Hi friends- I'm sending out this plea to Asheville City and Buncombe County leadership. If you feel called, please sign and share this petition let city and other leaders know we want a seat at the table and all voices heard  

Dear Community Leaders-
     I am writing in gratitude to everyone in this community from the individual residents all the way up to every level of government for coming to the aid of thousands of our friends and neighbors in WNC.  In the wake of hurricane Helene, it was obvious to all who were here that we are living the reality that we take care of each other in these mountains.  Everyone from the federal government, state, county, and NGOs big and small to neighbors, residents, survivors, and other volunteers, rolled their sleeves up and worked side by side to save us and each other.
     Everyone ignored politics, pettiness, past grievances and distrust.  No one had the time, and it wasn’t part of our shared reality.  Folks put aside or put to rest ancient resentments.  We are now moving from a place of triage to being able to accept the overwhelming response to our devastation with support from outside the area.  Our community, through grassroots efforts and in partnership with official channels rose to the occasion in organizing and disseminating vital, lifesaving donations throughout the region, and continue to do so as services like communications, water, and electricity remain delayed for many.
     I send this with hope that this impressive and inclusive collaboration will continue as financial support begins to arrive.  My hope is that the financial aid will continue to flow with the abundance that every segment of the community experienced immediately following the storm.  As monetary support grows, the question becomes who will manage and benefit from those funds.  My expectation is that we will operate much in the same way we did immediately after the storm.       
     We must be able to acknowledge that not only one sector or industry contributes to our economy.  Each of us plays a vital role in making WNC a vibrant community that strives to be a better place to live and visit. We work together to improve the health and well-being of the communities in WNC.  We collaborate to build an inclusive entrepreneurial community in Western North Carolina by providing resources to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs.  We continue to reflect and acknowledge where we have overlooked organizations that work to empower the Black community in Asheville by preserving and promoting African American arts and traditions as well as those who champion BIPOC causes, LGBTQIA, and other marginalized folks in our community. 
     The collection and management of the bucket of funds should not and cannot be managed by one entity just as the response to our tragedy hasn’t been from one entity or agency alone.  Bigger names have been suggested as management entities such as the TDA, The Chamber of Commerce, the Dogwood Alliance, or the SBA/Mountain BizWorks among others.  Most want to see the management and disbursement of these funds to be inclusive and equitable.  I am not alone in wanting to see many voices at a round table instead of money being funneled through one organization. 
     Executed without intention, a top-down structure will re-ignite community distrust. Most of these organizations are also legally bound by mandates that dictate how their monies are distributed.  Many small businesses have already taken on debt after the pandemic and are hesitant to take on additional loans in an uncertain time.  Many affected by losses won’t be able or don’t have the capacity to prove how they put heads in beds.  Most of us are worrying about our staff and co-workers, many of whom were living on a thin edge financially before the storm.  We are concerned they will be displaced or move away, making us even more short staffed than before.  
      We all know that our large attractions and organizations bring people here, and we must also acknowledge the small businesses, workers, artists, and musicians that keep visitors for extra nights and bring them back for return visits, inspiring them to go home and spread the word, cementing our reputation of being a great place to visit worthy of being on every possible top ten list.
     No person or business should feel like they must humble themselves, hat in hand, to ask for a handout.  We should all feel empowered that we have contributed to what makes WNC great and deserve to receive support to continue creating and rebuilding this unique place we call home.  I implore the agencies and politicians deciding how to structure this relief to assemble a round table which brings all voices to the table. The committee as it forms should reflect the Venn diagram that is Asheville and WNC. We will have more resources available with all sectors represented, since each organization will be more effectively able to appeal to their base supporters for donations.
     Thank you for your time and your around-the-clock efforts to respond to our community’s needs during this tragic time. I am here to continue working side by side, sleeves rolled up, to rebuild and collaborate to make Asheville even stronger and more resilient as we look to build back with the next 100 years in mind. Please let me know how I can be of help.
Sincerely, 
Rebecca Hecht