JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – The owner of Angie’s Subs, a beloved Jacksonville Beach eatery, put out the call for donations to help hurricane-devastated communities in North Carolina.
And his customers, and other local businesses, jumped into action.
Ed Malin had one day to collect as much as possible, saying he would be leaving Wednesday morning with four other trucks pulling trailers to head to an area outside Asheville.
Malin kept his request simple: Bring bottled water, other bottled drinks, diapers, baby formula and toilet paper to the sub shop on Beach Boulevard.
By the end of the day Tuesday, supplies were piled several rows deep in front of the store and volunteers were stuffing them into the large trailers. Not wasting any space.
Gate Gas also donated 500 gallons of diesel fuel for the trip.
“This community absolutely went crazy and stepped up, but you know what it says more about is Americans. I think we step up when every disaster happens around the world,” Malin said.
Hurricane Helene left a trail of devastation across the Southeast after roaring ashore in Florida’s Big Bend last Thursday as a Category 4 storm.
Helene, one of the deadliest storms in recent U.S. history with at least 166 people killed, knocked out power and cellular service for millions and upended life for countless people across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
At least 57 people were killed just in Buncombe County, North Carolina, home to the city of Asheville, a tourism haven known for its art galleries, breweries and outdoor activities.
Malin said seeing so many people respond to his request and jump in to help fill the trailers, no questions asked, meant so much to him.
“The people who were here yesterday that I don’t know -- and there was a lot of them helping -- they don’t know any of those people in Carolina. And they were sweating in the sun, and they were pulling their wallets out and they were taking time out of their lives to help people that they will never know or meet,” Malin said. “That is the greatest form of charity.”
Malin became emotional as he offered his gratitude to everyone who helped out.
“So many people have reached out to us from Carolina, thanking us. I just want to pass the thanks on to the people of Jacksonville who’ve stepped up to help,” Malin said, fighting tears. “It’s just so huge.”
Malin admitted he didn’t hold back the tears on Tuesday, as donations came flooding in from all over.
“I’ve probably cried five times yesterday just thinking about the love that was outpouring in this parking lot and how great the people of North Florida and the beaches are,” Malin said. “I have never felt better about my community.”
He said many hands made light work of loading the trailers on Tuesday, no matter what size the hands.
“Little kids carrying cases of water and putting them on the truck. It was the greatest thing to see,” Malin said. “They were just showing up. The people were here.”
The first two trucks left around 6 a.m. Wednesday. The four trucks will be delivering their trailers full of supplies to several locations northwest of Asheville, including Waynesville, Franklin, Marshall and two other locations.
Malin said he has a contact in the area who says these are locations the trucks can get to, despite the devastation.
He promised to share updates on their progress in getting the supplies where they need to be.
There were so many donations that several pallets of water will also be taken Friday to areas in Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee, Florida, that were hit hard by Helene.
Malin said they might also make a second trek up to the Carolinas with more donations once they get a lay of the land and figure out what’s most needed and where.