With nearly half of Ashe County’s residents facing steep energy bills, Ashe Library is stepping in to help. Persistent financial hardships, worsened by Hurricane Helene, have left many households in substandard conditions—but a new initiative offers hope for relief.

One year after Hurricane Helene struck the United States, the staggering $78 billion in damage and over 250 lost lives remain cautionary reminders of nature’s might. From the Yucatan Peninsula to the Carolinas, communities reflect on the wide-reaching impact of this historic storm.