Washington—The Trucking Cares Foundation, the trucking industry’s charitable arm, donated $50,000 to the Pardee Hospital Foundation to support the organization’s efforts to provide quality health care to residents of western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.  In an effort to respond to the scale of the unmet need, the funding from TCF represents the foundation’s largest single charitable contribution to date.

“The torrential rain from Hurricane Helene that blanketed the southeast flooded many communities and caused widespread property damage and loss of life.  But in the wake of this catastrophe, we have seen countless examples of neighbors stepping up to help,” said Greg Owen, chairman of the Trucking Cares Foundation.  “The skilled and compassionate medical staff at UNC Health Pardee have been a lifeline for residents in the region both before and after this historic storm.  As the trucking industry works to get western North Carolina back on its feet by delivering the materials required for recovery, we hope that this donation will support Pardee staff’s ongoing efforts to address the vital health care needs of the local population.”

“As recovery from Hurricane Helene continues, many of our Pardee Teammates are still grappling with damaged homes as well as the emotional trauma of living through the storm,” said Amy Treece, executive director of the Pardee Hospital Foundation. “Our goal has always been to ensure that our Pardee Teammates have the support they need to continue to be caregivers for our community. The generous assistance provided by the Trucking Cares Foundation will be used to support our Pardee Teammates with urgently needed funds for housing repairs, mold remediations, tree removal, and other essential services. We are very grateful for the support of the Trucking Cares Foundation during this challenging time.”

The check was presented by Phil Byrd, immediate past chairman of the Trucking Cares Foundation.

UNC Health Pardee, a not-for-profit community hospital located in Hendersonville, North Carolina, was founded in 1953 and provides health care to all who seek it without regard for their ability to pay for services.

The Pardee Hospital Foundation exists to educate and inspire the community to support UNC Health Pardee.  UNC Health Pardee’s mission is to improve the health of the western North Carolina region it serves, and its vision is to lead the transformation of health care in its communities with the best people providing the best care.