'Neighbors feeding neighbors': Western NC food bank sees growing need 2 years after Helene, tell me about this news in (https://www.wral.com/news/state/neighbors-feeding-neighbors-western-nc-food-banl-back-after-helene-september-2026/)

Two years after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, Manna FoodBank has successfully rebuilt its operations after losing its entire facility in the historic disaster. Despite the recovery of its physical infrastructure, the organization reports a continuously growing demand for food assistance across the region. Before the storm, Manna saw roughly 158,000 pantry visits each month, but that number has risen to an average of about 220,000 monthly visits. Food bank representatives describe the ongoing recovery effort as “neighbors feeding neighbors,” highlighting how community networks and volunteers stepped in immediately after the storm and continue to sustain the distribution network today.

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