October 5, 2024
In these early days since Hurricane Helene made landfall leaving a path of destruction and devastation across the Southeast, Second Harvest Food Bank team members have been on the ground every day, primarily, but not exclusively, in Ashe and Watauga Counties, delivering critical supplies and working hand-in-hand with our dedicated local food assistance partners. We'll be up there again this weekend, delivering truckloads of the supplies that continue to stream in and others purchased with generous gifts of support that also continue to stream in. With many residents still without power—or worse, displaced from their homes by the floods—ready-to-eat meals have been an essential lifeline in meeting their most urgent needs.
Our time on the ground has been crucial in so many ways. Most importantly, it has given us the opportunity to connect directly with our partners and friends—the people and leaders we work with throughout the year to ensure everyone has access to the nourishment they need for their well-being and for our communities to thrive.
We’ve always stood with our community, from meeting daily needs to responding to disasters. Today, we are addressing the urgent needs caused by Hurricane Helene, which has hit many of the communities we serve particularly hard. We will continue to provide food and support, not only in the immediate aftermath but for as long as it takes to help our neighbors rebuild.
Being on the ground also allowed us to reassure the community of the strength of the resources we’ll bring—not just in this critical moment, but for the long road ahead. Moreover, we’ve begun working hand in hand with community members to develop even more comprehensive plans for support as we move forward together.
October 3, 2024 - 26 cents
A gift of 26 cents touched the hearts of staff and volunteers at a community food drive held this day with WXII 12 News. It came from a young girl whose family dropped off donations to help our neighbors in Western North Carolina, whose lives have been upended in ways many of us can hardly imagine. Her small but powerful offering embodied the spirit of community that has shone through every day since the storm devastated our beloved mountain towns—taking lives and homes, but not a shred of the strength, resilience, and tenacity that define the residents of these hills and hollers.
Late Afternoon Update: October 1, 2024
Join us for a disaster relief collections drive with WXII 12
Thursday, October 3, 5 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
3330 Shorefair Drive, Winston-Salem, 27105
Most needed items are:
§ Paper towels
§ Trash bags
§ Disinfecting cleaners (food safe)
§ Peanut butter and jelly (plastic containers only)
§ Pop-top complete meals (including soups)
§ Pop-top fruits in natural syrup
§ Canned chicken or tuna
§ Individual cereal bowls
§ Family-sized shelf-stable milk
Monetary donations will also be accepted (cash or check onsite) and credit card donations here: here
Note: Additional community-wide, media-sponsored food drives will be forthcoming. We want, need, and appreciate strong community support for these efforts. We do not recommend organizing activities to collect supplies or travel to the impacted areas since first responders – both government and nonprofit – are trained and prepared to execute action plans that create the best results for the communities affected. While such efforts are done out of a desire to help, the reality is that these activities can complicate relief efforts and take time and resources away from the efforts by groups tasked with response responsibilities.
Thank you to our community and supporters for standing with us and our neighbors in this time of great need!
Update October 1, 2024:
People are asking so, here's just a bit more about response activities underway now:
Reaching out to all partner agencies in the affected areas to determine their status and assess their needs. Our priority is supporting our partners in disaster areas so they can support their communities.
Bringing Second Harvest Food Bank Mobile Pantry units to locations in Ashe, Randolph, and Caldwell counties, working on the ground alongside our partner food assistance agencies. On the date of this post, we are in Ashe County working with our partners at Ashe Food Pantry, supporting a large-scale food distribution to serve an estimated 400 households.
As we are getting through to our on-the-ground partners in impacted communities, we are placing orders for requested items and moving staged products to impacted areas. Many are requesting prepared meals owing to power outages, and our Community Meals team is preparing 10,000 additional shelf-stable meal boxes (providing a total of 50,000 meals) for distribution this week and next.
In Watauga County, one of the hardest hit, transportation and access to our partners is a major concern. Additional assessments are being done to determine how and where to get food. Today we are visiting with some of our partners and to explore how we can enhance response efforts on the App campus and beyond through use of kettle-created meals (soups, stews, and chowders) and other products.
Second Harvest is also working closely with Feeding the Carolinas (FTC) and our sister food banks to address needs throughout the state. Importantly, MANNA Food Bank , our sister Feeding America Food Bank serving Asheville other western NC areas, is a total loss, and we will join efforts to support identified needs in that devastated area.
