Six months after Helene: memories are vivid, progress is slow and steady

Rebuilding Swannanoa continues to be a community pursuit

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 27, 2025

Six months after Tropical Storm Helene devastated Swannanoa, community groups like the Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance continue to play a significant role in the area’s recovery. Photo by Fred McCormick

Six months after the raging waters of the river with which Swannanoa shares its name unleashed a torrent of devastation upon the unincorporated Buncombe County community, reminders of the tragedy that claimed lives and destroyed homes and businesses still dominate the landscape along U.S. 70. The sights are unavoidable for the thousands of motorists who pass through the section of the state highway daily.

Among local residents, however, the crumbling buildings, ravaged neighborhoods and scattered debris fields reinforce a lesson they learned in the hours after the historic natural disaster — the long and laborious road to recovery will require a unified community effort.

Life for nearly all of the roughly 6,000 residents of Swannanoa changed dramatically on the morning of Sept. 27, 2024, as those who emerged or escaped from their homes were confronted by a terrifying new reality. Many family members, friends and neighbors were in need of rescue, while roads and bridges connecting the scattered rural community were washed away.

In the weeks that followed, as many residents relied on each other for survival, neighborhoods rallied together to form community groups, which continue to play an indispensable role in the recovery efforts.

A true ‘grassroots’ initiative

The Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance, which formed in the immediate aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene, continues to meet twice a week, as the coalition evolves to support the community. Photo by Fred McCormick

In the hours after heavy rain ceased for the first time in days, stunned survivors began arriving in Grovemont Square. The park, owned and managed by the volunteer-led nonprofit Swannanoa Community Council, has been a central gathering spot for the community for a century.

“Neighbors were helping neighbors in every nook, cranny and holler, and certainly in Grovemont,” said George Scott, member of the SCC, which also owns the Swannanoa Library building. “People were out cutting trees out of driveways and streets, trying to clear paths, and so forth.”

Twenty-four hours after the storm disrupted water, electricity and internet services, a formal meeting was held in the square. While crews began working to clear fallen trees and assist neighbors in need, Scott began observing complications in coordination efforts, A week later, as 15 people stood in front of the Swannanoa Fire Department, what would later become the Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance held its first official meeting.

“There were people there representing multiple churches, local organizations, the fire department, a liaison from the medical service effort happening at the First Baptist Church Swannanoa and others,” Scott said. “We were given access to the space at 216 Whitson Avenue, and we’ve been here since.”

The SGA, a non-hierarchical coalition of groups, nonprofit organizations, churches, business owners, residents and volunteers, continues to hold three weekly meetings in the former Methodist Church, where a circle of participants introduce themselves and share current needs in the community. The goal is to connect residents to a network of resources in and around Swannanoa, according to Carol Groben, longtime member of the Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS) service and advocacy group.

SGA, which has connected thousands of area residents with more than 70 participating organizations, is filling vital role in the unincorporated community.

The alliance has adapted over time to meet the evolving concerns throughout Swannanoa, according to its members.

“At first, I was in my car driving all around the Swannanoa Valley, looking for these supply hubs that were forming out of nowhere, whether they were in someone’s yard or at established businesses like Ashley’s Kitchen and Bath or Silverados,” Groben said. “We wanted to find out what they needed, what they had and coordinating with them so we could get all of that information out on our website. From the start, we were diligent in getting accurate and helpful information out to the community.”

While many in Swannanoa continue to rely on local distribution centers for basic necessities, SGA has expanded to address a range of local issues.

“It has been an evolving organization that has changed as the needs of the community have changed,” Groben continued. “Our goal is to continue doing that while identifying needs and providing a space that allows the people who are out there doing work on the ground to collaborate.”

The alliance includes two sub-committees that meet to discuss community engagement and economic recovery.

“That’s obviously not something we were thinking about early on, but over time we realized we have this business community that has been devastated by this storm, so where can we fit in to help them recover, as well,” Groben said. “We formed a working group and started reaching out to local businesses and people started coming by. That led to us calling meetings for Swannanoa business owners.”

The gatherings are an opportunity for local business owners to share their stories and offer recovery updates.

“They can talk about the things they need, what roadblocks they are running into and how we, as a community, can help,” Groben said. “It has really helped a lot of people recognize how important economic recovery is in the long term. We had 70-80 local businesses together in the same room during our first meeting, and that was really powerful.”

