Helene's Aftermath

Where Did Trump’s $8 Million for Hurricane Helene Survivors Go?

By Matt Stone | The Grounded

When Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeast, thousands of families were left without power, homes, or hope. Helene hit like a freight train that no one could stop. Entire neighborhoods vanished overnight. Roads were washed out, bridges collapsed, and emergency crews were stretched so thin that help often arrived days too late.

In mountain towns, helicopters dropped supplies into isolated hollows while families waved bedsheets from rooftops. In the lowlands, people waded chest-deep through black water searching for loved ones. Cell service failed. Gas lines wrapped around blocks. Grocery shelves went bare.

For weeks, the air smelled like mildew and gasoline. Church parking lots turned into distribution centers. School gyms filled with cots. Volunteers showed up from across the state with chainsaws, bottled water, and first-aid kits.

What people did not see were the millions of dollars that were supposed to back those efforts.

Trump’s fundraiser made national headlines. Donors were told the money would go straight to those in need. Yet as the dust settled, survivors began comparing notes. They remembered the cameras, the speeches, the promises of rapid aid. But few could point to any actual help that came from the $8 million fund. In the days that followed, former president Donald Trump announced that he had raised nearly $8 million for survivors.

The message was simple. Help was coming.

Months later, storm victims are still waiting. The question now is: where did all that money go?

The Paper Trail

According to Trump’s team, the donations were divided among five faith-based and nonprofit organizations:

• Samaritan’s Purse received about $5.2 million.
• Mtn2Sea Ministries distributed roughly $25,000 in gift cards to local families.
• Clinch Foundation provided about $20,000 for community relief.
• Water Mission received an undisclosed amount.
• Sweetwater Mission also received an undisclosed amount.

That leaves somewhere between $2.5 and $2.8 million unaccounted for. Neither Water Mission nor Sweetwater Mission has released any public accounting of how much they received or how it was spent. Repeated inquiries were ignored.

Faith, Politics, and Missing Millions

A closer look at these two organizations reveals concerning connections.

The Water Mission board includes several prominent Christian business owners. Many are large Republican donors. Among them are the owners of the local Chick-fil-A franchises.

Sweetwater Mission raises even more questions. After Hurricane Helene, it hosted a “Women for Trump” event featuring Lara Trump and Kelly Loeffler. The event was billed as another fundraiser for storm victims. Yet there is still no record of where any of that money went.

To date, there is no financial breakdown, audit, or public statement explaining how the funds were used. Families across the region say they never saw any direct aid.

The Human Cost

Behind every missing dollar is a person trying to rebuild their life. Many survivors are still living in tents, damaged homes, or temporary shelters. They were promised supplies, repairs, and help. Instead, they got press releases and silence.

As one volunteer put it,

“People donated thinking it would buy lumber and hot meals. Instead, it bought another photo op.”

The Bigger Picture

This is not about politics. It is about accountability.
Money raised in the name of disaster victims must be traceable. Charities and organizations that received those funds owe the public transparency.

If Water Mission and Sweetwater Mission have nothing to hide, releasing their financial records should be easy. Until that happens, millions of dollars raised in the name of compassion remain missing.

Where to Start Asking Questions

If you donated to Trump’s Helene fundraiser, you have a right to know where your money went. Start by contacting:

• Water Mission (Charleston, SC)
• Sweetwater Mission (Douglasville, GA)

Ask them to release their Helene Relief accounting reports publicly.

Final Thought

Charity should never be partisan. Compassion should not be used for political gain.

When disaster strikes, the only side that matters is the human one.

Transparency is not political. It is moral.
The survivors of Hurricane Helene deserve answers.