- Second Harvest of the Big Bend and United Way of the Big Bend are providing food distribution in Perry.
- Hurricane Helene caused significant damage, leading to food insecurity.
- Watch the video to find out how many families received food assistance.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Perry is still grappling with the lasting impact—especially when it comes to food insecurity.
"It's hard to find food. It's hard to go find somewhere to live," neighbor Brenda Walls said.
I’m Lentheus Chaney, your neighborhood reporter in Perry, speaking with neighbors about how the storm changed their lives and the organization stepping up with much-needed relief.
Hurricane Helene struck Perry in September 2024 as a Category 4 storm, bringing devastating winds and widespread flooding. The storm caused significant structural damage, forced businesses to close, and left many neighbors without shelter or reliable access to food.
To address the growing food insecurity, Second Harvest of the Big Bend and United Way of the Big Bend have mobilized resources to distribute food to families still recovering. Their efforts aim to bridge the gap left by disrupted supply chains and storm-damaged infrastructure.
Neighbor Brenda Walls says that after Hurricane Helene, she had to move in with her daughter and grandson just to get by.
"Because of the hurricane wipe us out so bad and we are we’re having a hard struggle here in Perry and we need help and I’m glad people here to help us," Walls said.
The community’s resilience shines through as neighbors line up by the dozens. Today, 500 families received food assistance—ensuring fewer people in Perry face hunger during the ongoing recovery.
Libby Simmons with Second Harvest of the Big Bend says they will continue working to support neighbors and partner organizations in rural areas impacted by disasters.
“We have partner agencies all over the 16 counties in the Big Bend and we have many agencies that were really affected by these storm and even now, six months late,r we see that they’re still dealing with the effect of that storm," Simmons said.
Walls says from losing everything in her home to struggling to put food on the table, support from Second Harvest and the United Way has filled the gap where FEMA assistance has fallen short.
In Perry, I’m Lentheus Chaney, ABC27.
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