Six months after Hurricane Helene, Eastman team still providing help

After days of cutting trails, backpacking in supplies and doing anything he could to help mountain residents cut off from the outside world after Hurricane Helene, Josh Callahan was exhausted.

When he pulled into the parking lot for work at Eastman’s Kingsport, Tennessee, manufacturing site, he finally broke down. All he could think of was relatives without power or access to water. They desperately needed gasoline for generators to power their well pumps.

After he explained the situation, Eastman team members put together a convoy of trucks full of water, clothes, food and 300 gallons of fuel to take over the mountains to Burnsville, North Carolina.

A few days after Hurricane Helene hit, Josh Callahan and other Eastman team members in Kingsport put together a convoy of trucks full of water, clothes, food and 300 gallons of fuel to take over the mountains to Burnsville, N.C.

Callahan, a manufacturing technologist who lives in Unicoi County, Tennessee, took the rest of the week off work to volunteer. His is just one of the many stories of Eastman employees pitching in to do whatever was needed in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which swept through Southern Appalachia on Sept. 27, 2024. Six months later, folks like Callahan are still helping out.

A culture of generosity

“Eastman is at its best during these types of situations,” said Adrian Holt, senior vice president and chief human resources officer. “We’re so proud of our team members and grateful to have a workforce that consistently demonstrates how to care for and lift up others in a time of need.”

In the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, the company partnered with local businesses and vendors to help meet critical needs, organized donation drives, created channels for team members to stay informed about ongoing relief initiatives, and supported volunteerism, sharing safety resources and information for team members who wanted to help.

John Frady was one of many Eastman employees who volunteered to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

The Eastman Foundation donated $100,000 to a flood recovery fund for local businesses that is managed by Region A.H.E.A.D. (Appalachian Highlands Economic Aid Directory). That group donated more than $800,000 to help 67 small businesses across Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

The Eastman Foundation had earlier donated $100,000, matching a donation by Food City to start a fundraising effort at the regional grocery chain’s stores that raised more than $2 million for hurricane relief that went to United Way organizations in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

“We joined our friends and neighbors in helping get checks to regional business owners,” said Steve Crawford, Eastman executive vice president and Eastman Foundation board member. “They’re strong people who are determined to build back, and we support them.”

Ongoing need

Cody Day, an Eastman maintenance planner from Limestone, Tennessee, has several family members who lost their homes. He immediately volunteered with many others to open roads and reach people, working from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. the first two weeks.

“I said I was helping with flood relief, and my manager texted back that I should do whatever I need to do,” Day said. “And that says a lot about Eastman.”

Despite the overwhelming outpouring of volunteers, much work remains.

“This isn’t just something that happened in September and things are back to normal,” Day said. “This recovery is going to take years. People will need help for a long time.”

Day even helped start a nonprofit that originally provided things needed in the immediate aftermath of the flood, such as food, clothing and cleaning supplies. The organization is now transitioning to collecting bulk building supplies and storing them until needed. Six months after the hurricane, he still volunteers at least 20 hours a week on his own time. 

Eastman employee Cody Day helped form a nonprofit to benefit hurricane victims.

“This is a company with a lot of big hearts,” said Paula Bulcao, director of global public and community affairs. “That’s something we see every day. It’s an example of the wiring of this company, the culture of this company and the kind of people who work here.”