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Project Wrap-Up: A Look Back at the GROW-NC Partnership

Project Wrap-Up: A Look Back at the GROW-NC Partnership

by | July 15, 2026 | Projects & Partnerships, Resources for Resilience

A Year of Community Recovery, Resilience, and Impact

When Hurricane Helene struck Western North Carolina in the fall of 2024, it changed our communities overnight. Homes and businesses were damaged, schools and workplaces were disrupted, and many people faced uncertainty, loss, and overwhelming stress.

While rebuilding infrastructure would take time, another need quickly became clear: people needed practical tools to navigate challenges, reconnect with one another, and begin healing.

At Resources for Resilience, we knew recovery would require more than an immediate response. It would take a long-term commitment to supporting individuals, families, organizations, and communities as they rebuilt together.

Thanks to an extraordinary $2 million partnership with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Vaya Health, the WNC Recovery Office, and countless community partners, that vision became reality through the GROW NC Project.

As this regional initiative wraps up, we’re taking a look back at all of the focused care and connection that helped thousands of people discover that healing is possible.

 

 

An Unprecedented Year of Community Impact

From June 2025 through June 2026, the GROW NC Project achieved a huge amount of impact in a short amount of time.

  • DELIVERED 23 hours of direct crisis support in the wake of the storm
  • DOUBLED the size of our team with 7 new staff and over 40 event-support volunteers
  • HOSTED 350 specialized trainings, workshops, and events
  • ADMINISTERED nearly 700 hours of FREE trauma-informed programming, in person and online
  • SUPPORTED over 6,000 participants across 25 Helene-impacted counties
  • CERTIFIED 10 new Resilency Ambassadors to serve across their professional networks in WNC
  • LAUNCHED 3 new trauma-informed offerings for our key audiences
  • WELCOMED around 55 resilency partners and special guests to our inaugural professional development conference
  • FEATURED in over 50 different media sites, including local press and national media channels
  • OFFERED 35 opportunities for affordable CEU credits in collaboration with Area L-AHEC
  • COMPLETED onboarding training and quality support for 81 new and existing trainers
  • PROVIDED over 300 hours of technical assistance and support to our certified trainers
  • EXPANDED visibility resulting in over 1300 new email subscribers and social media followers
  • OBSERVED over 26,000 new visitors to our updated website, resourcesforresilience.org

 

Growing Our Capacity To Serve

This work would not have been possible without strengthening our own organizational capacity. GROW NC Project funding enabled Resources for Resilience to expand our team, deepen regional partnerships, increase outreach efforts, and respond more effectively to community needs. This growth allowed us to serve more people than ever before while maintaining the relationship-centered approach that has defined our organization since our founding

Perhaps most remarkably, nearly 30% of our organization’s total growth over the past eight years occurred in the 18 months following Hurricane Helene.

The message is clear: when communities face hardship, they seek connection, support, and tools for healing. Time and again, people have turned to Resources for Resilience during moments of crisis—and that’s where we will continue to show up when it matters most.

This growth reflects both the tremendous need across our region and the power of making resilience education accessible to everyone.

 

Meeting The Moment

Within days of Hurricane Helene’s landfall, our team mobilized to provide crisis support in shelters, distribution centers, and community hubs across Western North Carolina.

As recovery needs grew, so did our response. What began as emergency support quickly evolved into one of the largest resilience education efforts in our history, bringing trauma-informed programming directly to schools, healthcare systems, nonprofits, workplaces, and community spaces while expanding virtual access across the region.

Recognizing that recovery would take many months—and in fact, years—we remained committed to providing practical tools and compassionate support wherever they were needed most.

Flexibility was one of the project’s greatest strengths.

Approximately half of all programming was delivered in person throughout mountain towns and rural communities most affected by Hurricane Helene. The remainder was offered virtually, allowing participants to access support from home, work, or wherever they felt most comfortable.

This hybrid approach enabled us to serve educators, healthcare workers, behavioral health providers, nonprofit staff, volunteers, caregivers, families, and community members across all 25 impacted counties.

