COLUMBIA, S.C. (Thursday, Oct. 27) – The latest Disaster Recovery Center in South Carolina formally opens Friday, Oct. 28 in Horry County to provide assistance to survivors of the devastation from Hurricane Matthew.

The new center is located at the South Strand Recreation Center, 9650 Scipio Lane, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588. Business hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, and closed on Sunday. It is the eighth center to open in the state.

Representatives from various South Carolina state agencies, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), nongovernmental organizations and the local community staff the center, giving survivors a chance to discover what assistance programs are available to them, and to get their questions answered.

All Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible and equipped to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

The other centers are:

Dorchester County

Miles Road Baptist Church 819 Miles Road Summerville, SC 29485

a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday Closed Sunday

Florence County

Ragsdale Old Warehouse 245 S. Church St. Lake City, SC 29560

a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday Closed Sunday

Marion County

Mullins City Hall 111 NE Front Street Mullins, SC 29574

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday Closed Sunday

Saffold Building 6882 Highway 908 Gresham, SC 29546

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday Closed Sunday

Orangeburg County

Orangeburg County Building 8423 Old State Road

Holly Hill, SC 29059

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday Closed Sunday

YMCA

2550 St. Matthew Road Orangeburg, SC 29118

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday Closed Sunday

Williamsburg County

Williamsburg Recreation Center 2084 Thurgood Marshall Highway Kingstree, SC 29556

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday Closed Sunday

Disaster survivors who have questions may call the FEMA Helpline. Survivors can apply online at  DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

If possible, register for FEMA assistance by phone or online before visiting a center. Going to a DRC is not a requirement of registration, but specialists there can provide guidance regarding disaster recovery and rental resources, explain written correspondence received from FEMA, inform survivors of the status of their application, make referrals to other organizations and answer questions.

When registering, applicants will be asked to provide:

• Social Security number;
• Address of the damaged primary residence;
• Description of the damage;
• Information about insurance coverage;
• A current contact telephone number;
• An address where they can receive mail;
• Bank account and routing numbers for those preferring direct deposit of funds.

Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs. Also, low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for Businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners and renters.

Low-interest disaster loans help fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are available to businesses and private-nonprofits to assist with working capital needs as a direct result of the disaster.

Survivors – in all 23 qualifying counties – should register with FEMA even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but under-insured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled. South Carolina counties designated for individual assistance are: Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Sumter and Williamsburg counties. All designated counties also are now eligible to receive grants for debris removal and assistance for certain emergency protective measures.

In South Carolina, the “One SC Fund” supports and directs funds to nonprofit organizations providing disaster relief & recovery assistance. yourfoundation.org/community-impact/one-sc-fund-sc-flood-  relief/. Survivors in the state who need food, clothing, and shelter to call 2-1-1, and for storm clean up to call 1-800-451-1954.

For more information, visit the South Carolina Emergency Management Division at  scemd.org/recovery-section/ia

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).