Joan Brown has a long career of service beginning with her time in the Navy, and now, after the devastation of Hurricane Helene, her connections in the dog world have helped her coordinate aid and relief in affected areas. Brown currently lives in Laurel Springs, North Carolina. Since then, Brown has developed her niche in the dog world. She designs websites for AKC Parent Clubs, breed clubs, rescue organizations, and charitable foundations. Her strong ties in the dog community have grown into a dedicated network of friends and volunteers who are currently assisting in the relief effort following Hurricane Helene.
While she was living in Rhode Island during her time in the Navy, she developed a passion for breeding and showing Collies, and became a member of both the and . After leaving the navy, she she started her own business as a web developer, , and became a member of the .
Brown, who lives down the mountain on the other side of Interstate 77, has been coordinating the distribution of supplies to areas devastated by Helene. While instructing delivery drivers on where to unload supplies, Brown spoke to the AKC about the scale of devastation in western North Carolina and how the dog community is coming together to help those in need.
Hurricane Helene鈥檚 Devastating Impact
After making landfall in late September, left a path of devastation across six states, destroying roads and homes and knocking out electricity for millions of people. The rising death toll has made it one of the deadliest storms to strike the United States. Among the hardest hit areas in western North Carolina are communities like Sparta and Laurel Springs in Alleghany County, Jefferson and West Jefferson in Ashe County, and Todd in Buncombe County.
Some people remain in their residences without power while others have had considerable property damage or have lost their homes entirely. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e sleeping on the floor at churches, which is why we sent them pillows and pillowcases because they didn鈥檛 have any,鈥� Brown says. The churches are feeding people whose . Residents have opened their homes to neighbors who need to take a shower or get something to eat.
鈥淯p there in the mountains, you鈥檝e got neighbors with chainsaws who are going over to the lady鈥檚 house next door, and they鈥檙e chain sawing trees that have fallen over,鈥� she says. 鈥淪omebody else will go in and say, 鈥榊ou need some food,鈥� and will get them food.鈥�
From Grassroots Effort to Domino Effect
One of Brown鈥檚 neighbors posted on social media that he planned to take supplies up the mountain. 鈥淚 thought that is so great, and now I can do something to help,鈥� Brown says. She collected supplies and brought them over to him and was quickly joined by hundreds of people in their area who wanted to help.
鈥淚鈥檓 just one little link in the chain,鈥� she says. Her Facebook post about relief efforts has received an overwhelming response from the dog community, many of whom regularly travel along Interstate 77 to attend dog shows. At one point, she heard from a Collie breeder who told her that everything beyond their town had been destroyed.
Pretty soon, donations started coming in from dog clubs including the , , , and . Then donations started coming in from individual members of dog clubs including the , , , and Collie Club of America. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 just snowballed,鈥� she says. A friend of Brown鈥檚 offered to create an Amazon list of needed supplies, and they鈥檝e gotten donations from as far away as Japan. Her husband, Dave, has also been in touch with pilots who are taking supplies to remote areas that aren鈥檛 accessible by vehicle.
鈥淧eople really want to help, and we鈥檙e just individuals, helping people and helping dogs,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 mean, you never think of the smallest things we take for granted.鈥� Residents need everything from warm clothing and bottles for collecting clean drinking water to gasoline for operating chainsaws, generators, and ATVs. Every day, they鈥檙e packing up supplies at Brown鈥檚 house and making four or five trips up the mountain.
Paying it Forward
Aside from power outages and flooding in the area, Brown was fortunate to avoid the effects of the storm. 鈥淲e had a lot of rain and wind, but all I had to do was bring our three dogs in, and we were good,鈥� Brown says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the other reason why I said, 鈥楬ey, we got to do this because we鈥檙e blessed.'鈥�
Brown remembers losing her home in 2017 after it burned down due to a manufacturing defect in a wood-burning stove. 鈥淚f it wasn鈥檛 for the people in the dog community, I would never have made it,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey came through big time.鈥�
She was able to rebuild after the fire, but she worries about her neighbors who don鈥檛 have flood insurance. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to be in a world of hurt,鈥� she says. 鈥淪ome churches are collecting money to pay for whatever insurance doesn鈥檛 cover.鈥�
Helping others isn鈥檛 new for Brown, who volunteered during . She says it鈥檚 in her blood, referring to her ancestors who were missionaries and her father who built churches in other countries. 鈥淚 like to help people,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 always have. I鈥檝e said this many times over the years, work gets in my way. I love my job, and I need my job, but I would be much happier as a volunteer.鈥�
Supporting Helene Disaster Relief
鈥淚鈥檝e used and because I know so many people, they鈥檙e all sharing it,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd I keep those posts updated on a daily basis, so there鈥檚 transparency. People know that if they send me money, they can see it鈥檚 going to where it鈥檚 needed. The dog people are amazing people. I can鈥檛 say that enough.鈥�
Pet Disaster Relief Trailer and Disaster Funds are also among the ways that things in the area can help. Trailers are donated to areas in need, equipped with supplies to create emergency pet shelters to first responders. Breed clubs raise money for these trailers, and that money raised is matched by AKC Reunite so that a trailer can be deployed to areas in need.
Brown firmly believes that you have to help people first. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the people that feed and take care of the dogs,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just like being on an airplane. They always tell you, 鈥楳ake sure you put your mask on first before you put it on your child.'鈥�
She says she has immense pride in being part of the dog community, especially during this time. 鈥淲e鈥檒l just keep going until they鈥檙e all fed and clothed,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey are tough mountain people. They鈥檒l make it.鈥