No matter where someone lived—or what challenges they faced—they had access to practical, science-based tools for managing stress and building resilience.

 

Helping the Helpers

Throughout the project, one priority remained constant: supporting the people who spend every day supporting others.

Programs were intentionally designed for those experiencing high levels of stress and burnout, including:

  • First responders
  • Educators
  • Healthcare professionals
  • Behavioral health providers
  • Nonprofit staff
  • Volunteers
  • Community leaders
  • Caregivers

By helping these professionals strengthen their own resilience, we amplified the ripple effect of healing throughout the communities they serve.

 

Programs Created for Recovery

As we listened to participants throughout the recovery process, new needs emerged. In response, our team developed several original programs specifically designed to support post-disaster healing.

  • Reconnecting Through Hard Times: A one-hour training to equip community members with practical tools for supporting others through stress, uncertainty, and overwhelm.
  • Resilient Family Adventure: This innovative, interactive experience combines resilience practices with hands-on, nature-based activities, helping children and caregivers reconnect through movement, joy, and shared learning.
  • Recharging Resilience: Designed for frontline helpers, healthcare professionals, nonprofit staff, and service providers, this one-day workshop focuses on burnout prevention, nervous system regulation, and sustainable self-care.

Together, these programs expanded our ability to meet emerging community needs while creating lasting resources for future disaster recovery efforts.

 

Real Stories. Real Healing.

While numbers and data tell part of the story, participant voices tell the rest.

Throughout the project, individuals shared how these programs transformed not only their understanding of stress, but also how they cared for themselves, their families, coworkers, students, clients, and neighbors.”

“Thank you for the important work you are all doing! I have felt forgotten since the storm. And I get it. There’s so many others in crisis. But we’re still trying to recover. The recognition of this was so important to me. This affects all of us. For years to come. And it will keep happening. And being in the room with others going though it who believe differently or vote for different people was powerful. This doesn’t happen a lot. We can heal together and we have tools to do it. I think that people that live in bigger cities think other people have heard of this or have some kind of access to this information. We do not. It is new for us. Thank you. Keep it up!  (Recharging Resilience Participant)

“The trainers created a space where it felt comfortable to share, to feel, to check in with myself and how I’m feeling w/o the pressure i put on myself to put that stuff away.” (Reconnect for Resilience Participant)

“I left feeling seen, heard, and taken care of. I felt happy and energized from engaging and practicing the tools rather than many workshops and trainings have you feeling dumped on, drained, and depleted. ” (Leading Through Hard Times Participant)

“The training was a wonderful and calm experience, especially after a community tragedy. We are helpers and don’t have access to these (tools and resources). How does that make sense? I wish there was more (support) for helpers.” (Recharging Participant)

“There have been so many tragedies in our community and it feels like people do something for a second and then move on. But offering these tools was like I could face another day helping others. I wish more people saw that we need help too. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” (Recharging Participant)

Each of these stories remind us that resilience is not about avoiding hardship. It’s about creating spaces where people feel connected, supported, and equipped with practical tools they can carry into everyday life.

 

Growing Beyond Western North Carolina

While RFR has been doing this work since 2017, the growth and visibility we’ve received post-storm has helped even more people learn about our mission, discover our programming, and understand why community-based mental health support matters.

During this project, Resources for Resilience was featured by numerous local and national media outlets—including CNN, NPR, FEMA, FOX, WLOS, and many others—for our trauma-informed approach to disaster recovery.

We are grateful to all of these media partners for helping us tell our story so that we can continue to sustain this work for years to come.

This recognition helped elevate the importance of resilience education across the nation, and positioned Western North Carolina as a model for community-centered recovery.

Disaster recovery is never measured in weeks or months. It is measured in relationships—communities that continue showing up for one another, individuals who discover the strength to keep moving forward, and countless examples of neighbors helping neighbors and remembering they are not alone.

Looking Ahead

While Resources For Resilience’s funding from the GROW NC Project has come to an end, our mission continues.

