Western Carolina Medical Society to End Emergency Relief, But Plans Expanded Client Support

Jun 04, 2025 01:15PM ● By WNC Business

When Hurricane Helene left its mark on Western North Carolina more

than eight months ago, countless agencies sprang into action, including the Western

Carolina Medical Society (WCMS). With emergency dollars from funders such as the

Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, North Carolina Medical Society

Association, WNC Bridge Foundation, and the North Carolina Society of

Gastroenterology, as well as private donors, the 140-year-old agency met a variety of

needs, from purchasing durable medical equipment and prescription replacement to

paying overdue light bills and rent. With those funds now distributed to individuals in the

agency’s Project Access program and other community members, that phase of

recovery ended May 31, 2025.

To date, WCMS has delivered the following support:

WCMS Executive Director, Karen Wallace-Meigs, who had been on the job less than

four months when the storm hit, commented that “Out of so much pain came a glimmer

of good. WCMS assisted our community by identifying new funding and community

partners. In some cases, agencies pooled donations to support neighbors in need.”

The WCMS staff of ten tirelessly worked emergency relief efforts with no additional staff

or volunteers to process paperwork, all while managing their signature programs:

Project Access, WIN – the largest interpreter network in WNC, and Healthy Healer, a

social/emotional support program for member physicians and physician assistants. “We

are incredibly grateful to all of our donors,” Wallace-Meigs shares. “WNC Bridge

Foundation supported our Healthy Healer program, allowing our agency to offer free

therapy and coaching services to providers in the months since the storm. A healthy

community is only possible if we have healthy care providers.”

WCMS hopes to create an emergency fund to provide ongoing, as-needed support to

Project Access program enrollees. Project Access coordinates free specialty care for

low-income, uninsured residents of Buncombe and Madison counties who are ineligible

for Medicaid.

“Going forward, we want to help our most vulnerable neighbors when times are tough

for them as individuals. No one can genuinely be healthy if they cannot put food on the

table or keep a roof over their heads. Our emergency relief work is entering a new

phase, a long-term phase based on our patient-client’s needs in the moment. We want

to help them overcome their personal storms.”

Source: Western Carolina Medical Society.