CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-area breweries are coming together to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene by packing and shipping drinking water to western North Carolina.
NoDa Brewing Company announced it was partnering with Bird Song Brewing Company, the NC Brewers Guild and other Charlotte-based breweries to ship much-needed supplies to those recovering from Helene. The company plans to pack a tractor-trailer full of water on Monday and Tuesday. It will then be shipped to the mountains where breweries in the western part of the state will distribute it to communities in need.
A representative from NoDa Brewing said the company is also in discussions with breweries in eastern North Carolina to ship and receive the water they're preparing for folks impacted by Helene.
"We plan to continue this on a weekly basis for as long as possible," NoDa said in a press release.
As of Monday morning, the Helene death toll was at least 90 people across the Southeast, including 30 victims in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Gov. Roy Cooper said that number is expected to rise as search crews reach areas that were isolated due to landslides and flooding.
Cooper implored residents in western North Carolina to avoid travel, both for their own safety and to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. More than 50 search teams spread throughout the region in search of stranded people.
One rescue effort involved saving 41 people north of Asheville. Another mission focused on saving a single infant. The teams found people through both 911 calls and social media messages, North Carolina National Guard Adjutant General Todd Hunt said.
President Joe Biden described the impact of the storm as “stunning” and said he would visit the area this week as long as it does not disrupt rescues or recovery work.
In a brief exchange with reporters, he described the impact of the storm as “stunning” and said that the administration is giving states “everything we have” to help with their response to the storm.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.