As we transition back to a sustainable model supported by grants, partnerships, contracts, and affordable program registration fees, we remain committed to making resilience education accessible to all.

To the GROW NC Office, NCDHHS, Vaya Health, as well as every participant, volunteer, partner organization, funder, and supporter who believed in this work: THANK YOU!

You made this level of regional impact possible. Together, we have helped build stronger, healthier, and more resilient WNC, and we look forward to continuing this work for years to come.

 

“For me, this has been one of the most unforgettable years in RFR’s story. And probably in my own life. 

I still remember the email that came through on March 27, 2025. It shared that $2 million had been allocated from the Governor’s Recovery Office of WNC for Resources for Resilience to offer our programming and outreach across the region. 

By April 10, just eight working days later, we had a project proposal out the door. Eight days to meet, to dream, to build something meaningful with a focus on supporting the helpers of Western North Carolina.

We put our vision together, crossing our fingers and toes that it could work. We knew we needed to double our team size and take an approach we had never taken before. 

I remember thinking early on, “How are we ever going to pull this off?” Then a few months in it had shifted to, “Are we actually going to pull this off?” And then eventually… “Oh my gosh, yes! we are pullingt his off andin the best way possible!”

And the truth is, this only happened because of every single person on this team. 

We rode the waves together, and we were never alone in it. We showed up for each other. We listened. We made space for the hard moments with compassion. And we celebrated, again and again, the big wins and the small ones too. We truly walked the walk of our RFR tools.

Every mile traveled, call made, meeting attended, trainer supported, receipt submitted, huddle held, materials counted. Every community conversation, every social post, every calendar entry, each effort small and large.

All of it mattered. All of it made this project possible. 

We may not know exactly what the future will look like exactly. But we do know this: we were part of something big. Something meaningful. And we did it, together.

And that doesn’t just end here. We carry this with us, the impact, the connection, the growth, the exhaustion, and the exhilaration. We carry it as part of who we are now, and as part of this RFR community that continues forward.”

Ashley Putnam, Director of Partnerships & Programming

Building Resilient Families with the WNC Bridge Foundation

Building Resilient Families with the WNC Bridge Foundation

by | July 13, 2026 | Projects & Partnerships, Resources for Resilience

Resources for Resilience Awarded IMPACT Grant to Expand Family Programming Across Western North Carolina

Resources For Resilience is excited to announce that we have been awarded an IMPACT Grant from the WNC Bridge Foundation to expand our  family-centered programming designed to help children and caregivers build resilience together.

Families throughout our region continue to navigate the lasting effects of Hurricane Helene. While many immediate needs have been addressed, the long-term impacts of stress, disrupted routines, financial strain, and caregiver burnout remain. This funding allows us to respond to those ongoing challenges by bringing practical, prevention-focused mental wellness resources directly into communities where they are needed most.

Since Hurricane Helene, Resources for Resilience has provided resilience education to thousands of caregivers, educators, healthcare professionals, first responders, and community members across Western North Carolina. That work revealed a growing need for family-centered, preventive mental health support—especially in rural communities where access to services can be limited.  RFR’s youth and family-focused programming was created in direct response to those conversations.

“Even the most resilient families can benefit from accessible tools, supportive relationships, and chances to reconnect and reset. This investment from WNC Bridge Foundation allows us to bring those opportunities to more communities and help families build skills they can use every day.”

Ann DuPre Rogers, RFR Executive Director

Community-Based Experiential Events

Through this grant, Resources For Resilience will host four (4) Resilient Family Adventures in rural and underserved communities between August 2026 and June 2027. Each event is designed to be welcoming, interactive, and accessible for families of all ages.

During each Adventure, families participate in hands-on activities that teach practical resilience skills through movement, play, connection, and shared learning. Children and caregivers will explore simple strategies for managing stress, strengthening emotional regulation, and building healthy relationships—all grounded in neuroscience and presented in engaging, everyday language.

Every event will also include a shared community meal, bilingual resources and support, take-home resilience toolkits, and opportunities to connect with local organizations.

