Barista Coalition Hosts Virtual Raffle Fundraiser for Helene Victims

The raffle will raise money for people in the coffee sector affected by Hurricane Helene destruction.

BY J. MARIE CARLAN
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE

Featured photo by Wes Hicks

Among the many groups collecting funds and donations for people in North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene, the Barista Coalition is hosting a virtual raffle.

Starting today, October 18, at 12 p.m. PDT, the raffle will continue through October 31. Each raffle ticket costs $15. Funds will go directly to victims within the specialty-coffee community.

LaChrista stands behind a table with cupping spoons and vessels. — LaChrista McArthur at a Barista Coalition event. Photo by Alice Pilch.

Barista Coalition’s Cause

The Barista Coalition is the brainchild of longtime coffee person and community leader LaChrista McArthur, who is currently based in Seattle. Being from Charlotte, N.C., LaChrista was heartbroken to see the destruction in the wake of the hurricane. She regretted being unable to be there to help in person; however, she didn’t let that stop her from finding a way to raise funds for the community in North Carolina.

The question, she says, was: “How can we help?“ And the solution was to engage people in the wider coffee community, many of whom were already getting involved. “A raffle was the best thing I could think of,“ says LaChrista.

The Barista Coalition virtual raffle begins Friday, Oct. 18. Photo courtesy of LaChrista McArthur.

What’s On

Many coffee companies have already donated for the raffle. Donations are still being accepted if your company or shop would like to get involved.

Some examples of donated items/services include:

Coffee subscriptions
Magazines
Syrup bundles
Coffee brewers
Gift cards
Grinder
Ceramics
Matcha set
Training course

In addition to the raffle, LaChrista encourages us to reach out to anyone you may personally know in the state who can help direct you to grassroots organizations (BeLoved Asheville is one) and community fundraisers.

A person stands in front of a bridge wearing bright orange. An enormous pile of debris from trees and an upside down trailer are washed up against the bridge. — U.S. Geological Survey hydrologic technician Pamela Loftin looks on at the aftermath of severe flooding on Pigeon River in Newport, Tenn. Photo by Logan Combs for the U.S. Geological Survey.

In the Wake of Helene

It’s impossible to overstate the devastation of Hurricane Helene in the southeastern United States.

The death toll is over 230, the second highest on record in the country after Hurricane Katrina. Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for; schools are closed; and stores are flooded or guarded against looting (images of police blocking the doors of grocery stores have caused an uproar). In North Carolina, Asheville and outlying towns in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains acted as a water catch-all, and rivers rose high enough to tear apart buildings or wash them away.

Three out of four major highways are washed out, as well as countless smaller roads, leaving them impassable for vehicles. Along with the reports of mules being loaded up to carry supplies to survivors, LaChrista mentions that people with ATVs, horses, and dirt bikes have also been spreading out and going as far as they can to reach neighbors.

While emergency response teams, FEMA, and charity groups were quickly dispatched, thousands are still without electricity, running water, and other basic services. LaChrista points out that people are in need of much more than food and water. For those who wish to donate beyond money, LaChrista says to consider places whose needs may be overlooked in a crisis: nursing homes, day cares, animal shelters, and hospitals may be in need of supplies like diapers, wipes, and cleaning products.

An online map showing dots on the map for landslides. It lists 182 flagged landslides and 231 landslides total. — A U.S. Geological Survey summary of landslides in the Blue Ridge Mountains from October 4. Image courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Coffee Jobs Lost

Many businesses have closed following the hurricane, and cafés are no exception. Apart from the loss of regular business, LaChrista points out that tourism in the mountains during autumn is part of what keeps those communities afloat. Those tourists won’t be coming this year.

With so many people having lost relatives, friends, jobs, and homes, LaChrista notes that none of us is a stranger to hardship. “When you’ve struggled yourself, you understand being in need. … It’s like going to sleep with a big question mark over your head,“ LaChrista says, referencing a common response to tragedy: mental health concerns following traumatic events.

But despair simply isn’t an option with so much to do, as the people of the Carolinas continue with their rescue work. LaChrista says that seeing this resilience and willingness to help has made her “proud to be from North Carolina; there’s a heart to North Carolina that I’m proud of,“ and that the swift responses of friends and neighbors speak to the character of the state.

Get Involved

Stay tuned to the Barista Coalition’s Instagram page for updates on the raffle. For inquiries and donations, contact LaChrista directly at baristacoalition@gmail.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J. Marie Carlan (she/they) is the online editor for Barista Magazine. She’s been a barista for 16 years and writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. When she’s not behind the espresso bar or toiling over content, you can find her perusing record stores, writing poetry, and trying to keep the plants alive in her Denver apartment.

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