Last October, immediately following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, I arrived in Asheville, N.C., to accompany Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian organization that serves communities before, during, and after disasters. A small film crew joined us to capture footage of the volunteer effort.

Everywhere we looked, there was destruction and hardship: roads blocked by fallen trees and debris, downed power lines, and flooded homes.

But in a time of such devastation, I was struck by the beauty in the kindness of strangers showing up during that trying time. We saw Team Rubicon volunteers, many military veterans themselves, and others the organization affectionately calls "kick ass civilians," meet with those affected by the storm before getting to work. They helped remove toppled trees, "muck out" flooded rooms, clear roads, and restore a Veteran’s Resource Quarters that supported homeless veterans.

The footage captured in North Carolina was included in "Call to Serve," a short documentary that premiered this week at Tribeca X Film Festival in New York. The film follows a veteran's journey toward healing through service with Team Rubicon after the hurricane.

As part of the Team Rubicon Powered by Ford initiative, Ford Motor Company and Ford Philanthropy bring the full power of Ford to the table — our employee volunteers, our products, our philanthropic commitment, and the support of our dealer network. In response to Hurricane Helene, Ford employees deployed with Team Rubicon Greyshirt volunteers in North Carolinato help restore the living spaces at the local Veterans Restoration Quarters (VRQ), where over five feet of floodwater destroyed the living spaces and belongings of 167 veterans.

Ford employees are able to lend their skills and expertise to these important relief efforts without having to use personal vacation days. I am so proud to work for a company that is committed to “doing what we do best” and lends our products, people, and power to give back and help communities recover from disasters.

"Call to Serve," which will be released across the United States on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, tells the story of Dean Wagner, a former Army combat engineer who, like many who have served, returned home carrying the emotional weight of his experiences.

Wagner finds renewed purpose volunteering with Team Rubicon and helps other "greyshirts" do the same. "Call to Serve" offers a vivid look at the healing power of service for both the communities impacted and the veterans who continue to give back.

Wagner's story is one of countless heroic stories witnessed firsthand on the ground in North Carolina. Ford colleagues were seen showing up — from employees flying across the country to deploy with Team Rubicon to dealers like J.W. Whitley, dealer operator of Parks Ford Hendersonville, who provided immediate support.

Without hesitation, Whitley gathered his 92 employees and turned the dealership into an immediate support hub for the community and first responders, an invaluable service in one of the greatest times of need. Their showroom became "supply central," stocked with canned goods, diapers, and toiletries, offering hot showers, and providing a warm place for people to rest, and they sent employees out to Asheville to join Team Rubicon in their efforts.

Having Wagner and his wife, Gina, and Whitley attend the Tribeca X premiere was incredibly moving.

After premiering the film, president of Ford Philanthropy Mary Culler, CEO of Team Rubicon Art delaCruz, and filmmakers Cole Sax and Phil Hessler participated in a panel discussion moderated by CNN anchor Kate Bolduan.

Lauren Vrazilek is purpose and trust communications manager at Ford.