By Janet Shamlian
Copyright cbsnews
It’s been one year since Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina, leaving behind a trail of destruction.The devastating storm made landfall last September in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane before sweeping through multiple states.Some of the mountain towns in North Carolina have made progress, but recovery has been slow in other parts.In Swannanoa, North Carolina, piles of debris still mark the storm’s path.”Every day we have people calling that are struggling economically,” Amy Cantrell with Beloved Asheville said about the recovery in Swannanoa. Recovery in the area has been slower than in communities like nearby Asheville, which has more resources.Impact on businessesJody and Steve Dunning own Swannanoa’s Okie Dokies Smokehouse, which was flooded by Helene and reopens next month. Steve Dunning expressed frustration with the federal and state response, saying while it may be adequate on a larger level, “that’s not something that we’ve seen. That’s not something that our neighbors see.”Over the past year, they’ve been making repairs to their business, but say they feel forgotten.”I think that a lot of resources have gone to where tourism is more popular, and Swannanoa is not that place,” Jody Dunning said.Housing crisisCritical needs are unmet in Swannanoa. The local grocery store is still closed and the post office never reopened. If you need to mail a package, it is now a 26-mile round trip to Asheville – if you have a car.More than 6,800 people across western North Carolina remain dependent on rental assistance or living in trailers or other mobile housing, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Neighbors have turned to each other for help – from clearing rubble to ensuring there’s fresh food available.Jannette Sanchez is still displaced from her home, but says she’s staying focused on what has improved.”I think there’s more community involvement,” she said. “I think we talked to our neighbors, but now we know our neighbors.”
