LUMBERTON — “Every Community has a soul,” said Cassandra Campbell, who has worked tirelessly — often without pay — to heal that soul when disaster strikes.

Day by day and person by person, Campbell said she’s seen how her agency is helping with the long term disaster recovery.

Cassandra Campbell, who found her calling locally as a Red Cross volunteer helping with recovery efforts following Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

Returning to Lumberton, she founded Robeson County Disaster Recovery Coalition Inc. in 2016.

“We became an official nonprofit in 2017 after the hiring of me as executive director,” Campbell said.

The organization scours the region, state and even the world to help disaster victims locally restore their lives.

That includes securing furniture, blankets, clothing, fans, cleaning supplies and lots of funding from government agencies on all levels. Some of her biggest funding sources, though, come in the way of philanthropy locally and around the country.

“There are still lots of people here who have not recovered from Hurricane Matthew,” Campbell said. “And then came Florence. A lot of people, especially older people, didn’t report.”

The federal assistance earmarked for Matthew is no longer available. Campbell said her Recovery Coalition is doing its best to fill the needs that still exist.

She said a recently secured $300,000 grant will help “fund and help people who missed the FEMA help.”

While the RCDRC carries “Robeson County” in its name it is not a county government agency. It operates almost entirely from donations and volunteer work.

Good360, born out of the United Way, distributes donated goods from companies to qualified nonprofits. “In its first year, Good360 distributed $17 million in product” to organizations such as Campbell’s RCDRC, according to the organization.

Church World Service is the fiscal agent for RCDRC and makes it possible for anyone to make a donation.

“Preparedness is key,” Campbell said, who is always watching the weather and is tuned into any news that may affect Robeson County’s residents.

“Our biggest need right now is a warehouse, and a truck,” Campbell said. A visit to the RCDRC office on North Cedar Street in downtown Lumberton confirms that need. Stacks of blankets, clothing and “Welcome Home” bags line the hallways and fill empty spaces at RCDRC’s headquarters.

Campbell said she’s been blessed for the help she’s been given – especially for those that have shown up to move sometimes heavy furniture items and deliver them to those in need.

In many cases, the organization has had to rent moving vans just to transport items locally.

“The need is great,” Campbell says in her official online bio. “The recovery is slow. The residents are weary but hopeful. We have partnered with our clients to help them navigate through the recovery process and we believe others will join in the recovery efforts to renew Robeson County. Together we will recover smart.”