FREE REBUILDING AND REPAIR ADVICE FOR USVI [https://www.fema.gov/news-release/20200220/free-rebuilding-and-repair-advice-usvi] Release Date: February 28, 2018 ST. CROIX, VIRGIN ISLANDS—As Virgin Islanders repair or rebuild their hurricane-damaged homes, FEMA is offering free consultations and literature on making homes stronger and safer. Starting Feb. 28, specialists will be on hand to answer questions and offer home-improvement guidance along with proven methods to prevent or reduce damage from future disasters. Most of the information and the free publications are tailored for do-it-yourself work and general contractors. Advisors will be available at the following locations, dates and times: ISLAND LOCATION DATES HOURS ST. CROIX KA-MA-KRIS 47 Mars Hill Road Frederiksted Feb. 28 – March 5 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ST. THOMAS Coral World Ocean 6450 Coki Point Rd. Feb. 28 – March 5 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Find more information about strengthening property at https://www.fema.gov/protect-your-property. FEMA specialists can offer general guidance regarding flood-insurance policies and offer technical assistance to aid in recovery.  To get in touch with FEMA, call the Helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Services may call 800-621-3362. Those who use TTY may call FEMA directly at 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available. The phone line is staffed from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. local time seven days a week until further notice   # # #   _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 (voice, 711/VRS - Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish)._ _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._ _Following major disasters, the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the primary source of Federal funds for long-term recovery assistance. This assistance is in the form of low-interest loans and is available to non-farm businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, as well as homeowners and renters with property damaged by the disaster._ _Follow us on social media at_ _twitter.com/femaregion2_ [https://twitter.com/femaregion2]_ and __www.facebook.com/FEMAUSVirginIslands_ [http://www.facebook.com/FEMAUSVirginIslands]_._ _To donate or volunteer, contact the voluntary or charitable organization of your choice through the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) at __www.nvoad.org_ [http://www.nvoad.org/]_.  __For those who wish to help, CASH donations offer voluntary agencies the most flexibility in obtaining the most-needed resources and pumps money into the local economy to help businesses recover. The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands also has the “Fund for the Virgin Islands” at __www.USVIrecovery.org_ [http://www.usvirecovery.org/]_._