Community outreach is another key function of the alliance, according to Megan McCreary, an active member of the alliance and FANS board.

“From the beginning, we’ve tried to be a gatherer of advocates for various communities, churches or businesses,” she said. “We’re not trying fill the building, but instead trying to find people who are already advocating on behalf of their specific neighborhood or block. They can bring their information to the meeting and bring their concerns or questions, and act as a conduit to take what they find back to their neighbors.”

That approach, she continued, allows the alliance to connect with as many communities as possible.

“Our community engagement groups discusses barriers to access, and what we can do as a community to bring information to them or find someone they trust who can keep them updated,” McCreary said. “We don’t want to rely on just a few people, but dozens of people who represent dozens of organizations. That has helped exponentially increase the resources and knowledge we can help provide access to.”

A Beacon with hope

Nearly all of the homes in the lower section of Beacon Village were damaged during Tropical Storm Helene. Six months later, the Save Beacon Village campaign is continuing its efforts to fund rebuilding efforts. Photo by Fred McCormick

Few, if any neighborhoods in Swannanoa are as significant to the community’s heritage as Beacon Village. The small cottages, built to house families of employees of the mill that once served as the epicenter of the community, remain a vestige of a proud manufacturing era.

As Helene pummeled the region, the small neighborhood faced an unimaginable nightmare scenario, as the Swannanoa River crossed U.S. 70 .

“Twenty-four of the homes were submerged up to the roof,” said Tissica Scoch, who has lived in her Beacon Village home for nearly a decade. “There is a small creek that runs behind the odd addresses on the street, and it flooded and did a lot of foundational damage to homes on that side. Overall, about 39 of the 44 houses suffered some kind of damage.”

With the exception of a section of one piece of property, none of the homes in the neighborhood were in a flood plain.

“The corner of my neighbor’s yard is in the 500 year flood plain, but none of them are within the 100 flood plain,” Schoch said. “I’m usually the type of person who overprepares for things, but with this, there was no way we could’ve imagined what ended up happening.”

Many in the neighborhood sought higher ground to escape the rising water, as nearby residents, equipped with kayaks and axes, worked tirelessly to retrieve them from their attics or rooftops and deliver them to safety.

“After the floodwater receded, everybody in the neighborhood was checking up on their neighbors,” Schoch said. “People who had just lost everything were walking up and asking, ‘how can I help you?’ Miraculously, everybody in this neighborhood survived.”

With everyone accounted for, Beacon Village neighbors began assessing the damage and met a week after the storm. Karla Gay was already working on a plan to rebuild the homes that were lost, according to Schoch.

“Karla has a background in fundraising, and she had just finished remodeling her home in May,” Schoch said. “So she had a really good idea of the costs to repair the damaged home and she came up with a budget that could provide direct relief in an equitable way.”

The group launched Save Beacon Village, a fundraising campaign with a goal to raise $4.5 million to rebuild all of the homes in the neighborhood. Relief groups, including the Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders and Balsam Built, quickly offered assistance.

“We’ve had churches come to us and offer to sponsor rebuilds and right now we’re working with Valley Hope Church,” Scoch said. “They are looking at teaming up with other churches to possibly adopt the remaining houses.”

While many of the homes remain unoccupied, there is a shared sense of optimism in the tight-knit neighborhood, she added.

“On the day of the storm, I couldn’t have imaged being where we are today,” Schoch said. “We’re feeling excited about Beacon Village and, thanks to the generosity of so many, people are coming back. By Labor Day, I’d like us to be able to have a decent block party.”

An ongoing crisis

While crews work along the Swannanoa River, the surrounding community continues to face an ongoing crisis, as residents struggle in the aftermath of the natural disaster. Photo by Fred McCormick

As a 20-year resident of Swannanoa, Beth Trigg never imagined she would find herself in a position that compelled her to seek out and assist people needing assistance in her community. Yet, even as she traveled around her hometown to deliver supplies like water and food in the days after Helene, it felt unlikely she would be continuing her relief and recovery efforts into the following spring.

However, as many of the Western N.C. community move forward in the wake of the disaster, Swannanoa Communities Together is still working in the middle of what she describes as an “active crisis.”

