Local Bars, Restaurants Help Western NC Hospitality Workers

Downtown Wilmington bars and restaurants are coming together to support hospitality industry workers in Western North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene. On Oct. 13, the heart of downtown will be beating a little stronger as local bars, restaurants and chefs join forces for a Pig Pickin’ at The Eagle’s Dare.

The event, set to take place from 2 to 8 p.m. at The Eagle’s Dare, 420 N. 3rd St., is spearheaded by Front Street Brewery, Circle Pit BBQ, Rebellion, Barbary Coast, Goat and Compass Pub and The Eagle’s Dare.

Josh Cranford, general manager of Front Street Brewery, said the organizers came together for about 30 minutes last week and devised a game plan. They wanted to organize a donation-based event that would include great food, drinks, live music and a silent auction.

Cranford said he’s been impressed with Wilmington’s willingness to lend a hand to those in need on the other side of the state.

“We’ve dodged bullets in the past,” Cranford said regarding past storms. “But it’s only a matter of time. It’s really cool to see that people are putting their money where their mouth is. Not just saying, ‘Oh, that’s great, that’s cool,’ but out here doing it.”

All proceeds from the event will support hospitality workers in Western North Carolina as they cope with the loss of income they are likely to face over the next several months. Cranford said he and his fellow organizers are still vetting organizations to assist with the distribution of funds, noting that they want to select the right organization to be sure funds directly benefit hospitality workers.

According to an Oct. 4 NC Newsline article, Western North Carolina is home to more than 47,000 tourism and hospitality workers, with nearly 20,000 in Buncombe County alone. Thousands are now cut off from their primary source of income.

“Workers in general have lost their livelihoods because all of the restaurants were either destroyed or are still without power and water,” said Jen Hampton, the co-chair of Asheville Food and Beverage United, in the article.

Asheville Food and Beverage United is working to secure grants from organizations across the state to provide funds so workers can afford rent payments and grocery bills, according to the article.

The Southern Smoke Foundation, a Houston nonprofit dedicated to aid for food and beverage workers, is offering funding for groceries, repairs, hospital bills, and lost wages in affected regions across the Southeast.

Chef Dean Neff of Seabird and chef Preeti Waas of Cheeni in Durham have partnered with the Southern Smoke Foundation to host two upcoming dinners, one at Seabird on Oct. 15 and one at Cheeni on Nov. 20. The dinners will feature collaborative multi-course family-style meals.

“I can’t think of a better time to collaborate with Preeti and bring our love for Wilmington’s coast – and the fishers and farmers who make it so special – to the table alongside her incredibly inspired Indian cuisine,” said Dean Neff in a press release.

The dinners will also feature a dessert auction featuring items from Seabird’s pastry chef Birdie Rojas and Pie Slayer.

While the dinner at Seabird is already sold out, tickets to the dinner at Cheeni can be purchased here.

In addition to these events, many local bars, breweries, and restaurants have donated a portion of their sales to relief efforts.

On Sunday, Oct. 6, The Half donated 100% of its sales, just over $6,000, to be split between multiple organizations.

Co-owner Andrew Dennison said the funds will benefit Beloved Asheville, Operation Airdrop, Tractor Food & Farms, Manna Food Bank, the United Way of Rutherford County and the RHI Legacy Foundation.

“Our team has deep ties to Western North Carolina and, like most, felt called to help however we could,” Andrew Dennison said. “This community has rallied around us since we opened, and they came together in a big way for WNC. It was awesome seeing us at capacity and folks being patient with longer wait times, all in the name of getting some money to the organizations doing the hard work of recovery.”