Helene Recovery Update Buncombe County Nov 7, 2024

Buncombe County -- November 7, 2024: Buncombe County Government Community News: In observance of Veterans Day, Buncombe County Government offices will be closed on Monday, Nov. 11.

 

This includes the courthouse, sheriff's office, Health and Human Services, and additional offices. For a complete list of closures, visit buncombecounty.org. Essential services, including Community Care Stations and water and food distribution sites, will remain open to support residents' needs.

 

 

Buncombe County's Community Care Stations, which provide water, showers, laundry facilities, and meals, will remain open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. All locations are equipped with ADA-accessible showers and bathrooms, with laundry drop-off available at the Swannanoa Ingles. Residents can access these services at various locations throughout the county, including the At Home Store parking lot, Buncombe County Sports Park, and Owen Pool, among others.

 

Food and Water Distribution Points, Community Care
Water and meals are available at key distribution sites daily at: 
Sky Lanes Bowling Alley 
Black Mountain Ingles 
Swannanoa Ingles 
Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center 
Pack Square Park 
Buncombe County Sports Park 
Fairview Ingles 
Our Community Care Stations are open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with showers, laundry, and more. All Community Care Stations now have ADA accessible showers and bathrooms, and laundry drop off and pickup is available at the Swannanoa Ingles. The locations are:

At Home Store parking lot
Big Lots/Innsbrook mall
Buncombe County Sports Park
Bethel United Methodist
Fairview Ingles
Swannanoa Ingles
Owen Pool
Morgan Hill Baptist Church

Supporting Veterans in Buncombe County

 

As we honor those who served, the Buncombe County Veterans Services Office remains a vital resource, offering a wide array of services for veterans and their families. This includes support for disability compensation, survivor benefits, and more. Buncombe County’s Veterans Services team, which includes decorated veterans and dedicated staff, is among the best in North Carolina. Learn more at buncombecounty.org/veterans.

 

 

Buncombe County is actively working on storm recovery and debris collection efforts. Crews are operating seven days a week, including holidays, to collect storm-related debris. Multiple passes will be made to ensure thorough collection across neighborhoods, and efforts will also cover private roads and waterways. Nearly 100,000 cubic yards has been collected in Buncombe County so far.
In response to Tropical Storm Helene, Buncombe County is launching a Private Property Debris Removal and Demolition Program. This program, designed in collaboration with FEMA, aims to assist property owners unable to clear hazardous debris on their own. Further details and the application process will be announced soon.

 

 

On November 10, the American Red Cross will transfer disaster shelter operations to Western Carolina Rescue Ministries to ensure continued support for those impacted by Tropical Storm Helene. Shelter residents in need of ongoing assistance will be relocated from the WNC Ag Center to the Gold’s Gym location, where services will continue through December 31. This transition is supported by the County, Novant Health, and other local partners to provide stability and resources to those in recovery. As of Nov. 7, there are 164 individuals residing in Buncombe County's disaster shelters.

 

 

Local nonprofit Working Wheels is providing free vehicle repairs for relief and recovery organizations and securing affordable, reliable vehicles for families impacted by the storm. Additionally, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity has launched a Disaster Repair program, extending assistance to low-income homeowners with storm-related repairs. For more details on these programs, visit workingwheelswnc.org and ashevillehabitat.org.

 

 

Residents affected by Tropical Storm Helene are encouraged to apply for FEMA assistance at disasterassistance.gov or by visiting the Disaster Recovery Center in Fairview at the Cane Creek Pool. Mobile FEMA services are also available in Asheville.
As Buncombe County navigates recovery, our One Buncombe call center is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 828-250-6100. For urgent alerts, sign up for Buncombe County’s CodeRED notifications by texting "BCalert" to 99411 or visiting buncombecounty.org/codered.