“It’s something that is currently unfolding,” said Trigg, who began offering assistance to neighborhoods around Warren Wilson Road immediately after the storm. “Two weeks after the storm, everyone knew we were in crisis. Now we’re operating in a landscape where people think we’ve moved on to long-term recovery, but there are still many people who don’t have a place to live and are experiencing trauma everyday because of that.”

Like many around the Swannanoa Valley, Trigg focused much of her energy on assisting neighbors with basic needs in the weeks following the storm. Joined by family and neighbors, the group utilized their skills to repair Trigg’s well pump before driving to Tennessee to gather emergency supplies.

They established a supply hub at the nearby Jasper Apartments, before leaving their immediate community to connect with others.

“Communication was down for everyone, so we felt like it was important to check in with other parts of Swannanoa,” Trigg said. “From there, SCT really grew as those new relationships grew stronger.”

Last November, the organization established a community center in former beauty salon on U.S. 70, and a common theme emerged amidst the influx of needs.

“We started collaborating with Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church to offer rental assistance, because a lot of people were either facing eviction or afraid of eviction,” Trigg said. “We’re still doing a good amount of rental assistance to try to prevent further displacement, since so many people have already been displaced from Swannanoa.”

SCT has helped 57 households find new homes and provided rental assistance for more than 300 residents. The organization’s community center continues to operate from 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

“Of that 57, the vast majority of them were able to stay in the Swannanoa Valley, which is something we’re very proud of,” she said.

The need for housing assistance, however, is not decreasing, according to Trigg.

“Within the past couple of weeks, we hade 13 people who came in seeking some sort of help,” she said. “While we’ve received great support from the United Way and the Black Mountain Presbyterian Church, we never have enough to help everyone who needs it. It’s an excruciating process.”

A long way to go

Recovery remains ongoing in Swannanoa, six months after Tropical Storm Helene claimed lives and destroyed homes and businesses. Photo by Fred McCormick

Even the signs of progress in post-Helene Swannanoa are reminders of the devastation visited upon the community last year. While many in the community cheered the demolition of a long vacant gas station at the intersection of U.S. 70 and Whitson Avenue, the resulting view is of a barren riverbed that was once lined with vegetation, homes and businesses.

The landscape offers a highly visible metaphor as the community faces a challenging path ahead.

“It’s important that people know we’re still in a crisis,” Groben said. “We have found out just how strong Swannanoa is, and people are more determined than ever to build this community back. But, everything is not all better. We’re still dealing with this in a major way and we’re going to be dealing with it for years to come.”

The large-scale loss of housing, businesses and income will likely be felt long after the crumbling buildings along the river come down, according to Trigg.

“I’ve heard people use the term ‘visual healing,’ in reference to buildings coming down and debris being cleared, and that’s great because we need those things to happen,” she said. “But, we’ve become so aware of the individuals who are still in crisis, so when that visual healing happens it can be easier to forget that there is a human crisis going on.”

While community organizations remain committed to helping as many residents as possible, there is a concurrent need to envision a better future for Swannanoa, according to McCreary.

“In order to support our residents we can’t ignore the future, and we need to plan for a Swannanoa that supports them and is built with their needs in mind,” she said. “But, we’re still not at a point where we can say things related to this disaster have been solved, so it’s important that we keep having conversations about current needs, as well as future plans.”

As the SGA continues to meet regularly, a familiar refrain has emerged from the large circle of chairs where participants are seated.

“The circle works” can be heard from people sharing stories of progress of the needs of neighbors. The underlying message denotes a reliance on friends and neighbors.

“That format works in so many senses,” Groben said. “It allows people to make connections and in many instances it’s therapeutic. But, most importantly, it enables people to share and solve problems for each other and connect around meeting needs within the circle."

While the road to a full recovery will be long and arduous, the bonds formed in the aftermath of a community tragedy inspire hope for Schoch.

“My life, and the lives of nearly everyone in Swannanoa, changed forever on Sept. 27, 2024,” she said. “But, so many people found purpose in service to their neighbors. I can’t help but feel hopeful, because the people here have proven how dedicated they are to making this a community worth living in, and they’re sticking around and rebuilding. I think we’ve learned a lot about the resilience of Swannanoa, and I couldn’t be more proud of my community.”