When Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina last fall, Autumn Lance (24C) felt compelled to act. Cut off from family and friends in her hometown, the first-year nurse had one overriding thought: “I have to get to Asheville.”
It took nearly a week to connect with her parents, by which time she was loading her car with food and supplies. Their words reinforced her desire: “We don’t have much. Bring what you can.”
With some roads finally open, Autumn headed north from Greenville, S.C. En route, she made a quick stop at her home church, where the 40 pounds of meat she had packed into her car became a godsend for parishioners scrambling to feed 400 people a day.
Other opportunities followed as the Berry alum joined medical professionals and first responders in establishing Operation Providing Hope, a nonprofit committed to disaster assistance. Earning the trust of her new colleagues with her work in the field, Autumn soon found herself responsible for coordinating the efforts of others, sometimes receiving photos or videos of helicopter supply drops while continuing her work at a Level 1 trauma center in Greenville.
“Being able to work in a disaster area was very, very fulfilling,” she stated. “To be able to say, ‘Y’all are not alone in this,’ to give them that reassurance and be that calming presence was such a blessing.”
As an executive board member for the burgeoning organization, Autumn is excited about its potential to help other communities in need. As one example, she pointed to a planned 2026 trip to Kenya, where she will be reconnecting with those she once served as a Berry nursing student participating in a summer immersion experience.
“I can’t just sit back and watch,” she said. “I want to be helping.”
Visit operationprovidinghope.org or email autumn.lance@ophusa.org to learn how you can join her in making a difference.
