Asheville’s Beloved East Fork Pottery Is Serving Their Employees And Community After Hurricane Helene—And You Can Help

Our friends at Asheville-based

East Fork Pottery

are among the countless local businesses in Western North Carolina that experienced heartbreaking devastation as a result of

Hurricane Helene

.

“I’m writing to you from beside a small fire at our home by the Hungry River, which rose up 20 feet and swallowed up homes, roads, and bridges. There’s no saying how long we’ll be without water and power. We’re all struggling to comprehend just how badly Helene has ravaged

Western North Carolina

; what we’ve lost is being revealed slowly as the waters recede,” Alex Matisse, co-founder of East Fork, wrote in a

message shared to Instagram

yesterday.

“Beloved communities are simply no more—wiped from their foundations and swept up in a current of muddy detritus. Trout, crawfish, and river flora all jumped together with car parts, sheet metal, mud and gravel. We still don’t know how many lives have been lost.”

With high spirits in the midst of tragedy, the East Fork team (who have all been located and are safe) is not only looking to rebuild their studio and business, but also help rebuild the devastated community of

Asheville

and greater Western North Carolina.

Today, the brand launched a

30% off seconds and overstock sale

of existing inventory to fundraise. The « seconds » pottery pieces are those with slight imperfections (superficial flaws) that are not regularly retailed, but are still fully functional and equally beautiful. And while pottery is typically sold in sets of four, customers are able to purchase any ‘seconds’ pieces individually.

The money from the sales will go to supporting East Fork team members who are experiencing the destruction left in the wake of hurricane Helene and

help raise funds for relief efforts

throughout the Asheville community during this difficult time.

« We pay our employees by selling pottery, and though we can’t make pottery without water, and we certainly can’t ship it, we have many beautiful stacks of it on our warehouse shelves, » says Matisse. « If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to make our work a part of your home, now’s the moment. Your purchases will help us keep payroll going as we all get back on our feet.”

Along with helping local team members meet their basic needs, 5% of all sales will also help support three community partners providing critical aid in the area.

BeLoved Asheville

is focused on vulnerable populations with community support and outreach,

Poder Emma & La Milpa

is working to provide resources to local communities most in need, and the

Equal Plates Project

is aiding in food relief efforts for the affected areas. You can also make additional donations directly to the organizations with any purchase.

“Our mountain community is forever changed,” says Matisse.

How You Can Help

Buy pottery and donate!

“In times of crisis it can be overwhelming to know how to support. We encourage you to send funds directly to grassroots organizers who are deeply embedded in our local communities; people who are most familiar with our area’s needs and landscapes, with the paths of least resistance to bring life-saving aid to our most vulnerable communities,” says Matisse, who supports and vouches for the organizations listed here.

For the most up-to-date information, visit their Instagram pages.

• 
  @belovedasheville
  
• 
  @poderemma
  
• 
  @equalplatesproject