Two years after Helene, western North Carolina still faces housing and food strain

Two years after Hurricane Helene struck Buncombe County, North Carolina, the storm's damage still shapes daily life. It destroyed at least 50 homes and a trailer park in the Barnardsville community. Forty families in the area still lack housing, according to food bank director Sierra Clark. Local food officials say SNAP supplies nine meals for every one provided by the state's food banks, while recent federal cuts have made benefits harder to access. The affected counties are Buncombe, Henderson, Yancey, Avery and Madison, all within the 11th Congressional District.