Food Deserts After Helene | Raleigh News

Tropical Storm Helene left Western North Carolina in shambles, turning towns like Swannanoa and Spruce Pine into food deserts where fresh groceries are a 10-mile trek away. With grocery stores like Ingles destroyed and unreplaced, residents—many already burdened by transportation and cost—face mounting health and economic crises. But local heroes are stepping in: Bounty and Soul turned wasted produce into community nourishment, while TRACTOR connects 70 farmers to fill the void. Yet nonprofits are barely holding the line as SNAP enrollment plummets and disaster aid like D-SNAP fades—leaving the burden of recovery squarely on grassroots shoulders. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/433e321def841693