Asheville’s needs are vast and varied

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The 80-year-old woman put her hands to her face and cried when I told her I’d help load her car with boxes of canned food and water.

She’d come on Wednesday to BeLoved Asheville’s distribution center looking for support for herself and her 96-year-old neighbor. The nonprofit was teeming with volunteers who served a steady flow of people in need.

At times, while volunteering with a friend at the nonprofit, it was sobering to come face-to-face with those in need after the devastation of Hurricane Helene.

That afternoon, queued at a Shell station to buy a rationed $10 worth of gas, I helped an older driver navigate to the correct side of the pumps. She rolled down the window to thank me, adding that as a caregiver to someone she felt so overwhelmed. Her worried face and damp eyes said the same. The gas station was just too much.

Helene has left more than 200 people dead across a number of states, with more than half of that total in North Carolina. President Biden visited the region, where entire towns have been washed away by the storm, on Thursday. As many as 1,000 soldiers will join the North Carolina National Guard in assisting the recovery.

Western North Carolina’s needs are vast and varied.

Utilities are gradually being restored.

Efforts to meet basic needs are underway.

Some restaurants on the brink of losing coolers full of perishables have set up grills, tables and chairs in their parking lots to feed people for free.

But while Asheville has gotten much of the coverage, small towns that are harder to reach — in Madison, Yancey and Polk counties, for instance — remain inaccessible with washed out roads or lack of cell signal.

I continue to see posts on social media about people who are in desperate need of food, water, medication and more.

The region’s food bank, MANNA, has been an industry leader in feeding people. But its warehouse was destroyed by flooding.

Small businesses have started sharing status updates, and they are heartbreaking.

A few days before Helene hit, I played trivia at New Origin Brewing, a small brewery in a cinder block building near the Swannanoa River. It is now rubble. The owners are evaluating next steps.

French Broad Chocolates has become one of Asheville’s nationally known brands. Its factory was flooded but its distribution warehouse is unharmed. It has asked people to order chocolate from its online store to keep revenue flowing that will pay staff and help the company rebuild.

East Fork Pottery is another WNC success story. However, you can’t make pottery without water. It has put items on sale online to pay its team.

But countless businesses do not have that audience. Helene is likely to hit harder than COVID for many. Because you can’t reopen a restaurant if you don’t have water for weeks.

GoFundMe accounts have been set up to assist some businesses.

Financial donations are nearly always the best way to help. Organizations can buy in bulk the specific items they need, sometimes at a discount.

What else can you do?

When the time is right, spend your money here. But that time is not now.

Helene’s timing could not have been worse for many. October marks peak tourist season here, with visitors flocking to see fall leaves and enjoy our outdoor recreation.

Local officials and tourist agencies are asking travelers to reschedule, even if their hotel or Airbnb is fine.

The economic impact of losing this tourist season alone will be significant.

Pisgah Inn, a rustic hotel and restaurant on the Blue Ridge Parkway, announced Wednesday that it would close for the season weeks early. With the parkway shut down indefinitely, guests cannot access it. Photos of a pink and blue sunset over Pisgah National Forest accompanied the news.

“These views tonight are emotional for me knowing that we are closing a month early due to circumstances beyond our control. Have a great winter y’all. See you in 2025.”

This region is tough as nails. Its community spirit is unbeatable — though Helene will test it. And with the help of government and boundless generosity, we will come back.

How can you help? Donate to an established organization that is mobilized for recovery efforts, or specific nonprofits. Here are some of them.

— United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County

— BeLoved Asheville

— Hearts with Hands

— MANNA FoodBank

— Brother Wolf Animal Rescue

— Asheville Humane Society

— World Central Kitchen

Nexstar , which owns The Hill, has partnered with the Red Cross to assist Helene victims through a fundraising effort designed to provide financial help to those in need. Those wishing to contribute to the effort can do so by clicking here .

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