State launches hurricane recovery center number
By From staff reports
Published in News on December 20, 2017 5:50 AM
Residents of Wayne, Cumberland, Edgecombe and Robeson counties can now call 2-1-1 to schedule an appointment at a Hurricane Matthew Housing Application Center.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced the new number Tuesday afternoon.
The centers, known as ReBuild NC Recovery Centers, opened Nov. 30 in the four counties most severely impacted by Hurricane Matthew.
Residents in these areas who suffered damage to their homes from Matthew may be eligible for assistance.
The Wayne County center is located in the Veterans Services Office on East Ash Street.
"Families and communities are still working to recover from Hurricane Matthew, and we are working to get them the help they need," Cooper said. "I urge any survivors of Hurricane Matthew who have not yet scheduled an appointment to call 2-1-1 today."
Cooper and Mike Sprayberry, state emergency management director, were in Wayne County in November to visit the center.
The center is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
It will be closed Jan. 8 from 10 a.m. to noon, and all day on Dec. 25 through 27 and Jan. 1.
To date, more than 1,400 North Carolinians have scheduled appointments statewide to apply for disaster recovery grants, and more than 600 families have applied.
Scheduling an appointment is the first step in the process for eligible residents to qualify for this help.
By calling 2-1-1, residents affected by Hurricane Matthew can make appointments to complete an application at one of the centers.
Applicants will be able to get a variety of services when they call 2-1-1, including scheduling appointments and learning what documents they need to bring to their appointment.
Help from 2-1-1 will be available in both English and Spanish, and 2-1-1 operators will be able to connect storm survivors with all sources of Hurricane Matthew recovery help offered by the state and volunteer organizations.
If calling from another state or from a phone that has not translated the dialing code, call 1-888-892-1162.
When disaster survivors visit the centers for their appointments, application specialists will meet with them in person to guide them through the full application. State officials recommend that applicants expect to spend two hours completing their application during the appointment.
"We realize that the holidays are an especially busy time," Sprayberry said. "Yet it's important for those households who still need help recovering from Matthew to apply now for these funds that can help them rebuild or repair their homes."
Applicants are asked to bring as many required documents as possible to their appointment.
Visit Rebuild.NC.Gov for a checklist of documents to bring.