a check to RJO Foundation, ATTN: Disaster Relief Fund, Box 1045 in Newton, Iowa 50208.
Though Hurricane Helene has passed, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecasted above-normal hurricane activity this year.
Earlier this year, Jewelers Mutual Group shared advice on what to do before, during, and after a storm.
In addition to industry-focused relief initiatives, donations are also being accepted by state-run disaster relief and recovery funds like The North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund and The Florida Disaster Fund, and by national organizations including The Salvation Army and The American Red Cross.
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