ST. MARY PARISH — Hurricane Helene made landfall a little over a week ago, causing severe storm damage across the U.S. and in Morgan City, the Delarosa family is bringing the community together to help those in need by organizing a supply run for Lake Lure, North Carolina.
Jordan Delarosa, a local contractor, is no stranger to the impacts of storm damage. Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Francine, he has primarily focused on home repairs.
“I’ve seen so much devastation, especially between these two hurricanes, that I’ve grown to have a soft spot for it now,” he says.
When Hurricane Helene struck and caused severe flooding in Lake Lure, where his older sister and brother-in-law live, Jordan experienced what he describes as a wake-up call.
“It hit them right dead center. It kinda brought their devastation close to home,” Delarosa explained.
Although his family managed to weather the storm, their neighbors were not as fortunate, “The neighbors were running up the mountains coming to their house because it was one of the only ones high enough to not be directly affected,” he added.
In response, Delarosa made a request to his brother-in-law: “I need you to cut us a path to get to you, and we will bring supplies. Don’t worry about anything else; let us handle it down here.”
Jordan partnered with his wife, Zoe Delarosa, the owner of the children’s clothing boutique Southern Stork Sneak Peek, who transformed her business into a drop-off location. “It gives a good sense of community in this area. You know, we don’t wait for help; we do it ourselves,” Zoe stated.
Their family has been met with an outpouring of support that Delarosa says has exceeded his expectations. “It’s jaw-dropping to see the reach that we’ve actually had. Before, it was about filling a trailer, but now it's about filling trailers, trucks, or U-Hauls—let’s see how big it gets,” he said.
The drop-off location for supplies is Southern Stork Sneak Peek, located at 823 Ninth Street in Morgan City. Donations will be accepted between Friday and Monday.
