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Local TikToker raises over $50,000 for Helene recovery with viral fundraising efforts

<i>WLOS via CNN Newsource</i><br/>Tyler Greene
WLOS via CNN Newsource
Tyler Greene

By Taylor Thompson

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    HICKORY, North Carolina (WLOS) — One local TikToker has been raising money for Hurricane Helene recovery since the storm hit almost four months ago.

Tyler Greene, better known to his 160,000 followers as the ‘Jolly Green Giant,’ originally joined the app back in 2020. A youth pastor at Fresh Oil Ministries in Hickory, Greene said that he originally joined TikTok as a tool for ministry.

“When I first hit 100 followers, I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s more people than go to my church on a regular Sunday,'” he said.

His following quickly grew to over 100,000 before Helene hit, which gave him the platform he needed to start making a difference.

“The Saturday after the storm hit, I really felt like God was telling me to do something,” Greene said.

It started on a smaller scale at first. Greene said that they opened their church up to those in need and fed 894 people that first weekend after the storm. He continued to post about what he was doing, and the more he posted, the more help and opportunity kept coming.

“Next thing you know, it was like a waterfall was released – Amazon packages showing up at our church door, 200, 300 packages a day,” he said.

As his following kept growing, Greene said they were able to start distributing supplies to different organizations and set up a GoFundMe page. At first, the goal was to raise $6,000, but as of Thursday, Jan. 23, it has raised over $50,000.

Greene said that they also have been able to send over 400 truck and trailer loads of supplies all over the region. He said he’s had people from across the country come to their church to drop off supplies to help.

“I can post a video and next thing you know, the very next couple of days, it’s showing up at my warehouse or doorstep,” he said.

This has helped him to be able to do events like the one on Thursday, where they set up stands in different areas and give out fresh produce to anyone who comes by.

Greene said that it has been special to be able to show the positive side of social media.

“[It’s] to use it as a tool to where we can help a community out and be able to come in and say, ‘This is what we’re doing,'” he said.

He said that they have no plans of stopping soon, and he will continue to use his platform to expand and make sure that he can help as many people as he can.

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Article Topic Follows: CNN - Regional

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