When Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina, it didn’t just destroy buildings, it disrupted lives.

One of the hardest-hit systems was a food distribution hub that provides weekend meals to hundreds of students across the state, including those in Cherokee County.

But even as supply lines were cut off, local organizations sprang into action to ensure no child went hungry.

Each weekend, students in Cherokee County relied on bags of food provided by MANNA FoodBank . But when the storm struck, the organization’s Asheville warehouse was severely damaged, halting operations along with the weekend meal program many families count on.

“We couldn’t get in contact with them for a lot of days,” said Courtney Allen, a social worker with Cherokee County Schools. “The phones were

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