MARSHALL, N.C. (828newsNOW) — What began as a group of friends grilling burgers in a parking lot has grown into a countywide relief and recovery effort in Madison County following Tropical Storm Helene.

The Marshall Relief Alliance, a grassroots nonprofit born in the storm’s aftermath, is now coordinating long-term recovery and volunteer work throughout the community.

“We were not an organization prior to Helene,” Tasha Pumphrey, the alliance’s executive director, said. “Once we started getting word of how bad Marshall was hit, a group of about six of us from Shelton Laurel loaded up some supplies, and came and set up shop here at Nanostead, which is a tiny house company. And we used their parking lot and we were going to grill some burgers. Before we even arrived, people were already waiting in the parking lot asking how to help.”

That first day, community members showed up with truckloads of tools, food and equipment. “From the very beginning, people just pulled in and said, ‘What do we do?’” Pumphrey said.

The alliance has since expanded from immediate relief to rebuilding homes, businesses and community spaces. Volunteers have taken on projects ranging from mold remediation and muck removal to carpentry, painting and landscaping.

While local residents initially made up the bulk of volunteers, help soon poured in from neighboring counties, out-of-state church groups, schools and businesses. Some weeks saw more than 100 volunteers, Pumphrey said.

“Now, we’re moving out of emergency relief into long-term recovery,” she said. “We’d really like to encourage people to plan volunteer groups through the fall and winter for bigger projects.”

The group’s mission, Pumphrey said, is simple: “To respond to people in crisis and support them through every stage of their recovery.”

The nonprofit also runs Rebuild Marshall, a program that channels donations directly into building supplies, tools, protective gear and microgrants for local businesses and families still struggling to recover.

“Whether it’s widespread disaster or a personal crisis, we do our best to help anyone who needs support,” Pumphrey said.

For more information or to volunteer, visit marshallrelief.org.