 

Valuable Educational Programming

Alongside the in-person community RFA events, RFR will also host up to to six(6) Resilient Families programs to provide continuing education and reinforce skill-building.

These 1-hour presentations will be offered in both virtual and in-person formats for parents to learn how stress manifests in children and teens, discover how to spot problems early on, and explore simple tools to boost connection and support.

Strengthening Communities Together

This generous grant will support an estimated 400–700 children and caregivers across WNC, while strengthening partnerships with schools, faith communities, parks, libraries, and local nonprofits throughout the region.

By investing in prevention, connection, and practical resilience skills, the program aims to strengthen protective factors for children, increase caregiver confidence, and foster healthier, more connected communities.

Resources for Resilience is deeply grateful to the WNC Bridge Foundation for its commitment to supporting children and families across Western North Carolina. Together, we are helping ensure that families not only recover—but continue to grow stronger, more connected, and more resilient for years to come.

 

 

Stay tuned for upcoming RFA and RF dates by subscribing to our email newsletter, following us on our social channels,  or visiting our community events calendar.

FREE Resiliency Education for Rutherford & McDowell Counties

FREE Resiliency Education for Rutherford & McDowell Counties

by | June 24, 2026 | Projects & Partnerships, Resources for Resilience

Disaster Relief Grant Recipients

Resources for Resilience is excited to announce that we have recieved a generous grant from the North Carolina Community Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund to expand our FREE educational programming in McDowell and Rutherford counties through the end of January 2027.

This is a valuable opportunity for Helene-impacted communities to continue building foundations for long-term resilience, healing, and recovery.

Call for Hosts & Partners in Rutherford and McDowell Counties!

Right now we’re looking for teams and organizations across McDowell and Rutherford counties who are interested in hosting one or more of our signature trainings or workshops that teach participants how to reduce stress, manage burnout, navigate trauma and foster long‑term wellbeing.

Our grant timeline is limited, so we are scheduling sessions NOW! Here’s what you and your team can look forward to:

  • Priority scheduling for professional development trainings and workshops for Fall 2026 and Winter 2027.
  • Understanding of simple evidence-based tools and practices tailored to your network of community-based workers and professionals.
  • Direct support to help you plan, promote, and co-host a successful session for your internal team, or your wider community.

To secure your participation, please complete our brief Session Request Form.

The Heart of Community

As we build our training calendar, we welcome your input and partnership—whether through co‑hosting sessions or exploring new ways to bring resilience resources to the people you serve.

Collaboration is central to our mission, and your feedback ensures these offerings remain meaningful and responsive to community needs.

Please contact us at info@resourcesforresilience.org with any questions or comments about this exciting opportunity.

Thank you for the work you do and for considering this opportunity to collaborate! We’re excited about what we can accomplish together.

About RFR 

Resources For Resilience is an Asheville–based nonprofit organization founded in 2017 to help individuals and teams navigate stress, overwhelm, and burnout. Our work is rooted in the belief that resilience grows through shared learning, care, and connection, especially during times of ongoing challenge. Through accessible trainings, educational workshops, and community partnerships, Resources for Resilience shares practical tools and research-informed skills that support wellbeing, connection, and long-term community health. 

 

Last Call! WNC Residents Urged To Take Advantage of FREE Trauma-Informed Programming For Helene Recovery

Last Call! WNC Residents Urged To Take Advantage of FREE Trauma-Informed Programming For Helene Recovery

by | May 18, 2026 | Projects & Partnerships, Resources for Resilience

With their large funding stream scheduled to end at the end of June, Resources For Resilience is urging residents to register for this free programming now, while space remains available.

Asheville-based nonprofit, Resources For Resilience, is calling on community members across Western North Carolina to take advantage of their final weeks of FREE resiliency workshops, trainings, and community events.

Supported by over $2 million in state and regional funding, these offerings have already reached more than 8,500 residents across the 25 counties most impacted by Hurricane Helene. Since the storm, RFR has delivered hundreds of these no‑cost trainings designed to help individuals, families, and frontline professionals regulate stress, strengthen connection, and build long‑term emotional resilience.

