ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Relief organizations have come to the Asheville region in western North Carolina to provide free meals and supplies after the area experienced severe flooding caused by Helene. The death toll has now risen to dozens.

The global humanitarian group World Central Kitchen will start offering complimentary meals to the public starting at noon on September 30 at Bear’s Smokehouse in the South Slope area of downtown, as informed by a local food assistance group, Food Connection.

World Central Kitchen plans to establish more food distribution points near Asheville soon.

Hearts with Hands will also continue offering relief by giving out food bundles and water from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday at their warehouse in Swannanoa. They plan to include hot meal distributions shortly as well.

World Central Kitchen, founded in 2010 by celebrity chef José Andrés, offers fresh meals during humanitarian crises both in the U.S. and globally. Earlier this year, the organization lost seven staff members in a drone strike in Gaza, which forced them to halt operations in that area temporarily.

The group has crews in four states assessing the situation and providing meals following Hurricane Helene, including in Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia.

Tiana Kennell is the food and dining journalist for the Asheville Citizen Times, a member of the YSL News Network. She graduated from Michigan State University and has previously reported on arts, entertainment, and hospitality in Louisiana. You can reach her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage.