SWANNANOA – “Miserable,” “aggravation” and a sense the community “deserves better” and “deserves answers.” These are some of the feelings Swannanoa residents have since the community’s only grocery store closed in late September after Tropical Storm Helene.
The store’s closure means some trips to get fresh produce and food can now take well over an hour in travel time, residents told the Citizen Times, while local nonprofits and the county government have been working to fill in the gap. Without clear communication over the building’s future, Swannanoa residents are frustrated as they look for food elsewhere. Some have limited access to fresh groceries.
Bounty & Soul, a Swannanoa-based nonprofit focused on providing fresh foods to those facing food insecurity, has seen a 280% increase in food distribution, now serving around 34,000 people a month, according to Executive Director Ali Casparian…