Thanks to support from the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Vaya Health, and the WNC Recovery Office, Resources For Resilience has been able to provide these programs at no cost since June 2025. When this funding ends at the end of June 2026, RFR will return to a model supported by smaller grants, private contracts, and individual payments.

Resources for Resilience is a nonprofit founded in 2017 to help individuals, teams,  families, and communities build practical skills for emotional regulation, stress management, and burnout prevention. We believe resilience grows through shared connection and learning science-backed, accessible tools that anyone can use in moments of stress.

Why This Matters Now

For many across Western North Carolina, the emotional and physical impacts of Hurricane Helene continue long after the storm. Resources For Resilience provides simple, evidence‑based practices that help people calm their bodies, recognize overwhelm, and respond in healthier ways — without the need for therapy, specialized training, or complex programs.

These programs are especially beneficial for first responders, educators, healthcare workers, caregivers, and essential service providers — groups most vulnerable to burnout and chronic stress. These tools can be used in any setting, including workplaces, homes, classrooms, crisis response, and everyday life.

Current offerings are designed to address the significant stress residents continue to experience, providing practical, research‑supported strategies that help individuals regain steadiness, strengthen regulation skills, and support collective recovery across the region.

This work underscores the importance of consistent attention to mental well‑being, enabling people to build skills they can rely on in any environment. Recovery is strengthened through small, sustained moments of care, connection, and appropriate support, particularly during periods of heightened stress.

From our Executive Director

Resources for Resilience has one simple goal: to help people feel steadier, safer, and more connected in their everyday lives. 

Our organization was founded back in 2017, years before Helene came along. And over the years, we’ve noticed how interest and demand in our programming seems to skyrocket after these big traumatic events, like the pandemic, and then the storm. We just surpassed the 30,000 mark of individuals served, and nearly 20% of that occured just in the last 18 months since Helene. We observe real growth during the most challenging times, which tells us that we’re meeting a real need for the communities we serve.

Our programming provides very simple, practical nervous‑system regulation tools — things you can actually use in real moments of stress. We share them in an accessible way that feels judgement-free and welcoming to all, which is especially helpful for audiences who do not have any formal mental health training or background.

These practices aren’t clinical or complicated; they’re simply skills that help people breathe easier, think more clearly, and reconnect with themselves and each other when it matters most.

These programs have been really helpful for the individuals and groups we serve because they create spaces where people feel seen, supported, and not alone in what they’re carrying. Teachers tell us they’re calmer in the classroom. First responders say they can reset after tough calls. Parents share that they finally have tools to help their kids (and themselves) through overwhelming moments. It’s this kind of ripple effect that has the ability to strengthen whole communities.

Since Helene, the progress has been real and visible. We’re teaching people how to find their footing again after months of uncertainty. People are starting to believe, and see first-hand, that healing is possible — not because everything is magically fixed (as we know, it’s not) but because they now have tools that help them move through hard moments instead of getting stuck in them.

We’re incredibly honored to have had such a big year of growth through the GROW-NC project and our partnership with NC DHHS and Vaya Health. This collaboration has allowed us to bring free, trauma‑informed programming to communities across Western North Carolina at a scale we’ve never reached before.

As this regional initiative wraps up after June, we’re holding onto hope that this is not the last time we’ll be able to offer no-cost programming. With future funding and strategic partnerships , we believe that we’ll be able to offer these opportunities again and continue making resilience tools available to everyone who needs them.

Ann DuPre Rogers

Resources For Resilience, Executive Director

Last Call For These No‑Cost Events!

Resources For Resilience is offering programming both in person at select locations across the high-country, and in convenient virtual formats so anyone can tune in from their home or office.

