Rock RMS & Hurricane Helene

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene struck Western North Carolina.

Biltmore Church, with its deep roots in the Asheville community and years of Rock expertise, leveraged technology to deliver care and hope during the crisis.

Lee Boone, Data Director at Biltmore Church, shared his powerful testimony about how their team prepared for and navigated this disaster.

Without Rock, Biltmore Church could not have organized and responded to our community’s needs as effectively when Hurricane Helene devastated our area. Hereʼs how we used Rock to manage our churchʼs relief efforts.

The day before Helene hit Western North Carolina, we were already dealing with significant rainfall and flooding. Anticipating potential impact, our data team and senior leaders started planning. Our first step was creating a landing page and setting up several SMS pipeline workflows with text keywords: "Relief" (for those needing help) and "Response" (for those wanting to assist).

On Friday, the day the storm hit, people were trapped in their homes due to downed trees, power lines, and flooding. Without power, internet, or cell service, communication was impossible. The extent of damage was far greater than we could initially see.

The following day, neighbors—many of whom had never met before—came together to clear debris. Many brought out chainsaws that had been in storage, and people slowly started making their way through the debris. Many, including myself, went straight to the church to assess how we could help. With minimal communication available, FM radio became the main information source. That day, Biltmore Church had a trailer full of ice bags delivered, and we organized a way for the community to pick them up.

We had no formal church services on Sunday, but people were showing up. We distributed ice and received donated supplies like water. Using limited cellular hotspots, we spread updates on social media and local radio. We set up a gathering point on the roof, the only spot with some cellular service. Volunteer teams began clearing roads and checking on those in need.

By Tuesday, with some areas regaining limited mobility, we promoted our text keywords: "Relief" for assistance and "Response" to help. Rock’s dynamic data reports helped us organize next steps. Supplies arrived by helicopter and other means. We used defined types in Rock to manage the supplies we had available. This form generated PDFs that volunteers used to pull supplies and place them into cars as they arrived. We also printed "Relief" requests for project teams heading out.

On Wednesday, as some areas regained power, urgent requests for essentials—food, gas, and other necessities—poured in. Large deliveries arrived, and we launched a new "Disaster Support" text keyword to manage these. We also texted those who had responded with "Response," asking if they could help the next day.

Heading into the weekend, the influx of responses became overwhelming. We transitioned to Rock’s Sign-Ups feature, sending tokenized links each evening for the next day’s volunteer shifts, streamlining coordination and data collection.

By the week of October 7th, we had an efficient supply distribution system, while minor projects continued. Our church locations partnered with Baptist on Mission, the National Guard, linemen, and DOT workers, and provided distribution in their local areas while offering pastoral care to their communities.

By mid-October, supply needs decreased. Over 1,100 unique volunteers had served, with many more walk-ins uncounted. The focus shifted to financial aid, as many faced losses of homes, vehicles, and loved ones. We formed a core team to focus on ongoing relief efforts, and the teams continued using Rock Sign-Ups, workflow forms, and text keywords extensively.

As we neared late October, we introduced a workflow form to assess needs more thoroughly, similar to our benevolence process. Generous donations—including used cars—poured in, and we created a form to manage and distribute these.

Rock was foundational in enabling us to serve Western North Carolina. We are excited to see how God will continue using Biltmore Church to glorify Him by making disciples of Jesus who reach up, reach in, and reach out.

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Thanks to Lee Boone for sharing this powerful story along with photos from their church community! If you have a story of how Rock is making a difference in your community, send us a message. We'd love to hear about it!

To support Biltmore Church’s ongoing relief efforts, visit 828strong.com.

Also, listen in to Episode 187 of the Rockcast for an in-depth interview with Lee Boone!