Community-led disaster relief hub provides supplies, services in mountain county

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — A distribution center in Buncombe County has provided services and supplies to aid relief efforts after Tropical Storm Helene’s destruction.

The mutual aid disaster response center in Barnardsville is community-led and volunteer-based.

“I’m just here to help any way I can,” said volunteer Suzanne Jackson.

The distribution center is being operated out of an old brick fire station in town.

“We have water. We have bedding. We have diapers,” said Kelsey Leahy.

Residents can shop the piles of donations and take what they want at no cost.

“If you need tools or generators, you can check in with our tool library folks,” Leahy said.

People can also borrow tools and supplies or pick a job on a whiteboard to help others.

“People are coming in and offering their support, and we have plenty of places to send them,” volunteer Kelsey Leahy said. “Everything is awesome when you’re part of a team.”

Leahy has only been living in the area for a few months.

The help the group has provided has been crucial, especially in the first few days after Helene.

“We had a missing persons list that we were able to knock off 150 names off of before passing off less than a dozen names to the sheriff’s department,” Leahy said.

The volunteer said she has “hummingbird energy.” She buzzes through the distribution site and hums with every task.

“Being visible is a superpower,” she said. “So, I try to just show up and do good work every day.”

She said that being there is important for those who have lost everything.

She told Channel 9 what the most important part of the relief effort is for the community.

“Honestly, it’s the fact that we exist,” Leahy said.

>>Channel 9 is partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina for our Southeast Strong Month of Giving. CLICK HERE to help.

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