Multiple Lowe's stores across western NC are serving thousands of Thanksgiving meals to the community Tuesday, nearly two months since Hurricane Helene.
Hundreds of people came out to the Lowe's on Smokey Park Highway in Asheville on Tuesday to get a Thanksgiving meal. These acts of kindness are much needed, especially during a time when a lot of people in the area are still going without.
It has been nearly two months since Hurricane Helene caused billions of dollars in damages and claimed more than 100 lives in the state. Even though some time has passed, the need remains in western North Carolina.
Lowe's Home Improvement wanted to help with some of that by giving away 3,000 Thanksgiving meals. In total, six Lowe's stores across western North Carolina gave out 500 meals each, feeding close to 12,000 people.
Lowe's District Manager Chris Angel lives in western North Carolina and has seen firsthand how much support the area still needs.
"(Helene) impacted so many people across Western North Carolina. There are a lot of undo hardships and a lot of opportunities with the communities where people were probably going to have to spend funds and places that they weren't expecting — everything from replacing cars to fixing homes," Angel said. "We know that there are people in the community that couldn't afford a dinner at Thanksgiving."
Lowe's partnered with small, local restaurants to provide the food. These businesses also experienced devastation from the storm, but they were able to make meals for the giveaway.
Each meal feeds five people, and some people told WFMY News 2 they were taking bags of food back to their neighbors who still can't get out of their homes.
Lowe's employees passed out creamed corn, turkey and green bean casserole on Tuesday. Even former Carolina Panthers players Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis showed up to help.
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