Name Dates Description Location
Community Listening Circle

May 20

May 27

June 3

June 10

June 17

 1-hour session to connect and practice regulation tools in real-time Virtual
Reconnecting Through Hard Times*

May 21

May 28

June 4

June 11

June 18

 1-hour training to learn tools to help others de-stress Virtual
Reconnect for Resilience

 

May 21 & 22

June 16 & 17

 2-day in-depth training to learn how stress affects the brain & body, and simple tools to regulate Virtual
Reconnect for Better Days June 5 1-hour webinar to learn tools to help yourself de-stress Virtual
Leading Through Hard Times

June 4

June 11

 1-day professional development workshop for leaders

Blowing Rock, NC -Watauga County

Canton, NC – Haywood County
Recharging Resilience June 10 1-day professional development workshop for service workers & providers Spindale, NC -Rutherford County
Resilient Family Adventure June 13 3-hour family-friendly event with hands-on activities

Marshall, NC –

Madison County

Interested participants can learn more and register for these programs at the links below:

*Continuing Education Units (CEUs) available for select events through Area L AHEC.

Stay Connected

As we round out the final weeks of our GROW NC Project, we want to thank all of our partners, volunteers, and participants who have made this work possible this past year.  While our services will transition back to an affordable paid model after June, we look forward to the next chapter ahead.

Our mission, our values, our vision, and our dedication to building resilience remain as strong as ever. If you’re seeking tools for steadiness, connection, and well‑being, we’re here for you! Please follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop on what’s to come!

 

“Now is the moment to take advantage of these offerings,” Rogers emphasized. “While this level of fully-free access will be ending for the forseeable future, we’ve been doing this work since 2017, and we’re not going anywhere.”

Resilient Schools In Action: Supporting Students, Families, and Educators Across WNC

Resilient Schools In Action: Supporting Students, Families, and Educators Across WNC

by | April 28, 2026 | Projects & Partnerships, Resources for Resilience

Since 2017, Resources for Resilience has partnered with more than 60 schools across North Carolina. Through Resilient Schools in Action, we are expanding our reach to school districts throughout the 25 counties impacted by Hurricane Helene. Funding provided by Americares makes it possible to support the wellbeing of students, staff, and families at no cost to participating schools.

 

Today’s schools face growing challenges as educators, students, administrators, and families navigate stress, mental health concerns, and the demands of teaching and learning. Supporting school wellbeing requires more than a one-time training. It requires a sustainable approach that strengthens skills, relationships, and support systems over time.

Resilient Schools in Action (RSA) was designed to meet that need. Developed by Resources For Resilience, the program helps students, staff, and families build resilience through professional development, coaching, peer leadership, and a comprehensive toolkit aligned with existing social and emotional learning initiatives.

In partnership with Americares, Resources For Resilience is bringing this opportunity to Helene-impacted schools across Western North Carolina, equipping communities with tools and resources that support long-term wellbeing and recovery.

Local School Partnerships

In spring 2026, elementary schools across WNC were invited to apply for the inaugural RSA cohort. Interest far exceeded available spots!

We are excited to partner with the following schools for the 2026-2027 school year and beyond:

  • West Marion Elementary (McDowell County)
  • Mulberry Elementary (Wilkes County)
  • Scotts Creek Elementary (Jackson County)
  • Wilkesboro Elementary (Wilkes County)

 

A Schoolwide Strategy

Resilient Schools in Action is built on the belief that resilience grows through strong relationships and supportive environments. 

The program promotes stronger connections among staff, students, administrators, and caregivers and others in the school community.

By strengthening these relationships, schools foster a culture of belonging, wellbeing, and resilience. Together, these groups create a sustainable network of support that extends beyond individual trainings.

Building Capacity From the Inside Out

At the heart of RSA is a capacity-building model that develops resilience leaders within each school. By the end of the program, schools have a team of trained internal champions who can sustain resilience practices, support staff wellbeing, and strengthen school culture for years to come.

Participating schools receive:

  • In-depth training for 4-5 staff members to become certified Resiliency Ambassadors, equipping them to integrate practical, science-based resiliency tools throughout the school community.

