It’s been two months since Hurricane Helene cut a path of deadly destruction across the Southeast. Ahead of the holiday season, PBS News returned to the hard-hit region of western North Carolina, where despite the challenges they face rebuilding their lives,

The nonprofit is working hard to get people back into homes for the holidays after Hurricane Helene destroyed many western North Carolina homes in September. Andy Barnett is the Executive Director, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and tells us how the organization is helping people recover.

Though they were seven hours away, their suffering felt like his own. He couldn’t bear the thought of watching his home swallowed by floodwaters, losing friends and family to a sudden disaster, or spending Thanksgiving alone,

Rising Light Relief is making sure people have meals and smiles this Thanksgiving despite the hardships in the recovery process.