Support for our WNC Neighbors
Bluestem Community is heartbroken by the devastating loss and effects of Hurricane Helene on our western neighbors. We are called to respond in a way that reflects our service mission.

With funeral homes and cemeteries underwater, families are having to turn to outside communities, including the Triangle area, for cremation and burial preparation. 

We seek your help in conveying our compassion and support to those in your network who may be in need of burial care in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
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Grassland burial area in the summer
Through March 2025 
Bluestem Community is prepared to support our WNC neighbors by donating burial spaces in the reserved grassland of its conservation cemetery.

​A number of plots are available at no cost to those who died in North Carolina as a result of Hurricane Helene and its aftermath.
Bluestem's mission is to provide the community with a low impact option for natural burial that alleviates some of a grieving family's suffering by including them in the burial process. Under the guidance of Bluestem staff, families design their own burial services and are active participants in laying their loved ones to rest.  
Bluestem recognizes that people generally seek burial in a cemetery within a short distance from their community or home. With travel restrictions, road closures and the 4-5-hour travel distance from those affected by the flooding, a burial in a conservation cemetery in Cedar Grove, may be the last thing on anyone’s minds. And, for families with connections in the Triangle, this offer may be a practical decision that alleviates some anguish in the most difficult time of their lives. 
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One natural gravesite in the grasslands
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Two ash gravesites in the grasslands

Timing is Critical  

For families burying loved ones naturally, the assistance of a funeral home is essential. Funeral home staff can keep the body refrigerated until the burial service. They can also  file for a death certificate, prepare the body for interment in biodegradable materials, and transport the body to Bluestem on the day of interment. Families schedule the burial service directly with Bluestem staff.  Timing is critical for natural burials.  Ash burials can take place at a later date. Families seeking a natural or ash burial at no cost, are asked to contact Bluestem staff as soon as possible.
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Eco-Friendly Funeral Home 919-907-9777
Endswell Funeral Home in Hillsborough can help families with logistical support from western North Carolina, providing storage, death certificates, casketing, shrouding, and transportation to Bluestem free of charge. 
Learn More About Bluestem 
Header photo: Brevard, North Carolina