Rebuild Downtown Marshall: Support after Hurricane Helene

I live in a tiny little town in Appalachia called Marshall. It was once full of artists and flourishing small businesses. There was a coffee shop called Zuma. And an old jail converted into a hotel and restaurant called Zadies. There was a noodle shop that also sold donuts, a place called the Depot where you could dance to local bluegrass music. I have friends that worked at Star Diner, an old gas station creatively converted into a restaurant that’s become local legend. We had a tiny organic grocery store, artists galleries, thrift shops, and more. We even had an old high school that was converted into artists studios, and held the well-known Marshall Handmade Market each year. We had it all, even a yearly Mermaid Parade! Recently, Hurricane Helene swept all of that away. Our little town was drowned in the French Broad river. Many buildings were entirely washed away. It’s currently covered in toxic sludge and our community is devastated. I don’t own a business downtown, but Downtown Marshall was the heart and soul of our community, and without help, it won’t recover. Most folk in Appalachia can’t afford to rebuild. Asheville was also affected by the hurricane, and thankfully is receiving lots of help. But, the special surrounding towns that make Appalachia what it’s known for will not receive the same help— it’s up to us to rebuild on our own. If you can, please consider helping us! Thank you so much!

Edit: I’m so grateful to everyone who has donated! Thank you!! After considering other options, I’ve decided I will be distributing the funds personally via personal check after the funds arrive in my bank account. I have spoken to about 12 businesses who have been a staple of our Downtown and who have already started on rebuilding. The funds will be split between the 12 businesses. The business owners will be responsible for deciding what to use the funds for regarding the rebuilding. I’ve asked for a photo of each business owner with their donated funds, which I hope to share on this page, so stay tuned! <3 Thank you so much again for helping my town get back on its feet after Hurricane Helene!!!!