It’s been five months since Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, creating upheaval for countless families—and for MANNA FoodBank as well. Floodwaters demolished our warehouses, food inventory, equipment, and IT infrastructure. In an unprecedented moment, MANNA became the first food bank in Feeding America’s history to experience a total operational loss. Yet in the face of that devastation, we never stopped feeding the thousands of neighbors who were already struggling with food insecurity before the storm.
Rallying Support in a Time of Crisis
When our primary facility was destroyed, we quickly established emergency distribution hubs at the WNC Farmers Market so we could continue getting food to the people who needed it most. The outpouring of community support was incredible—from volunteers to partner agencies to individual donors. Even before we had a clear picture of the long road ahead, caring people stepped in to help us stand up makeshift operations.
Financial support was also critical in these early days. The Concert for the Carolinas, a benefit concert organized by renowned musician Luke Combs, played a pivotal role in raising emergency relief funds. Within weeks, this event alone raised over $3.1 million for MANNA. These funds were critical in two essential ways. They quickly helped us with the bare essential things that were destroyed in the flood that we needed to just be able to receive and distribute much needed food, while simultaneously allowing MANNA to get food out people across our 16-counties and the Qualla Boundary every day since this unthinkable disaster began.
The Concert for the Carolinas is just one example of the transformative generosity provided by our major donors who have stood by us during this crisis, and we are immensely grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support from compassionate individuals across our region and the country. To date, MANNA has received $37 million in crucial aid. Every dollar has been instrumental not only in stabilizing our food distribution efforts but also in laying the foundation for our long-term recovery, especially after we suffered over $28 million in flood-related losses.
Thanks to this incredible show of generosity, we’ve already been able to achieve some significant milestones:
- Distributed 9.2 million pounds of food—equating to 7.6 million meals for families across the region.
- Offered special holiday meal distributions, delivering turkeys, hams, and pies to thousands of families.
- Provided essential support to 50+ partner agencies, equipping them with resources like coolers, generators, and propane.
- Expanded school-based food assistance to more than 104 schools and after-school programs.
- Experienced an amazing surge in volunteerism, welcoming almost 3,000 new volunteers to our work.
Though we’ve come a long way, the need has only intensified. People across WNC continue to face job losses, housing challenges, and other hardships made worse by the storm. We know we must remain committed to meeting that need far into the future.
Voices from the Frontlines: Mitchell County Shepherd’s Staff
One of the many partners on the frontlines is Mitchell County Shepherd’s Staff, led by Director Starli McDowell. Before Helene, they relocated to the TRACTOR Food and Farms facility because their old location was too small. We helped them move essential equipment just in time.
“During the storm, we became a trusted place for food distribution and information-sharing,” said McDowell. “People had no food, no water, and no internet. It was a true community effort—everyone started sharing whatever they had, and we pooled those resources together.”
With the local Ingles grocery store flooded, people from all walks of life turned to Shepherd’s Staff for help.
“Rich and poor families were coming to us for food. MANNA has been continuously bringing us supplies, and it’s been invaluable,” McDowell continued.
In January, they served a record 1,271 households, a number that continues to climb.
“The storm has changed us,” said McDowell. “But we’ve been here for 40 years, and we’ll continue to serve our community, even when the temporary emergency resources leave.”
Looking ahead, they hope to expand their capacity:
“We need more capacity. A new warehouse and pantry space on the TRACTOR Food and Farms property is crucial for us to meet the growing demand. We are calling this our ‘barn raise’ project—an effort to create a larger food hub that will help us serve more families in need.”
Building For Tomorrow
Stories like Shepherd’s Staff illustrate the incredible resilience of our partner network. We are just as committed to our neighbors as they are, which is why we accelerated the move to a new 84,000-square-foot facility in Mills River—already filled to capacity. Now we must invest in critical upgrades, including:
- A 15,400 sq ft cooler and freezer (at a $6.5 million cost)
- A new volunteer center and office space
- The replacement of essential equipment like forklifts and refrigerated trailers
In the next three years, we estimate needing $112 million to maintain our food distribution, fully rebuild our operations, and ensure no one in WNC goes hungry. We know it’s a long road ahead, but this community has proven again and again that, when people are in need, we show up. From all of us at MANNA, thank you for being part of this extraordinary community of support. We remain determined to keep moving forward—together.
