LFNC Fellow Elias Henderson Steps Up After Hurricane Helene

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by Katie Geith

When Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina, leaving destruction and uncertainty in its wake, Elias Henderson didn’t hesitate to find a way to lend a hand. Henderson is a member of this year’s sixth cohort of Lead for North Carolina (LFNC), a program at the UNC School of Government connecting young leaders with fellowships in local governments across the state.

Henderson’s LFNC placement is in the Town of Forest City, where he works in the planning and zoning department, assisting with transportation plans, bringing in new residential and commercial development, and zoning.

After Hurricane Helene hit, Henderson temporarily traded zoning maps for disaster relief work when he learned about volunteer opportunities at the Henderson County supply distribution warehouse near his home. National Guard and County emergency management staff operated a warehouse to store and distribute supplies and accept donations.

Henderson initially worked in the receiving section of the warehouse, unloading and sorting truckloads of donated supplies. “People would show up with trailers or SUVs full of food, water, and supplies,” said Henderson. “Every day I was lifting heavy boxes, running trailers… it was a lot of manual effort.”

By the end of that week, Henderson was familiar enough with the warehouse that he was able to assist county staff with supply list requests from affected areas and find the items that were needed. “I would help them find a forklift driver and the pallets of what they needed and help load trucks going out to sites that needed them,” he said.

When Henderson returned to his post in Forest City, new planning and zoning work for the town stalled due to the hurricane. “I ended up shadowing other positions,” said Henderson. “I was working with the inspections department doing home inspections, I worked with the fire marshal and did some fire inspections, I worked with the city manager… I had a lot of freedom and got to see the day-to-day of a lot of different roles.”

“The response after Helene embodied a lot of what I think government should be,” said Henderson. “Everyone was less concerned about whose role was what and who had authority, but instead everyone knew that we were all working towards the same goal. It was about needing to get people these resources right now, and that’s what matters.”

“I signed up to be a part of LFNC because I knew I wanted a career in government and in policy, and this was a really good opportunity to get training and relevant career experience,” said Henderson. “I have gotten such great insight into all the different layers of government and what the career options look like; it made me decide that I want to do urban planning.” Henderson has since applied to graduate school for a master’s degree in urban planning and design.

Henderson also spoke to the benefits of being part of a network of Fellows across the state: “The best part of this year for me has been the camaraderie and the contacts that I’ve made. I’ve met some great people. Plus, seeing the nitty-gritty of people’s jobs while trying to figure out what I want my career to look like has been invaluable.”

For more information about Lead for North Carolina, visit lfnc.sog.unc.edu.

Published February 12, 2025