Local Extension Director Wins State Award for Storm Response

Holly Jordan, director of Buncombe County Cooperative Extension, was honored with the 2025 Governor’s Awards for Excellence for Outstanding State Government Service on December 30, 2025, for her role coordinating relief and recovery work following Tropical Storm Helene. Jordan’s efforts brought together local farmers and families, university researchers, and county staff to respond to urgent needs while keeping ongoing Extension education and research programs operating.

In the immediate aftermath of the storm, the Extension organized a donation drive that collected more than $55,000 in clothing for affected residents. Teams also coordinated helicopters and ground transport to deliver emergency agricultural supplies, including 10,000 bales of hay and 60,000 pounds of cover-crop seed, addressing critical feed shortages and supporting soil recovery efforts on farms across Buncombe County. Extension staff provided hands-on assistance to growers and residents facing damaged fields, eroded streambanks, and other storm-related impacts.

Staff adapted routine programming to meet a spectrum of post-storm concerns. Field work shifted toward landslide assessment and streambank repair planning, wildfire mitigation where hazards increased, and forestry issues caused by storm damage, even as educators continued workshops and research partnerships with university scientists. That dual focus helped prevent immediate losses from becoming long-term setbacks for small farms and rural households, while preserving the county’s broader agricultural and ecological productivity.

For Buncombe County residents, the award highlights the practical value of Cooperative Extension services in emergencies and everyday life. The hay and seed deliveries helped maintain livestock health and gave growers a faster path to replanting and erosion control. Clothing and direct assistance reduced pressure on local shelters and charitable services. The combined response also demonstrated how local-government programs can marshal university expertise and community volunteers to multiply resources and reach.

The recognition underscores a local model of resilience that parallels community-university partnerships seen internationally: nimble local institutions working with research bodies to translate science into on-the-ground recovery and prevention. Residents seeking information about ongoing Extension programs, disaster recovery resources, or agricultural and forestry assistance can find details at the Buncombe County Cooperative Extension website: buncombenc.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx.