ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Thursday marked six months since Hurricane Helene slammed the Carolinas. The storm left so much flooding and did so much damage that parts of western North Carolina won’t ever be the same.
But across the region, residents are working hard to bounce back and local heroes are out in the community – lifting each other up.
Channel 9′s Erika Jackson spoke with volunteers at BeLoved Asheville Thursday who spent the morning packing food and supply bags for community members.
One of the co-founders told Channel 9 the group fed 15,000 people per day in the weeks after Helene.
Now, the group provides temporary homes for people who are still without shelter. Amy Cantrell said Asheville’s economy is still unstable, so people rely on their support.
“We’ve really been about creating innovating solutions for some of the toughest challenges of our time. We’re proud to stand here on the national stage and show what ordinary people can do in communities across the country,” Cantrell said.
The group is run by donations and volunteers.
At the Biltmore, Bill Quade told Channel 9 he’s worked tirelessly to restore the grounds after Hurricane Helene.
“Whenever I stepped outside, it just looked like pickup sticks over all of the roads, over much of the property,” said Quade, director of horticulture at the Biltmore.
Despite the work Quade and his team did to get the Biltmore back open in November, visitor numbers were down consistently. Clearly, it’s frustrating.
“Asheville is a tourist economy and the Biltmore opening was going to allow the economy and western N.C. to open back as well,” Quade said.
Helene put a pause on tourism during what’s normally the busy fall season. But businesses hope the blooming spring will also bring a resurgence of visitors.
Explore Asheville said 70 percent of hospitality-dependent businesses are back open. The group’s vice president of marketing, Dodie Stephens, told Channel 9 that’s important, since 1 out of every $5 spent in Asheville comes from tourism.
1 of 10
“Looking ahead towards the spring and the fact that we are moving forward with these milestones and these openings, and these big events on the calendar, we’re seeing lots of signs of hope and resilience,” Stephens said.
She added that visitors from the Charlotte area are crucial for Asheville’s recovery. “It’s extremely essential for us to be communicating and sharing with them all there is to do and all of the progress that’s been made to open its doors,” Stephens said.
And at the Biltmore, Quade said, “We want guests to come in and enjoy that springtime to see the beautiful blooms from dogwoods, red buds, cherries, you name it.”
Quade said bulbs planted at the Biltmore after Helene are starting to bloom and he hopes tourism in western N.C. does the same. “It’s that rebirth – the rebirth of not only the estate, but rebirth of the region. We’ve made it through the worst part of this and the best is yet to come.”
Channel 9 also spoke with people at Highland Brewing in Asheville Thursday, a business that has been at the forefront of the recovery process.
The owners of Highland Brewing do much more than brew beer. In the weeks after Helene, the team stored supplies for North Carolina State Highway Patrol, helped a non-profit provide clean water, and housed pet food for the Humane Society.
All of this was going on as Highland was dealing with its own operation issues.
Other businesses like Highland Brewing are working to bring visitors back. This week, Erika Jackson visited Resurrection Studios Collective in downtown Asheville.
Co-owner Heidi Adams turned her family’s former music studio into an artist workspace and gallery, so displaced artists have a place to work.
“I know the artists were really excited, and it felt really magical to bring the community back together,” Adams said.
WATCH BELOW: NC Governor signs Hurricane Helene relief bill into law
©2025 Cox Media Group
