From Go Local Asheville (NC): With the anniversary of [Hurricane] Helene that just occurred, we thought it would be a good time to start sharing stories from our Go Local Business Members of how they stepped up to help our community recover from the devastation of post-Helene. Like you, I had heard some of the stories of heroism, unselfish acts of support, generosity, and love. But I had not collected them…until now.
Patton Avenue Pets (Story submitted by Jenna Wilson)
We were super lucky to have retained power and internet service at our Downtown location, and we quickly realized what a gift that was, being one of the few places in the city with connectivity. We opened our downtown location to the public for charging phones and connecting to WiFi, posting our WiFi password on our front door so it could even be utilized after hours.
Our business became part pet store, part internet cafe, and for several days we were able to help hundreds of people connect to loved ones, find safe routes home, file insurance and FEMA and unemployment paperwork, and, unfortunately, also find out hard news. We also became a donation center in the first days after the storm, receiving and distributing food and water before larger donation sites got up and running.
Once others were caring for the people in our community, we shifted our focus to receiving and distributing pet food and supplies from our vendors to those in need in our community. Our team [members] were rockstars, going above and beyond their job descriptions and expectations, and we all felt so blessed to be in a position to help the people and animals in our community.
People often overlook the positive impacts of independent, locally owned (Indie Local) businesses. The local community that an Indie Local serves may understand these impacts, but those located further away may need to be made aware of these success stories. In future posts, with your help, we will feature a few of the top Indie Locals in the nation.
You can nominate your favorite Indie Local by emailing us today.
