Good News Friday: Volunteers rebuild Marshall church after Helene

This week’s Good News Friday features an inspiring story from western North Carolina, where residents helped to rebuild a Marshall church after Helene.

As we settle into cooler days and cozy weekends, it’s the perfect time to pause and celebrate some stories that remind us how special our state is. Happy Friday!

In today’s edition of Good News Friday, we look at life-changing debt relief for North Carolinians, new investments fueling the state’s aerospace future, and a mountain town church rebuilding with faith and community at its core.

For past editions of Good News Friday, click here. 

A financial lifeline for people with medical debt

Financial relief is on the way for millions of North Carolinians.

A new state initiative is erasing more than $6.5 billion in medical debt for 2.5 million residents, offering families long-awaited financial breathing room.

The effort, which was launched in 2024 by former Gov. Roy Cooper, marks one of the largest medical debt forgiveness programs in the nation and aims to give people a fresh start toward economic stability.

North Carolina is finally confronting the ‘horror stories’ of its medical debt crisis 

A celebration of North Carolina’s aerospace industry

A new era of flight is taking off in the Triad.

Gov. Josh Stein joined Guilford Technical Community College recently to break ground on a state-of-the-art Aviation Center that will help prepare students for careers in aerospace and advanced manufacturing.

The project builds on massive momentum in the region and reflects a future where North Carolina’s long legacy of innovation continues to soar.

 

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A year after Helene, volunteers rebuild Marshall church

The community rises higher than the floodwaters reached. 

One year after Hurricane Helene brought 14 feet of water into Marshall Presbyterian Church, the small congregation is still rebuilding with the help of dozens of volunteers.

Pastor Merri Alexander and Elder Howard Seiler say it’s been a slow process, but one filled with hope and gratitude. Neighbors, local businesses, and church members have rallied to restore the 1950 building and in doing so, renewed their shared belief that resilience and compassion can rebuild more than walls.