  • Monthly coaching and technical assistance to build internal capacity, support implementation, and strengthen long-term mental health and wellbeing initiatives. Support includes stipends for participating staff, CEU credits and more.

  • A comprehensive implementation toolkit that helps schools embed resilience into everyday practice through:
    • Quarterly focus areas, themes with small, actionable activities
    • Staff microlearning sessions facilitated by Resiliency Ambassadors
    • Monthly cohort meetings for collaboration, peer learning, and ongoing support
    • Classroom and schoolwide resilience materials
    • Six mini-decks for staff and leadership engagement
    • Four messaging guides to support communication and implementation
    • Three family newsletters that extend resilience learning beyond the classroom

    The RSA Pathway

    The two-year program pathway includes four key stages:

    Step 1: Reconnect for Resilience™ Training

    Interested participants complete a 14-hour foundational training delivered over two days or through modular sessions.

    Step 2: Resiliency Champions Certification

    Five to six Resiliency Champions serve as enthusiastic adopters and advocates for the work. This seven-hour workshop helps participants deepen their understanding of resilience and prepare for implementation.

    Step 3: Resiliency Ambassadors Certification

    Up to five Resiliency Ambassadors  receive in-depth training to help integrate practical, science-based resiliency tools throughout the school community. This 14-hour advanced workshop is designed to prepare individuals for long-term leadership within their schools.

    Step 4: Full Implementation

    This training progression equips participants with the knowledge, experience, and support needed to create lasting change. Successful Resiliency Ambassadors

    • Work directly within the participating school
    • Demonstrate commitment to resilience-building efforts
    • Influence colleagues and facilitate presentations
    • Implement RSA strategies and support schoolwide adoption

     

    A Vision for Lasting Change

    Resilient Schools in Action empowers schools to embed resilience into daily practice through leadership development, coaching, practical tools, and relationship-centered strategies.

    By investing in educators, students, administrators, and families, RSA helps schools create environments where wellbeing, connection, and resilience can thrive for years to come.

     

    Stay Tuned for More!

    We look forward to sharing more information as this program progresses. Please stay tuned for updates by following our social media channels or subscribing to our newsletter!

    Stronger Together: Free Trainings Help WNC Manage Stress & Build Resilience 

    Stronger Together: Free Trainings Help WNC Manage Stress & Build Resilience 

    by | January 6, 2026 | Projects & Partnerships, Resources for Resilience

    Resources For Resilience invites community members to plan ahead with practical, easy-to-use skills that support wellbeing throughout the year.

    January is often framed as a fresh start and “new beginning” but for most people, stress and overwhelm don’t magically disappear with a new calendar year. With the holidays there is often brings a complicated mix of reflection, experiences of loss, evolving family dynamics, and heightened expectations for the year ahead.

    For many across Western North Carolina, this season also carries the ongoing emotional and physical impacts of Hurricane Helene — effects that remain present long after the storm itself. 

    As individuals, families and workplaces across Western North Carolina look for ways to reset and prioritize mental health in the new year, Resources For Resilience is emerging as a practical and accessible resource for healing from trauma, building emotional resilience, and managing stress.

    RFR offers simple, evidence-based tools to help people of all ages regulate their emotions, respond effectively to stress, and build healthier habits over time – without the need for traditional therapy, specialized training or complicated programs. This practices can be used by anyone, anywhere in the moments they need them most. With practice and repetition, this is how we  strengthening resilience and hope over time.

    Reminder: Healing doesn’t have to be complex, overwhelming or expensive – and it isn’t about perfection. Small, positive experiences practiced consistently can move people from survival mode into their Resilient Zone.

    As we enter a new year, Resources for Resilience is inviting community members across Western North Carolina to plan ahead by learning practical ways to manage stress, reset during difficult moments, and stay connected — skills that can be used again and again throughout everyday life. 

    “The end of the year can surface both hope and heaviness,” said Ann DuPre Rogers, Executive Director of Resources for Resilience. “Many people are carrying more than usual, including everyday pressures to the lasting effects of Hurricane Helene. This work is about acknowledging that reality and offering practical ways to steady ourselves and move forward, together.”

