BBF responded to Hurricane Helene with a large-scale relief effort, providing grants and shipments to multiple organizations immediately following the storm. As part of this response, BBF provided two grants and three shipments to MANNA Food Bank to help meet urgent needs in North Carolina. MANNA recently released its final report, detailing the impact of these efforts and the ongoing challenges faced by affected communities.

BBF’s support helped MANNA address critical shortages in the aftermath of the storm. To provide clean drinking water to communities experiencing shortages, BBF shipped 19 pallets—38,304 bottles—of water, with supplies generously donated by Giant Eagle. Widespread power outages left many households without electricity for weeks, and BBF also provided 300 generators to those still in need.

With support from BBF and other partners, MANNA distributed more than a million pounds of food to communities recovering from the hurricane. Their report highlights the continued need for resources long after the initial disaster response, as families work to rebuild and regain stability.

“We are incredibly grateful to the corporations and foundations who stood by MANNA FoodBank after Hurricane Helene devastated so many of our communities in Western North Carolina. On September 27th, 2024, flood waters destroyed MANNA’s former headquarters, leaving our facilities and operations in Asheville, NC in total ruin. As the only food bank in Feeding America’s history to face a complete operational loss, we lost two warehouses, all our food inventory, all warehouse equipment, and our entire IT infrastructure.

Your financial support made it possible for us to respond swiftly to the crisis, ensuring that food and essential resources continued to reach thousands of families affected by the storm. Your generosity not only fueled our immediate relief efforts but also empowered us to begin rebuilding our operations from the ground up. Because of you, MANNA’s mission to end hunger has never wavered. Today, we continue to distribute millions of meals while upfitting our new warehouse in Mills River, NC, laying the foundation to feed our neighbors in need now and for decades to come.”