On September 27th, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the southwestern part of Florida. The category 4 hurricane proceeded north 800 miles, through Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee. Already the fifth deadliest storm in the history of the contiguous United States, killing at least 130 individuals. One area hit particular hard was Asheville, North Carolina. According to The Guardian, the county seat of Buncombe and surrounding areas comprise nearly a third of all deaths caused by the storm.
Around 300 miles inland, Asheville was thought to be impervious to this sort of storm. But as weather grows more extreme due to climate change, unprecedented disasters have been able to reach further, and heavy rains from Helene have caused major flooding in Buncombe County, destroying roads in and out of the area as well as knocking out power and cell service for millions of individuals.
The storm has rendered coffee shops across Asheville and the surrounding areas, at best, temporarily closed while they wait for power and water to return. Cafes like Rowan Coffee, Bad Manners, Vortex Doughnuts, Ultra Coffeebar, Rite Rite, Pollen Coffee + Flowers, Farewell, Grind Asheville, and Retro Coffee have all ceased operations, some indefinitely. Others, like Summit Coffee’s RAD location and DayTrip, were destroyed completely.
“Honestly, things right now aren’t great. There are entire towns that have been completely swept off the map, new and established businesses are gone, houses floated away, it’s truly so catastrophic,” Bad Manners own Ashlyn Sholar tells Sprudge. “Power is slowly returning, but most places do not have access to running water and most likely won’t for another week or two. Evacuation is the best course, but only if you have enough gas to make it at least 100 miles outside of town.”
For those unable to leave the area, Sholar states that relief efforts are currently underway but face significant challenges. “Recovery efforts are working the absolute best they can, given the conditions of the roads and limited supplies. For two long days, most had communication in or out, some still can’t get cellular service or wifi, and folks are still trying to contact friends and family members. Satellite trucks rolled into town to give people wifi in major parts of the city, which has been a literal life saver. Water shipments are actively trying to arrive but there are entire roads and highways that are completely gone.”
With her cafe closed, Sholar has turned the Bad Manners Instagram account into a digital hub, collating various relief efforts around the city—where to find power, meals and shelter, where to donate, etc. She has also registered AshevilleRelief.com to host a Google document of an ever-updating list of resources, including text-only versions of the site in multiple languages that may be easier to load for those with limited internet access.
“I just can’t stress how much of an absolute disaster this is not only for Asheville, but for Marshall, Boone, Chimney Rock, and more!” Sholar states. “Nothing could have prepared us to watch our cities crumble in front of our eyes. We had disaster warehouses filled with supplies that were quite literally swept away.”
For those looking to help with relief efforts, Sholar says the best thing folks can do it donate. Beloved Asheville, United Way, Hearts with Hands, Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry, Haywood Christian Ministry, Diaper Bank, Asheville Habitat for Humanity, and Homeward Bound are all organizations working locally to provide food, supplies, and lodging to those in need. There are also GoFundMe pages set up, including one for Pollen to aid in paying staff currently out of work and for DayTrip and Snowbird to rebuild. Hex Coffee in nearby Charlotte is also raising money for the relief efforts via sales of a special release coffee.
The situation in Asheville and surrounding areas is constantly in flux. The extent of the loss of life and the damages is yet to be known and may take weeks to be fully understood. In the meantime, folks are in desperate need of assistance. If you are able, consider giving to the organizations listed above. Any donations will have a direct impact on those who need it most.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