     

    Planning Now for a More Supported Year 

    Reconnect for Resilience focuses on simple, research-based practices that help people calm their minds and bodies during stress, recognize when they’re becoming overwhelmed, and respond in healthier ways. These are concrete skills participants can use at work, at home, alone, or with others. 

    “People often see the start of a new year as the right time to focus on physical health,” Rogers said. “But our bodies are strongest when we care for them consistently, not just once a year. Mental wellbeing works the same way. It’s not something to wait on until you’re overwhelmed. It’s something you invest in regularly, so you have skills you can draw on any day, anywhere.” 

    Resources for Resilience offers trainings and events open to anyone looking for healthier ways to manage stress, with particular relevance for educators, healthcare workers, caregivers, and first responders. 

    Their work is grounded in the belief that resilience grows through connection and shared learning. In Western North Carolina, that belief has taken on deeper meaning as communities continue to recover from Hurricane Helene while supporting one another through long-term challenges. 

    “Recovery doesn’t happen all at once,” Rogers said. “It happens in small, steady moments through care, connection, and having the right support when stress shows up.” 

    In 2025, Resources For Resilience connected with more than 5,800 people across the 25 Helene-impacted counties with this programming, and they’re hoping to double that number by June.

    Upcoming Opportunities to Learn & Connect 

    Supported by nearly $3 million from state agencies and nonprofit partners, Resources For Resilience is expanding its trauma‑informed resiliency programs ensuring access for anyone helping Western North Carolina stay safe, healthy, and connected. 

    Thanks to their generous funders and partners, RFR is offering hundreds of no-cost trainings, workshops, and community events focused on stress regulation and resilience-building for all ages.

    This support is particularly beneficial for first responders, health providers, essential workers, and other WNC residents impacted by the trauma of Helene. The funding for these FREE events will end in June and space is limited, so community members are encouraged to register soon to secure their spot. 

    FEBRUARY 2026
    Feb 6 | Recharging Resilience (Waynesville)*
    Feb 11 & 12 | Reconnect for Resilience (Hendersonville)
    Feb 19 | Leading Through Hard Times (Marion)
    Feb 27 | Recharging Resilience (North Wilkesboro)
    MARCH 2026
    Mar 11 | Recharging Resilience (Marshall)
    Mar 26 & 27 | Reconnect for Resilience (Virtual)
    APRIL 2026
    Apr 16 | Leading Through Hard Times (Morganton)*
    Apr 21 & 22 | Reconnect for Resilience (Virtual)
    April 24 | Leading Through Hard Times (Burnsville)*
    MAY 2026
    May 6 | Recharging Resilience (Newton)
    May 21 | Reconnect for Resilience (Virtual)
    JUNE 2026
    June 4 | Leading Through Hard Times (Blowing Rock)
    June 10 | Recharging Resilience (Spindale)
    June 11 | Leading Through Hard Times (Canton)*
    June 16 & 17 | Reconnect for Resilience (Virtual)

    *Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for select events through Area L AHEC. 

    Resources For Resilience will also continue their series of FREE recurring virtual events for WNC residents impacted by Helene:

    Looking for a program near you? Check out our county-by-county event listings:

     

    To view the full calendar of events and to register, visit resourcesforresilience.org/events.

     

    About Us 

    Resources For Resilience is a Western North Carolina–based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals, organizations, and communities navigate stress and build resilience. Through accessible trainings, workshops, and community partnerships, Resources for Resilience shares practical, research-informed skills that support wellbeing, connection, and long-term community health. Our work is rooted in the belief that resilience grows through shared learning, care, and connection, especially during times of ongoing challenge. 

    Resources For Resilience’s no-cost trauma‑informed trainings are supported by nearly $3 million in partner funding. Our educational and community-building programming has already reached more than 5,000 WNC residents across the 25 counties affected by Hurricane Helene, and we hope to double that number by June. Thank you for supporting this work!