People across the Southeast are stepping up to support communities devastated by Hurricane Helene and help provide basic resources such as food, water and medical care.

Helene, which made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region last week as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, has become the deadliest land-based hurricane since Katrina in 2005.

Following Hurricane Helene, ABC News’ “Good Morning America” ​​will offer five days of special coverage called “Southeast Strong: Help After Helene” (#SoutheastStrong), highlighting the communities affected by Hurricane Helene across the Southeast and the pressing issues The focus is on efforts to help them recover.

From independent restaurant owners to nonprofits, people are volunteering and donating resources to those most in need, from Florida to North Carolina, where catastrophic destruction has left communities severely flooded, without power, without access to drinking water and covered in debris.

Communities supporting Asheville residents are recovering from Hurricane Helene

In Asheville, North Carolina, where the death toll has continued to rise and 200 people are still missing, organizations are gathering to help distribute necessary supplies in the hardest-hit region.

Pastors Matthew and Michelle Coleman launched relief efforts at the Asheville Dream Center, distributing donations to the community.

Matthew Coleman, the president and CEO of the Asheville Dream Center, told “GMA” that “we have nowhere else to be,” adding that they need to be “on the ground” and help.

The flood also destroyed the facility of the MANNAFood Bank, which has made support to organizations such as Operation Airdrop, Global Empowerment Mission and World Central Kitchen vital resources during this time.

The food bank has stepped up to provide the hope that many desperately need.

“The response was amazing. It is a resilient community. Everyone is coming together to really support each other,” MANNA FoodBank COO Liz Hipps told “GMA.”

“And when you’re standing in that line, handing out these donations to people in need, it’s heartbreaking to hear their stories and hear where they’re coming from,” she continued. “And they’re just so grateful for the support.”

Brent Wyatt of Loving Food Resources helped cook and serve hot pancake breakfasts to locals in need on Friday and spoke to “GMA” about the food bank’s continued work.

“We provide food and personal care items to people living with HIV and also people in home hospice care, but now we serve the broader community,” he said.

After quickly jumping in to support the effort, Wyatt said the biggest need since the storm was “usable water for drinking and cooking” as well as “water that can be used to flush toilets.”

The western North Carolina native said the people in his community are “very resilient.”

“We are joining forces. And we will get through this,” he said.

Owner of a falafel restaurant

Yassin Terou, owner of Yassin’s Falafel House in Knoxville, Tennessee, has repeatedly shown up to provide supplies to communities in need following past natural disasters in the United States and abroad.

Now his mission to spread love through food is on full display again as he sets up food trucks following the catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, which struck near his home and destroyed towns across East Tennessee.

“We act as a family and continue to grow the love,” he said.

Terou has mobilized his efforts to deliver food and essentials to one community at a time, including a soup kitchen in Greeneville, the Erwin Care Center, an elementary school and even more stops that he documented on social media to spread hope and kindness as well to donate vital help.