It’s been one full turn of the calendar since Hurricane Helene. Looking back to my original blog—“Full Moon Tea and Hurricane Helene: My personal story”—I shared the rawness of loss, confusion, and the scramble to simply survive. Today I want to walk you through where we are now: what’s changed, what’s still healing, and what gives me hope as we continue forward.
The Aftermath: Persistence Through Fractured Ground
In the wake of Helene, the damage was immediate, visceral: roads washed out, neighborhoods gone, power and water cut off in many places. That damage rippled into the months after—disrupted supply lines, canceled markets, customers and wholesale partners rebuilding from scratch. In my earlier post I spoke of clean-up dragging on, and the slow pace of restoring what so many took for granted.
Now, one year later, I see that many things are recovered enough to function—but “recovered” in this sense is still fragile. Some roads remain under repair. Some homes and businesses haven’t returned. The emotional and psychological scars are ongoing: trauma doesn’t vanish just because a year has passed.
What Full Moon Tea Looks Like Today
Workshop & operations:
- We are finally more stable in our shipping, blending, and packaging routines.
- We were able to collaborate with two other local small businesses to open The Stir, a cooperative production facility where we could thrive.
- We’ve been able to rebuild inventory and diversify suppliers so disruptions feel less existential.
Community & partnerships:
- Several of our wholesale partners who were hit hard have reopened; some are still in recovery. Our relationships feel deeper because we’ve walked through hard seasons together.
- Local collaborations—gift boxes, shared events, working with neighbor businesses—have grown. It’s been humbling to see how support flows both ways.
- The community response—support, orders, kind messages—continues to matter more than ever.
Personal reflections:
- Survivor’s guilt still lingers. I often wrestle with “Why did I get to keep going when others lost everything?”
- The stress of rebuilding is real. But there’s also resilience in small wins: a shipment going smoothly, a new customer who heard our story, a wholesale order returning after months of silence.
- Gratitude remains a foundation. Even in the hardest days, knowing that I have a mission, a product I love, and a community behind me helps me keep going.
What’s Still Ahead
There’s still work to be done. The slow pace of infrastructure repair in parts of WNC reminds me that nature — and disaster — doesn’t wait for convenience. Some neighborhoods are still inaccessible or under threat. Some businesses have folded or remain in limbo.
I want Full Moon Tea to be part of that continuing rebuild—not just in the physical, but the emotional and cultural revival of Asheville and the surrounding region. To be part of the labor of healing, the work of reminding people there is beauty and connection ahead.
In the next months I’ll be focusing on:
- Strengthening resilience in our supply chain
- Supporting local makers and collaborators still recovering
- Sharing more stories of restoration from customers, neighbors, and small businesses
- Engaging in more community restoration work (volunteering, local cleanups, whatever fits with my capacity)
A Note of Hope & Thanks
A year ago, I asked you to hold on with me. I didn’t know then how long “holding on” would feel. Today I see that we have grown, even through the cracks. The Asheville-WNC region is not untouched, but it remains magical—and worth rebuilding, worth caring for, worth believing in.
Thank you for reading, for supporting, for being part of this journey. In every order, message, share, or encouragement—you help keep Full Moon Tea alive. And you help keep this community alive.
Here’s to year two: with more repair, more roots, more connection.
— Katie-Lynn
