It’s hard to prioritize writing in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, while my small community of Celo, North Carolina—an hour by car from Asheville—is still knee-deep in mud, grief, and destruction, writes Katey Schultz. But we’re also heart-deep in resourcefulness, compassion, and perseverance. What could one resident of rural Yancey County have to say to the residents of Leelanau County, nearly 1,000 miles away? Having spent parts of 13 summers in upper northwest Michigan, and a few winters too, I know a close-knit, take-care-of-your-people kind of place. It’s the kind of place I come from, and it’s the kind of place I believe might actually listen if I say there is one thing you can do today that has nothing to do with dollars, blankets, or water, that will help you survive in the aftermath of a disaster. Talk to your neighbors. Yes, the ones you already know. And yes, the ones with the political signs in their yards that don’t match yours. These are the people whose survival you will depend upon, and these are the people you will most immediately be able to help.