September 27 Hurricane Helene made landfall in southwestern Florida. The Category 4 hurricane moved north for 800 miles, through Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee. It was the fifth deadliest storm in history in the contiguous United States, leaving at least 130 people dead. One area that was hit particularly demanding was Asheville, North Carolina. According to Guardianthe county seat of Buncombe and surrounding areas accounted for nearly one-third of all deaths from the storm.
Asheville, located about 500 miles inland, was thought to be immune to this type of storm. However, as weather becomes more extreme due to climate change, unprecedented disasters could reach further, and hefty rains from Helene caused severe flooding in Buncombe County, destroying roads in and out of the area and knocking out power and cell service for millions people.
The storm caused coffee shops throughout Asheville and the surrounding area to close at best temporarily until power and water were restored. Cafes like Rowan coffee, Bad manners, Swirl donuts, Ultra Cafe, Ritual Ritual, Pollen Coffee + Flowers, Farewell, Grind AshevilleAND Retro Coffee all have ceased operations, some indefinitely. Others, like Summit Coffee’s RAD location AND One-day tripwere completely destroyed.
“Honestly, the situation is not the best right now. There are entire towns that have been completely wiped off the map, recent and established businesses are gone, homes are gone, it’s truly devastating,” Ashlyn Sholar, owner of Bad Manners, tells Sprudge. “Power is slowly coming back on, but most places don’t have access to running water and likely won’t for another week or two. The best option is to evacuate, but only if you have enough fuel to get at least 100 miles out of town.”
Sholar states that relief efforts are currently underway for those unable to leave the area, but face significant challenges. “Recovery efforts are working as best they can given road conditions and restricted supplies. For two long days, most have had incoming or outgoing connectivity, some are still unable to access cellular or Wi-Fi, and people are still trying to contact friends and family members. Satellite trucks rolled into the city to provide people with Wi-Fi in major parts of the city, which literally saved lives. Water deliveries are actively trying to get there, but there are entire roads and highways that have completely disappeared.”
After the café closed, Sholar changed her mind Bad manners on Instagram should be included in the digital center where various aid actions in the city will be collected – where to find energy, meals and shelter, where to make donations, etc. She also registered AshevilleRelief.com to host a Google Doc containing a constantly updated list of resources, including text versions of the site in multiple languages that may be easier to load for people with restricted Internet access.
“I cannot emphasize what an absolute disaster this is not only for Asheville, but also for Marshall, Boone, Chimney Rock and beyond!” Sholar States. “Nothing could have prepared us for the fact that our cities were falling before our eyes. We had post-disaster warehouses filled with supplies that were literally wiped out.”
Sholar says the best thing people can do is donate to those willing to aid with relief efforts. Dear Asheville, United Way, Hearts with hands, Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry, Haywood Christian Ministry, Diaper bank, A habitat for humanity in AshevilleAND Back home are all organizations working locally to provide food, supplies and housing to those in need. There are also GoFundMe pages, including one for Flower pollen to aid pay staff currently unemployed and on time One-day trip AND Snowbird rebuild. Hex Coffee in nearby Charlotte is also raising money to aid through sales including: special edition coffee.
The situation in Asheville and the surrounding area is constantly changing. The extent of the death toll and damage is not yet known and could take weeks to fully understand. Meanwhile, people urgently need aid. If you are able, please consider donating to the organizations listed above. Any donations will have a direct impact on those who need it most.
