Alina Ramey, Staff Member of The Powderhorn

Many students in Watauga county were distraught after Hurricane Helene hit. They couldn’t go to school, some couldn’t leave their neighborhoods, and some couldn’t even get out of their houses. But a lot of students, and people in general, weren’t able to go to their jobs.

Many workplaces put their regular business on hold to help out people in the community, doing things such as opening their doors for people who were in need. 

“We opened the day after the Hurricane was to serve as a warm, dry place,” said Maggie Barnes, a Watauga High School student who works at Palm Berries. “People, employees, and community members could relax and charge devices.”

Many workplaces were damaged during Helene, some were completely submerged, others were only out of power for a bit. Depending on how badly the building and surrounding areas were affected, some businesses would distribute food to people who couldn’t easily access food. 

Multiple businesses did this, which helped so many people who needed this extra support in that trying time. Stick Boy Kitchen is one of the many, and they donated food to help people who were affected. 

“We had an outreach program where we donated bread and soup to people who were in need or people who were volunteering,” said Elizabeth Pearce, a Watauga High School student and employee at Stick Boy Kitchen. “We also ran a program where if you bought a loaf of bread, you could stick it on the free bread shelf and pass it on to someone who is more in need of the food.”

Due to the damages from the storm, a lot of employees and students had more time off than they would usually have. Many different things were done with this time off, some worked on their houses and helped fix damages to their properties. Some recouped with their loved ones, finding comfort in some normalcy. Many went out and volunteered at an array of organizations, helping those who were still struggling from the massive impact Hurricane Helene had on the people of Watauga County. 

Many organizations accepted volunteers, such as Watauga High School, Samaritan's Purse, and the Watauga Distribution Center, just to name a few. Students who were off work and school and were in a stable position in their homes flocked to such organizations and made a huge impact on disaster relief and repairing after the storm. 

“I was beyond blessed to stay safe during the Hurricane, and I was privileged to be able to volunteer,” said Barnes. “I spent the first week after the hurricane volunteering in disaster relief for Samaritan's Purse. After the first week, I divided my time between SP and the Watauga Distribution Center.”

So many people came together to help each other, whether it was small businesses, students, adults, and everyone in between. While everyone was impacted by Hurricane Helene, small businesses and their employees were a big help in disaster relief to everyone. 

“We were fortunate enough to be put in a position to give back and help rebuild the community. Unfortunately, many businesses weren't as lucky as we were,” said Pearce. “I would encourage anyone, now more than ever, to shop locally. Local businesses are still suffering losses and trying to rebuild, so supporting them now is as important as ever.”