Grand Strand restaurants help send supplies to towns hit by Helene

MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WBTW) — Neal’s Creekhouse in Murrells Inlet and Neal and Pam’s in Surfside Beach are teaming up with nonprofit organization SC Needs Help to send tractor trailers filled with supplies to parts of the Carolinas impacted by Helene.

Zach Baker is the Owner of Neal’s Creekhouse and Neal and Pam’s and began collecting donations at his restaurants because his two friends from the Upstate wanted to help after Helene badly damaged that area.

Baker grew up in Greenville and knows a lot of people who were affected by the storm and who lost a lot from their homes. Throughout the past few days, he said hundreds of locals have been dropping off necessities, including water, hygiene products, soap and even peanut butter at both of his restaurants.

“They said that they wanted to fill up a toy hauler, like a 16 ft trailer, and their pickup trucks and drive it to the Upstate,” Baker said. “And I posted it on Facebook, and it blew up, and it really got legs. And so now, instead of filling up a couple pickup trucks, we’re going to try to fill up a 50-foot trailer here and we have a 20-footer at Neal and Pam’s in Surfside.”

SC Needs Help was founded in 2018 when the group started collecting donations and distributing them in Horry and Georgetown County. Their hope this week is to help those who lost everyday essentials from Helene.

“So, together as a community, here we are today, and hopefully we can get this tractor-trailer loaded and on the road tomorrow, and I know there’s a ton of people in the community that are doing the exact same thing that we’re doing, that Zach’s doing,” events coordinator Phillip Jackson said. “We’re so thankful to have so many positive people in our community doing positive things to help others. It’s great.”

The donations will be sent to Asheville, Hendersonville, Lake Lure, and other towns hit by the storm. Jackson said it’s all about helping others.

“Just be a good human and do good things. People need help,” Jackson said. “There’s going to be a time and there was a time where we needed help. Everybody needs help at times. And if we have it and we’re able to do it. Even if you can’t provide any goods or donate financially, you can always come help out.”

As of 5 p.m. Monday, Neal’s Creekhouse can no longer take donations because the truck is full, but Stella’s Ice Cream in Murrells Inlet is collecting donations such as water, baby supplies, nonperishables, hygiene products and more.

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Carly Knowlton is a multimedia journalist at News13. She graduated from Penn State University in May 2024 and joined the News13 team in July 2024. Carly is from Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Follow Carly on Facebook , Instagram , and read more of her work here .

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