Perceptics Employees Rally Around Employee Family Members After Hurricane Helene

On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene reached Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee, bringing historic rainfall and strong winds. The devastation it caused was unprecedented and vast, resulting in the loss of lives and homes for many.

Shortly after the disaster, we learned that a Perceptics employee, Misti Barnes, had immediate family who were affected by Hurricane Helene. Misti’s sister, Christy Barnes, lives in a remote area of Western North Carolina, and her home sustained significant damage from the storms.

The flooding in her area destroyed her home’s heating and air, hot water tank, septic system and several appliances. Like many others in the region, Christy did not have flood insurance. She was now faced with the enormous financial burden of repairing her home and replacing items lost without insurance assistance. She received quotes over $20,000 to fix her furnace and was grappling with how she would face the upcoming winter season without a way to heat her home.

Christy is the single mom of two teenage children, and Misti recalls her always putting others before herself.

“Christy is a very strong and smart woman,” said Misti. “She puts everyone else before herself and has sacrificed so much… I call her my little pearl because God only made one like her. This statement is still true; she is a beautiful light.”

Misti wanted to ensure that her sister received that same love and care that she had given to others in the wake of the disaster, so she reached out to the Perceptics Foundation – a charitable arm of Perceptics that enables employees to give back and enact change in their communities. By partnering with Christy’s church, Bat Cave Baptist Church, the Perceptics Foundation was able to offer a 3x donation match on employee donations to the church’s disaster relief fund.

Before the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday, the foundation promoted this giving opportunity to employees in the hope of raising funds for Christy ahead of the upcoming holidays. The donations received far exceeded expectations. Employees donated just over $6k to the cause, which added up to just over $24k in total donations after the Perceptics Foundation matched the donations.

With the donation money, Christy took the crucial first step to fix her home’s furnace ahead of the winter weather – a repair she previously thought would be unattainable in such a short amount of time. She has also been able to replace several smaller appliances like her refrigerator, freezer and generator.

“I am so very grateful to call each and every one of you my work family!” Misti said. “I greatly appreciate everyone’s generosity, and I am truly humbled by it.”

As we begin the new year, families and communities, including the Barnes family, are still healing from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene. The road to recovery will be long and winding. We urge you to remember these communities as they exit the current news cycle and continue to offer resources and support!