NC mother, daughter turn small business into relief center to help victims of Hurricane Helene: ‘Giving hope’
A mother-daughter duo in western North Carolina shut down their small business in late September to turn it into a full-time relief center to help their community recover after Hurricane Helene’s devastation. Now, over one month later, they’re telling Fox News Digital that their goal remains the same as it did on day one: to give hope to all those affected for as long as it takes.
Jen Byland and her daughter, Taylor Lonon, wasted no time turning Jimmy & Jean’s Family Entertainment and Arcade, their 70,000 square-foot family entertainment center, into Ashe County’s largest supply distribution center, where families can also recharge and get hot meals.
"We didn't mean to do this," Taylor told Fox News Digital. "We started this, we came in to assess our damages the day after the hurricane and learned that we had power, water, internet, working kitchen and a big space for kids to run around."
When Taylor suggested opening the business up to their local football team, Jen went one step further: opening for all of Ashe County.
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"Within five days, our 70,000-square-foot warehouse was completely filled with supplies," Taylor said. "We've had donations from 38 states now. And they just continue to flood in."
The mother and daughter are leading a team of volunteers in collecting and distributing much-needed supplies not only to their community and others within the state, but to other affected communities in Virginia and Tennessee that suffered when the storm struck on Sept. 26.
About 300 to 400 families a day stop in for supplies or a hot meal, Jen said, adding that two weeks ago the count of those they’ve directly helped reached about 4,200 people.
But the duo hasn’t been alone in stepping up to help.
"We have a couple, husband and wife, that have been here from Canada," Jen said. Others have come from as far as Texas, Colorado and California to pitch in at the center.
"We've had other groups come in for a week at a time from all over the U.S., and it's like, they don't want to leave," Jen said. "They come in and they're just like, okay, I'm coming back. I'm going to be back in a month."
Taylor said that in the rural area where they live, many often find it hard to ask others for help.
"We live in a very rural area, and it has a lot of prideful people," she said. "And to have them walk through our doors is hard enough, you know, it takes a lot for them to ask for anything, especially stubborn farmers, you know, that their farms were destroyed and they don't want to ask for anything."
"It's very sad," Taylor continued. "And it weighs on you to see the amount of emotions that come through our building in a day. But it's amazing watching them. They get in here and they laugh and they smile and they get what they need, and they leave with like, just a little bit more hope, you know."
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Jen and Taylor say that in-demand items include battery-powered heaters for those who have lost their homes and are living in tents, medicine for flu and cold season and items for the rebuilding stage, such as dehumidifiers, construction gloves and tools, and bleach to get rid of mold.
"Just kind of think about that, okay, my house is damaged. What do I need to put it back? And that's the needs we're trying to fill now," Jen said, adding that basic needs such as food and water have pretty much been met. A list of current needs is posted on the Jimmy & Jean’s Family Entertainment and Arcade Facebook page.
When Fox News Digital asked the duo what would happen to their business if it continued to stay closed, Jen and Taylor said they partnered with a nonprofit for monetary donations to help cover expenses, and a company offered to match donations dollar-for-dollar up to $250,000.
"When people say, well, what do you need? What are your needs? And our response is, as long as the supplies can keep coming and we can keep the lights on, we're going to stay open and continue not only to serve our community, but any community that's in need," Taylor said.
Jen said that the team is "in this for the long run," and are already planning a Thanksgiving and Christmas project, as well as creating their own nonprofit called the Hub of Hope.
"We're giving hope," Jen said. "Everybody that comes in here, our goal is for them to leave with a little more hope than they came through the doors with."