Wrenching, beautiful response to the region I, too, love most in the world. The time I spent in Asheville two decades ago was formative, healing. (And a more surprising synchronicity: I often return to Robert Coles in my writing and thinking about how we as people hold and carry each other.)
As a northeast TN native, I feel your grief for my precious mountains and mountain people. Thank you for putting words to the grief. I’ve been trying to do that as well, but it is difficult. I love the organizations you listed. I know they’ll continue to do great work in the region. God bless you and keep you 🙏🏻
I am so deeply sorry for what you and your community are going through, Amanda. But I am grateful that you've shared links to ways we who live so far away can help. I'm off to spread the word to my people.
Sending you love and a hug from New England this morning.
Amanda, I too was extremely moved by your post here. It’s real, and raw, but still hopeful. Can you please explain to me why water hasn’t been helicoptered in by FEMA or literally dropped down to these people??! Water??
That makes my heart hurt that such a simple provision can’t be priority #1 by federal government responders. I understand the area, etc. but military is trained for this and there are many, many military bases as you well know. I’m kind of a mama bear with this & just disgusted by what I see lacking in this response. I would say the same thing, no matter what political party was in the White House. I’m sending help your way & another option for readers is to go to KLOVE radio & sponsor a family through “Convoy Of Hope.”
100% of the donation goes to help the victims & Forbes named it one of 2024 top charities.
Please share your thoughts on gov. response to this huge mess. We are hearing nothing from mainstream media. We’re listening & want the truth from residents living through this. The “ water” thing really bugs me. 😡
Oh, let me offer you some words of hope and encouragement. The progress since this post was written has been phenomenal! Truly, the response from federal & state govt, plus non profit and neighbor helping neighbor has been top notch. The federal government dumped a bunch of money into our NC DOT so they could start fixing our roads, and that was HUGE. I can't believe how quickly they've patched and repaved roads that were essentially missing. Restored roads meant that power has been largely restored except for in the most remote spots. When it comes to the water, the military was doing a ton of supply drops (including bottled water) to local fire departments who then delivered resources on ATV or by food to the most hard to reach places. FEMA has community resource sites all over where folks can go and apply for assistance in person. We've already gotten our check actually! There's still obviously so much to be done, especially in places like Swannanoa and Marshall where more homes were washed away. But I'm seeing overall folks very impressed and happy with the response (at least in Watauga County but also in hard hit Mitchell County where so many of my kin are. I've been over there half a dozen times since the storm). As long as I live, I'll never forget the generosity of the American people who sent donations....and I'll always remember how quickly state and federal resources showed up for us.
Oh nice. That’s a positive. I’m so happy to hear that. Hopefully it keeps up. It sure took time to get everything moving. Thanks for a hopeful update. Maybe the negative start in federal help, fueled & motivated the powers to take care of challenges. Whatever works right?
Stay strong and know that help & prayers continue to come your way. 🙏🏽💕
Amanda, this is beautiful! I'm from outside of Asheville, and it is a joy for me to see someone writing about Appalachian communities with such dignity and nuance. I especially like the way you connect grit and grief, and the way that you describe the feeling of being betrayed by the landscape. Since the storm, I've been narrating some of my own experiences in post-hurricane life as well. If you're interested, you can find them here. https://riahnewfont.substack.com/p/bearing-witness-in-a-hurricane Thanks, and thank you so much for all the work you're doing for our communities!
My mom's family is from up around Bakersville and Red Hill. We haven't heard much of how it is up there. Thanks for this piece. Put to words things I feel about my side of the mountains over here in Tennessee and down on the Nolichucky.
Thank you for sharing your heart and using your gift of writing to give us an inside view of the needs. I will be giving to these organizations as a result. May God bless you as you have shared so well the needs of the community in West North Carolina. ❤️🩹Liz Cox in Saratoga, California
We see you; we share this grief with and for you ♡
Feeling tender for you and your broader community. 🩵
Wrenching, beautiful response to the region I, too, love most in the world. The time I spent in Asheville two decades ago was formative, healing. (And a more surprising synchronicity: I often return to Robert Coles in my writing and thinking about how we as people hold and carry each other.)
