Three months after Hurricane Helene devasted western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, groups around the Tennessee Valley are still sending relief.

North Carolina Gov.-elect Josh Stein (D) said he is “eager” to work with the incoming administration to access federal relief for his state as it recovers from the devastation left by Hurricane Helene.

Hurricane Helene hammered the southeast at the end of September, killing at least 62 people, but the long-term damage from the storm is still being felt in places like North Carolina. There, scores of people are facing eviction as the state struggles with a combination economic-housing crisis.

Shawn Hendrix, a Mr. Beast employee, spoke to Top Story about ongoing relief efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. He noted significant cleanup and rebuilding progress but emphasized that those struggling before the storm are now facing even greater challenges.

North Carolina is the country’s second-largest producer of Christmas trees, and most of Louisiana's live Christmas trees come from Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. It's the closest climate where popular species such as the Fraser and Turkish firs sold by the Pollard family can be grown.

Some tenants who could barely afford rent in western North Carolina before Hurricane Helene have fallen behind and are now facing the possibility of eviction.