Voluntary Organizations Assisting in North Carolina’s Recovery

RALEIGH,  NC — Disaster survivors who sustained losses from Hurricane Matthew and the flooding that followed are receiving help from many nonprofit and faith-based organizations in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Baptist Men’s Ministry Disaster Relief, United Methodists, Catholic Charities, Mennonite Disaster Service, the United Way, the American Red Cross, and dozens of other organizations are providing assistance to survivors who have unmet needs as a result of the disaster. Voluntary organizations provide a wide range of assistance to disaster survivors, including flood debris clean-up, shelter, food, clothing, counseling, home repairs and reconstruction.

“The recovery from Hurricane Matthew is far from over,” said Mike Sprayberry, North Carolina’s Emergency Management director. “Volunteer organizations are a crucial part in helping people recover. Because there is much work left to be done, I encourage anyone who is able to volunteer with these organizations to please do so.”

The organizations belong to the North Carolina chapter of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD), a coalition of nonprofit organizations that respond to disasters as part of their overall mission and provide a forum where organizations can share knowledge and resources throughout the entire disaster cycle—preparation, response and recovery.

 “After a disaster, the whole community participates in the recovery process, and these voluntary organizations play a vital role in the effort,” said Libby Turner, federal coordinating officer for the recovery operation in North Carolina. “FEMA is working hard in supporting our state partners at North Carolina Emergency Management to provide assistance to survivors, but there are many additional needs that can be met by these organizations.”

FEMA’s Voluntary Agency Liaisons (VALs) assist these voluntary, faith-based and community organizations with federal programs, deadlines, coordination of effort and donation management. They also identify special-needs populations and help applicants avoid duplication of benefits. In addition, liaisons educate, guide and promote long-term recovery in affected communities to bring back a sense of normalcy to the residents.

In some instances, donated resources by voluntary organizations can help reduce municipal costs in disaster recovery. If emergency work is organized by an eligible Public Assistance program applicant, such as a local or tribal government, and proper documentation is submitted, those costs may qualify for an offset to its share under the FEMA Public Assistance Donated Resources Program

Examples of eligible work include, but are not limited to: removing eligible debris, filling and placing sandbags, donating equipment and materials for use in emergency response. Search and rescue, when part of organized response operations, and mass care and sheltering of disaster survivors are also eligible.

Disaster survivors in North Carolina can call 2-1-1 or log-on at nc211.org to find available services in their community. North Carolinians who want to know more about the work of the national and local volunteer organizations should visit nvoad.org or ncvoad.org/cms/.

Registering with FEMA is a separate process from registering with a volunteer organization. Residents who experienced losses from Hurricane Matthew should register with FEMA as soon as possible. They can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 for voice, 711 and Video Relay Service (VRS). People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585. Applicants may also register using the FEMA Mobile App. Registration ends on Dec. 9, 2016.

For more information on the North Carolina recovery visit fema.gov/disaster/4285  and readync.org. Follow FEMA on Twitter @femaregion4 and North Carolina Emergency Management @ncemergency.

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Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362 or TTY at 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Follow FEMA on twitter at @femaregion4. Download the FEMA app with tools and tips to keep you safe before, during, and after disasters.

Dial 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162 to speak with a trained call specialist about questions you have regarding Hurricane Matthew; the service is free, confidential and available in any language. They can help direct you to resources. Call 5-1-1 or 877-511-4662 for the latest road conditions or check the ReadyNC mobile app, which also has real-time shelter and evacuation information. For updates on Hurricane Matthew impacts and relief efforts, go to ReadyNC.org or follow N.C. Emergency Management on Twitter and Facebook. People or organizations that want to help ensure North Carolina recovers can visit NCdisasterrelief.org or text NCRecovers to 30306.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other organizations or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.