RALEIGH, N.C. – A disaster recovery center is now open in the town of Atkinson in Pender County.
North Carolina Emergency Management and FEMA will open additional centers in affected counties in the coming days. The centers offer in-person support to individuals and businesses in counties included in the North Carolina federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Florence.
Representatives from the State of North Carolina, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and other organizations are at the centers to explain available assistance programs and help connect survivors with resources that best match their recovery needs.
Caswell Presbyterian Church
318 W. Church St.
Atkinson, NC 28421
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., including Columbus Day holiday
Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. local time, until further notice
Disaster survivors can visit any of the centers for assistance. Use the FEMA app or visit FEMA.gov/DRC to view other locations.
Homeowners, renters and businesses should register for disaster assistance before visiting a recovery center. There are several ways to register:
- Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov;
- Use the FEMA mobile app; or
- Call FEMA at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or VRS) anytime from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. local time seven days a week until further notice. Those who use TTY may call 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available.
All recovery centers are accessible to people with disabilities. Centers have assistive technology equipment, such as amplified phones and listening devices for people with hearing loss and magnifiers for people with vision loss. Video Remote Interpreting is available. In-person American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are available by request by calling or texting 202-655-8824. (If possible, please allow 24 hours to schedule an interpreter). The centers also have accessible parking, ramps and restrooms.
Survivors may follow these links to access informational videos in American Sign Language:
- DRCs fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/111518
- FEMA assistance does not impact government benefits (ASL) fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/111582
Do not wait to begin cleanup and repairs. Take photos of damage. Save all receipts. And get the cleanup and repair process started as soon as you can.
North Carolina homeowners, renters and business owners in Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Greene, Harnett, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Moore, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Pitt, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Wayne and Wilson counties may apply for disaster assistance for uninsured and underinsured damage and losses resulting from Hurricane Florence.
The NC 211 statewide information line can provide callers with nearby shelter, housing and other storm-related details. Dial 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162 (TTY), or text Florence to 898211. The information line is staffed around the clock to connect North Carolinians to storm resources.
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FEMA’s mission: Helping people before, during and after disasters.
For more information on North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Florence, visit NCDPS.gov/NCEM and FEMA.gov/Disaster/4393. Follow us on Twitter: @NCEmergency and @FEMARegion4.
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).
FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.