In addition to specific disaster relief efforts, Second Harvest’s every day operations addressing food insecurity across all our counties continue, recognizing that unprecedented needs for food assistance exist in communities not impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Update: September 30, 2024
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we are actively coordinating with our on-the-ground partners and finalizing logistics for this week's supply distributions. Pre-staged products are en route to our warehouse to ensure steady replenishment as Second Harvest continues its Disaster Response alongside ongoing efforts to address the sustained crisis of food insecurity in our region —a crisis expected to worsen as the storm's full impact on lives and local businesses becomes clearer. Make a donation to support response efforts.
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September 28, 2024
Governor Cooper has requested an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for 39 North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which will bring much-needed resources to areas of our state impacted by Hurricane Helene, including Public Assistance, Individual Assistance, hazard mitigation, and more. The state’s Feeding America Food Banks, including Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina, in conjunction with their state association, Feeding the Carolinas, are working with emergency management organizations and mobilizing drinking water, food, and cleaning supplies to address the immediate needs of families who lives have been upturned by the devasting impacts of this historic storm.
Counties Served by Second Harvest Food Bank Affected by Hurricane Helene:
Alexander
Alleghany
Ashe
Caldwell
Forsyth
Iredell
Surry
Yadkin
Watauga
Wilkes
Initial Response Plan for Second Harvest Service Area:
Assessment: Second Harvest is contacting its partner food assistance network in communities hit by the storm to assess impacts to operations and other immediate needs.
Emergency Food Outreach: Second Harvest will be deploying food, including ready-to-eat meals, in collaboration with its partners who are still able to operate, with a focus on the highest need areas.
Emergency Food Procurement: Financial donations will enable Second Harvest to purchase large quantities of necessary food and supplies for direct distribution to residents impacted by the flooding, food pantries, and shelters.
Across Second Harvest Food Bank’s service area, 10 of the organization’s 18 service area counties have been severely affected by the storm. Major road and highway closures caused by flooding, downed trees, and mudslides, particularly in rural and mountainous areas, pose challenges to Second Harvest response efforts. We and our collaborating partners ask that the community members avoid driving into affected areas for your safety and to allow emergency response vehicles and our delivery trucks clear access to impacted areas.
Food Pantries Affected in Second Harvest Food Bank’s Service Area:
Early reports are that food assistance organizations within our network are experiencing operational disruptions due to road closures, power outages, and damaged facilities. This has and will continue to affect their ability to distribute food to neighbors in need at a time when our network is already experiencing sustained high requests for help.
Severe flooding in Watauga, Ashe, Wilkes, Alexander, Caldwell, Surry, and Yadkin Counties has caused severe damage to some partner pantry facilities, destroying cooling and refrigeration units, is expected to impact their ability to provide assistance for the multiple weeks. In more urban areas, such as Winston-Salem and Statesville, our partner pantries were already struggling to meet increased requests for food assistance. Power outages in some neighborhoods will most certainly have resulted in food spoilage and create a greater burden on these organizations’ ability to assist our neighbors.
With the widespread destruction, it is reasonable to expect that food insecurity will further increase across the region due to the storm’s impact. This includes families who have lost their homes or access to food, as well as those who will experience job loss due to business closures.
How You Can Help:
Monetary Donations Are Essential. The most effective way to support our efforts right now is by making a financial donation. This allows us to quickly purchase food, water, and other essential supplies for the people who need them most. Please make a donation today.Local purchases, as possible, will also support local economies.
We do not recommend organizing activities to collect supplies or travel to the impacted areas since first responders – both government and nonprofit – are trained and prepared to execute action plans that create the best results for the communities affected. While such efforts are done out of a desire to help, the reality is that these activities can complicate relief efforts and take time and resources away from the efforts by groups tasked with response responsibilities.
Spread the Word: Help us raise awareness of the need in our community by sharing information and updates from our social channels and website. Encourage your neighbors, churches, and community groups to contribute by donating or volunteering. Use the hashtag #HeleneReliefSHFB on social media to amplify our call to action.
Second Harvest Food Bank is committed to responding swiftly to the immediate needs of families and communities impacted by Hurricane Helene, ensuring access to food and essential supplies during this critical time. As the recovery process unfolds, we will remain dedicated for the long haul, standing with our neighbors as they rebuild their lives. Through our partnerships and community support, we will continue to provide resources, not only to address urgent needs for food assistance and basic supplies but also to help families regain stability in the months and years to come. Together, we are here for the long road to recovery.
