DAMASCUS, Va. (WJHL) – Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin returned to Damascus today to hold a roundtable to commemorate the one-year mark of Hurricane Helene.

“It’s a moment for us to step back and recognize that out of devastation, we can see a celebration,” Youngkin said.

Youngkin, along with local and state leaders, took time to thank first responders and many community members for their work during and after Helene.

Youngkin also said he was pleased by the community in Damascus coming together to rise and rebuild.

“To see the community moving as fast as they are, it’s really uplifting,” Youngkin said. “I think it’s a reminder that even in those darkest days, there is light, and we just have to run to it.”

The roundtable also included a discussion of continuing recovery, which included talks of grant programs for those who may have missed out on initial funding after Helene. Those programs focus on agricultural response and disaster response. A third grant program will act as a supplemental grant.

“One is an agriculture response fund that allows us to help those folks in the Agg and Forestry community who have not gotten help someplace else,” Youngkin said. “That’s over $60 million, almost $70 million that’s available.

“The second is a state-driven disaster response fund, and that’s $50 million, and that is to help on top of all the funds that people have already received so that they can rebuild their homes or their businesses or the infrastructure around that.”

Youngkin said there is $170 million towards the grants.

Mayor of Damascus Katie Lamb said she is grateful for the continued help being brought to Southwest Virginia by Youngkin and his team.

“His [Youngkin’s] fire for Virginia is just amazing,” Lamb said. “All of his staff and all of his people are just so wonderful, and for them to take such good care of us and to set up these new programs to help folks recover, rebuild, it’s just amazing.”

Lamb also said many new businesses have opened in Damascus, and she is appreciative of those who have come to help rebuild homes.

“We had to overcome, adapt, and improvise, and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” Lamb said. “We’re getting better every day, and we’re going to be better than we’ve ever been.”

Click here to apply for any of the grant programs.