Despite the continued difficulties with service and connection, Norma says the community quickly started showing up. Within days, with the help of local volunteers and partners, UNETE and the community began to mobilize. Volunteers arrived, donations poured in, and the church quickly transformed into a hub of care.

“First day, I was all by myself trying to connect with everyone I could – organizations, groups, people,” said Norma. “On the second day, our community care workers started showing up on their own. Third day, still with no internet and electricity, we had already connected with several volunteers and groups in the community to decide how we were going to go out and help. After that…the gates of solidarity opened.”

The Heart Behind UNETE: Doña Norma and the Power of Community

Though Helene was unprecedented, Norma says the very reason she founded UNETE was to rise to the challenge of the unexpected.

UNETE was not only born from its founders’ two decades of community service but also deeply personal experiences — including the loss of Norma’s husband after a long and difficult health journey and, later, her son at just 21-years-old. These moments revealed both the power of community, but also the gaps in traditional care systems.

“During that time of unbearable loss and grief, I saw these waves of people from different backgrounds – PhD’s moms working in hospitality, different ages, the whole spectrum coming in to support in their own way, but as one,” said Norma. “And I could just feel it was ‘one’ heart holding me and sustaining me. It was a strong moment…but not a new one. Always during a tragedy, we forget any kind of barrier between us. I started to think, ‘Why not practice this all the time?’”

And so, rather than trying to be everything to everyone, Norma says UNETE was founded with a clear purpose: to collaborate, co-create, and connect people to the right resources at the right time.

UNETE’s continued strength lies in its community care model — trusted advocates and certified community health workers who understand the full journey of a person and the impact of all drivers of health: housing, transportation, mental and physical well-being and more. Their work is deeply rooted in the lived experiences of the Latino and immigrant communities they serve, while also embracing a rich network of diverse backgrounds, practices, and cultures.

“We don’t know everything, but we know who knows,” she said. “That’s the beauty of what we do.”

Norma, who immigrated from Argentina, speaks from experience — not just her own, but that of a broader immigrant community shaped by histories of displacement, adaptation, and perseverance. For many, the ability to navigate crisis with limited resources isn’t new; it’s a skill honed over time, passed down through lived experience.

“As immigrants and minorities, there have been many times where we have not felt safe, where we have felt struggle with few resources,” Norma said. “Even through the chaos of tragedy, we keep going. It’s like ‘Okay, this is what needs to be done. This is how we do it.’”

This resilience became a strength during Hurricane Helene. Norma says UNETE’s organized response reflected how marginalized communities always seek and find ways to care for one another — not out of obligation, but out of a deep-rooted understanding of what it means to show up in solidarity with all.

Solidarity in Action: UNETE’s Response to Helene 

When the storm passed and needs surged, UNETE’s hub emerged as a space where community care took root — not just through aid, but through belonging. Their modest outreach space was transformed into a center for restoration — connecting people from all walks of life to vital care and resources through the strength of community bonds. UNETE became a go-to for those seeking everything from diapers and cleaning supplies to water, clothes, hot meals and showers, and mental/spiritual support — thanks to partners like the Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, Americares, and more.

One moment that stood out to Norma was when an elderly, non-Spanish-speaking neighbor sought help from the only place she could reach in her neighborhood — the church where UNETE was temporarily operating. This neighbor later reached out to the church with heartfelt thanks for the inclusion and warmth she received from UNETE’s community health works and volunteers.

Norma said, “She was so warmly welcomed—with smiles, hugs, and simple moments of care—that she thought our Community Health Workers were members of the church. Even though she did not understand some of our Spanish-speaking volunteers, the genuine atmosphere of kindness and embrace made her certain she would be cared for. For me that was one of the greatest testimonies about what we do and how we do it.”

In October 2024, UNETE hosted a “mental break” community event — a time for families to bring their children and pets and have some fun in the midst of recovery. It was complete with bouncy houses, massages, emotional support resources, health and wellness checks, and about 700 hot meals donated from various local vendors/partners. It wasn’t just about relief — it was a moment of much-needed respite.

“And we were not quiet at all,” laughed Norma. “There was music, people laughing. You were there because of the tragedy, but we wanted people to not forget that they were here. Right now. Together. And it was so great to see the parents sit back and watch their kids run and play.”

In recent months, UNETE has also partnered with other hyperlocal community groups and the local Red Cross North Carolina Disaster Action and Long Term Recovery teams to strengthen disaster preparedness through collaborative community training — focusing on volunteer coordination and appreciation, resource distribution, and emergency funding strategies.

“Right now, it was a hurricane. But it could be wildfires (which we did have recently), drought, storms… anything,” said Jose Hernandez Almaraz, a Community Health Worker with UNETE. “The number one thing we took away was that – when the moments count and staff are stretched to the max, it’s the volunteers that are the lifeline that gets to the heart of the mission.”

During the Helene response alone, UNETE served over 7,000 people — providing potable water, warm meals, clothing, mental and spiritual support, and community resources. They also offered rent and utility assistance to several dozen families. To put that in perspective: across the entire year, UNETE assisted more than 17,000 individuals throughout Western North Carolina — making the Helene response one of their most concentrated efforts to date.

“We saw a great need with Helene,” said Jose. “But as we said, we continue to jump in when and how we’re needed to reach every member of the community. We’re Latino-empowered, but we are part of a greater community of many different races, backgrounds, and cultures. And we need them all, we need each other.”