Tulsa Nonprofit Owner Collecting Supplies For Hurricane Helene Victims In North Carolina

A Tulsa nonprofit owner is collecting supplies for Hurricane Helene victims and plans to drive them to North Carolina.

For Yjes Rondi, North Carolina is a place with the prettiest landscape and the kindest people.

"It is a beautiful place; the people are incredible, much like they are here," she said.

She used to live in Boone, North Carolina, and says it’s a piece of paradise in the mountains, and what’s happened there is heartbreaking. When she saw the devastation from the hurricane, she knew she had to do something.

"I have access to a vehicle, I have knowledge of the area, I have people who are there working those grassroots collectives that I am in contact with, and I can help," Yjes said.

She runs the nonprofit Barkingham Palace and has partnered with other nonprofits and businesses to collect supplies, which she plans to drive to North Carolina. She’s gathering donations of water, food, diapers, or whatever anyone thinks would be needed if they were impacted.

"Would you need tools? If that is important to you, bring me tools. I’m taking tools out there. You would need baby formula and children’s medicine? Bring that; you can bring whatever is important to you," she said.

While North Carolina holds a special place in her heart, Yjes says taking care of people in general is important to her, and she wants to treat everyone like they are her neighbors.

"It would be important to me whether it was here, or whether it was in Canada or Mexico. It would be important to me no matter what. If I have the ability to get help where help is needed, I’m going to do it," she said.

The donation drop-off will be Monday night from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Belafonte, 306 S. Phoenix Avenue in Tulsa. You can also drop off donations at Bricktown Brewery's South Tulsa location at 71st and Mingo or Guitar House of Tulsa at 12th and Mingo, as well as Barkingham Palace and Polly Hester Vintage during business hours. If you would like to give a monetary donation, you can Venmo Yjes at @Yjes-Rondi or PayPal at @BarkinghamPalace.