As a northeast TN native, I feel your grief for my precious mountains and mountain people. Thank you for putting words to the grief. I’ve been trying to do that as well, but it is difficult. I love the organizations you listed. I know they’ll continue to do great work in the region. God bless you and keep you 🙏🏻
I am so deeply sorry for what you and your community are going through, Amanda. But I am grateful that you've shared links to ways we who live so far away can help. I'm off to spread the word to my people.
Sending you love and a hug from New England this morning.
I immediately sent $200 to World Central Kitchen because I know they get on the ground asap with hot food.
Amanda, I too was extremely moved by your post here. It’s real, and raw, but still hopeful. Can you please explain to me why water hasn’t been helicoptered in by FEMA or literally dropped down to these people??! Water??
That makes my heart hurt that such a simple provision can’t be priority #1 by federal government responders. I understand the area, etc. but military is trained for this and there are many, many military bases as you well know. I’m kind of a mama bear with this & just disgusted by what I see lacking in this response. I would say the same thing, no matter what political party was in the White House. I’m sending help your way & another option for readers is to go to KLOVE radio & sponsor a family through “Convoy Of Hope.”
100% of the donation goes to help the victims & Forbes named it one of 2024 top charities.
Please share your thoughts on gov. response to this huge mess. We are hearing nothing from mainstream media. We’re listening & want the truth from residents living through this. The “ water” thing really bugs me. 😡
Oh, let me offer you some words of hope and encouragement. The progress since this post was written has been phenomenal! Truly, the response from federal & state govt, plus non profit and neighbor helping neighbor has been top notch. The federal government dumped a bunch of money into our NC DOT so they could start fixing our roads, and that was HUGE. I can't believe how quickly they've patched and repaved roads that were essentially missing. Restored roads meant that power has been largely restored except for in the most remote spots. When it comes to the water, the military was doing a ton of supply drops (including bottled water) to local fire departments who then delivered resources on ATV or by food to the most hard to reach places. FEMA has community resource sites all over where folks can go and apply for assistance in person. We've already gotten our check actually! There's still obviously so much to be done, especially in places like Swannanoa and Marshall where more homes were washed away. But I'm seeing overall folks very impressed and happy with the response (at least in Watauga County but also in hard hit Mitchell County where so many of my kin are. I've been over there half a dozen times since the storm). As long as I live, I'll never forget the generosity of the American people who sent donations....and I'll always remember how quickly state and federal resources showed up for us.
Oh nice. That’s a positive. I’m so happy to hear that. Hopefully it keeps up. It sure took time to get everything moving. Thanks for a hopeful update. Maybe the negative start in federal help, fueled & motivated the powers to take care of challenges. Whatever works right?
Stay strong and know that help & prayers continue to come your way. 🙏🏽💕
Amanda, this is beautiful! I'm from outside of Asheville, and it is a joy for me to see someone writing about Appalachian communities with such dignity and nuance. I especially like the way you connect grit and grief, and the way that you describe the feeling of being betrayed by the landscape. Since the storm, I've been narrating some of my own experiences in post-hurricane life as well. If you're interested, you can find them here. https://riahnewfont.substack.com/p/bearing-witness-in-a-hurricane Thanks, and thank you so much for all the work you're doing for our communities!
really loving your writing here and on Instagram. Thank you and with you from texas.
God BLESS Appalachia, a wonderful and powerful place.
Thank you for giving us sight into the suffering in and around you. Grieved and longing with you.
My mom's family is from up around Bakersville and Red Hill. We haven't heard much of how it is up there. Thanks for this piece. Put to words things I feel about my side of the mountains over here in Tennessee and down on the Nolichucky.
Thank you for sharing your heart and using your gift of writing to give us an inside view of the needs. I will be giving to these organizations as a result. May God bless you as you have shared so well the needs of the community in West North Carolina. ❤️🩹Liz Cox in Saratoga, California
Feeling with you and constantly praying. Devastated for the communities going through so much ❤️
Praying for and giving to a place we love so deeply.
Standing, believing & praying with you all!
❤️🩹🙏🏻🙏🏻