Nashville Christmas tree business gives back to Hurricane Helene victims in North Carolina
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Jim McLeod of Santa's Christmas Trees stands in front of a giant tree in western North Carolina. Photo: Courtesy of Jim McLeod
Jim McLeod's connection to the western North Carolina Christmas tree community stretches back four decades.
Zoom in: McLeod launched his first Christmas tree lot as an entrepreneurial teenager, and he's been working with farmers in North Carolina since the late 1980s.
Why it matters: The catastrophic flooding in the Asheville area caused by Hurricane Helene inspired McLeod to use this holiday season to give back to the Christmas tree farmers and their community.
Driving the news: McLeod's business, Santa's Christmas Trees, operates eight tree lots in Middle Tennessee. In recent weeks, McLeod posted stories on his business' website about flooding victims and how to help.
- Talking with his friends in the tree farming community, McLeod identified four nonprofits working to get aid directly to flooding victims.
- McLeod tells Axios he hopes to donate around $20,000 in total to the nonprofits.
- "I love the mountains of North Carolina, and the farming community there and their spirit," McLeod tells Axios. He says the farms themselves generally came through the flooding OK, but the farmers and their families have been deeply impacted. Many in the community lost their homes.
Flashback: This is McLeod's 40th holiday season selling Christmas trees. It's a side hustle in addition to his running a small software company.
- He estimates about 90% of the live Christmas trees sold in the Nashville area come from western North Carolina.
- "It's a fun thing to do, if you don't mind being outside in the elements," McLeod says. "All of your customers are really excited to see you. All of your customers are really happy to be there. They're very excited. It's just a positive, rewarding experience."
What he's saying: McLeod says his fear was that people would forget about the flooding devastation as time wore on.
- "We're light-years past that in today's world," he says. "The world is not thinking of hurricane relief now but these people still have their lives and are figuring out how to piece together and rebuild their lives."
How to help: Santa's Christmas Trees will make a donation for every tree they sell. McLeod is also encouraging the Nashville community to make donations directly to the organizations.
- Go deeper: Read the personal stories of Hurricane Helene flooding victims and the area nonprofits where McLeod's team is directing its donations.
