“We don't want to have an epidemic of people freezing to death,” a resident declared during the Buncombe County Commissioners meeting, voicing frustration over the slow pace of disaster relief in North Carolina. Another resident added, “I've never seen the lack of public officials coming out and actually trying to help,” reflecting the sentiment of abandonment felt by many in the community.

Despite the mainstream media’s narrative of assistance, a resident revealed, “FEMA money runs out, and all the help I’ve seen has come from people out of state.” One FEMA employee even admitted, “Every delay means another night that a child sleeps in a car.”

O'Keefe Media Group investigated these concerns, visiting FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers across the state to uncover the reality of Hurricane Helene relief efforts. Once inside the Disaster Recovery Center in Polk County, OMG met Rosanne Walters, the manager of the facility. Walters claimed survivors were receiving assistance there “in various ways,” but the state of the center told a different story. James O’Keefe reported that the site was nearly empty, with employees “standing around,” while survivors continued to struggle.

During the investigation, OMG encountered resistance from security at FEMA facilities, who insisted all press footage be reviewed by “their people.” Security’s hesitancy of press coverage only fueled suspicions of a cover-up, with an OMG Journalist adding “It makes it look like you’re hiding something.”