Nonprofits recieve grants to help cope with damage from Matthew
By Staff Reports
Published in News on June 30, 2017 6:57 AM
Nonprofits operating in 13 hard-hit North Carolina counties will get $810,000 to help volunteers rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Matthew, Gov. Roy Cooper said Wednesday during a visit to Robeson and Columbus counties.
Cooper announced the grants while visiting a flood-damaged home in Lumberton that was rebuilt by volunteers with the United Methodist Church.
Cooper awarded the following grants:
* NC Baptist Men will receive $368,000 to repair homes in Bertie, Duplin, Robeson, Sampson and Wayne counties.
* NC Conference of the United Methodist Church will get $200,000 to repair homes in Cumberland, Edgecombe, Nash and Robeson counties.
* Lenoir Greene United Way will receive $85,000 to help families with rental assistance, furniture and appliances, and other rebuilding needs.
* United Way of Pitt County will get $82,000 to help with rebuilding homes and rental properties.
* United Way of the Cape Fear will receive $50,000 to assist families, purchase building materials and pay contractors working on home repairs in Cumberland County.
* Albemarle Area United Way will receive $25,000 to help families and individuals with home repairs, furniture and appliances in Dare County.
The grants are made possible by generous donations from the public to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund. Nonprofits were selected to receive grants based on applications reviewed by the Governor's Office, the United Way of North Carolina, and North Carolina Emergency Management.
"Volunteers, nonprofits, and faith groups are doing incredible work helping North Carolinians recover from Hurricane Matthew, and these grants will help continue their efforts," Cooper said. "Recovering from Hurricane Matthew is a team effort, and I'm grateful to everyone who is pitching in to bring us back from this terrible storm."
He also shared that approximately $70 million in federal disaster recovery money provided through Community Development Block Grants has been designated for Robeson County when available, mostly to repair and rebuild housing.
In addition, Cooper announced funding for research to reduce future flooding damage to Lumberton and funding to keep the waste water treatment plant serving nearby Fair Bluff and surrounding towns operational. He toured storm damage in Fair Bluff and met with local officials for an update on recovery progress.
Hurricane Matthew flooded tens of thousands of homes and businesses in North Carolina and caused $4.8 billion in damage. More than $1 billion in state and federal funds have already been spent or designated for North Carolina recovery efforts, but more help is needed.
Cooper is working closely with the state's congressional delegation and directly with U.S. Housing and Urban Development to win additional federal recovery funds. He is also working with state legislators to secure additional state funds that are needed.
"Matthew ravaged half the counties in our state, and recovery can't come soon enough for those hurt by the storm," Cooper said. "Working together, we will help families, businesses, and communities across our state get back on their feet again."