SPINDALE, N.C. -- The joyful voices of loved ones filled Ms. Bristol's new home on Monday, echoing throughout as family and friends gathered to celebrate a very special moment. After weathering the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene, Ms. Bristol graciously received her keys and unlocked the door to her new beginning.
"God has been good, and I thank him," Ms. Bristol said, describing the moment as "amazing," "wonderful," and "full of joy."
Born and raised in Rutherford County, Ms. Bristol had lived in her previous home for 26 years when Helene struck in September 2024. While the storm caused significant wind and water damage to her longtime home, she was thankfully spared from further destruction by nearby fallen trees.
In the weeks following Helene, Ms. Bristol was left without water and electricity. She's grateful for the kindness of her neighbors -- including the one right next door -- who helped her make it through those challenging times.
"My neighbor's been really good to me. He's helped me out a whole lot with everything," she said. He dropped by to join the celebration.
Ms. Bristol first discovered Renew NC, North Carolina's long-term disaster recovery initiative, online. She saw a Facebook ad for the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program and decided to look into it.
"I read up on [Renew NC] before I even got started," Ms. Bristol said. "I saw that [the program] was legit, so I said I'm going to go ahead and put in an application. So that's what I did."
Ms. Bristol submitted her application for housing assistance to the Single-Family Housing Program, which is helping to repair, replace, or reconstruct Helene-damaged housing in 29 counties in western North Carolina, including the 28214 ZIP code in Mecklenburg County. This housing assistance program prioritizes low-to-moderate income families with seniors aged 62 and older, children, and/or disabled household members impacted by Helene.
(Note: The program's application window closed on January 31, 2026.)
To date, the Single-Family Housing Program has completed 186 housing projects, with another 186 projects in construction. Nearly 1,000 projects are in the final stages before entering construction. Renew NC is administered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce and funded by a Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Ms. Bristol received a brand-new, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home built by her assigned contractor, BHL Federal. Each applicant is assigned a contractor at the pre-construction stage that assists them throughout the construction process.
"They came in and did a wonderful job. I am pleased," Ms. Bristol said.
As she welcomed loved ones into her new home, kids played catch in the backyard while adults chatted on the front porch.
"I appreciate, y'all, from the bottom of my heart."