DURHAM, N.C. – In the aftermath of a disaster like Hurricane Matthew, survivors need help that is both short-term for immediate needs and long-term for getting back to normal.
Throughout North Carolina, long-term recovery depends on the behind-the-scenes work of local committees, like the Cumberland Disaster Recovery Coalition (CDRC), that are part of a state and federal network. Who better to understand the unique needs of a survivor on the road to recovery than people from that survivor’s community?
The CDRC is working to meet the unmet needs of Cumberland residents who were affected by Hurricane Matthew with volunteer labor, supplies and grants. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates that North Carolinians have $6.5 million in unmet needs resulting from the hurricane. FEMA provides some funding and guidance to the coalition as well as other committees. The North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters also provides oversight and helps secure volunteers, funding and supplies.
The coalition, which has been active for several years, experienced Hurricane Matthew’s wrath firsthand and had to move from its flooded office in the basement of the Fayetteville United Way before getting back to the business of helping survivors. It has about 60 members who represent faith-based organizations, local charities, community foundations and independent agencies from throughout Cumberland County.
The coalition divides its work among seven committees:
- Case management;
- Unmet needs;
- Donations;
- Volunteers;
- Construction;
- Finance; and
- Spiritual.
Each committee has its own tasks, but generally, efforts include recruiting volunteers (both individuals and organizations) to repair or rebuild homes, seeking donations and grants to purchase supplies, and working with, screening and advocating for survivors.
So far, more than two dozen Cumberland County residents have phoned for help from the CDRC. Calls continue to come in. “Within 18 months, we have a goal of restoring 250 homes to a safe, habitable condition,” said Steve Rogers, coalition chairman. This work may include new siding for one home, repainting another, and replacing lost appliances and furniture for another.
The coalition hired four case managers who will supervise 20 case workers. The goal is to help survivors develop and implement a recovery plan.
Case workers interview families and submit their reports to the case managers for review. The case managers then present the situation to the CDRC Unmet Needs Committee, which is made up of local and nonprofit leaders, to determine how to help the applicant. The family’s name is withheld for their protection and privacy.
By the end of February, Rogers said he wants to have helped five families with their recovery needs. Initially the unmet needs committee will meet every two weeks, then weekly, to review cases.
The CDRC has some funds, including an $11,000 surplus from the 2011 tornado disaster. And companies, senior citizens’ organizations and individuals are calling with donations, all of which are greatly appreciated, he added.
Rogers also applies for grants from foundations and organizations to assist his clients’ unmet needs. The North Carolina Community Foundation has a disaster fund of $330,000, and will award one $10,000 grant to eligible nonprofit organizations such as long-term recovery committees. Rogers plans to bundle five or six projects and apply for the grant.
Rogers has been involved with disaster relief since he was a teenager. As a Boy Scout in the mid-1980s, at age 14, he volunteered when a tornado devastated nearby counties. That experience reinforced the scout motto he knew so well, “Be Prepared.” Rogers took that to heart.
In 2009, he started a business to document people’s belongings. He gave seminars at libraries, churches, the Fayetteville Technical Community College and other places discussing safety, security and emergency preparedness. That led to his involvement with the CDRC and his eventual chairmanship.
“I’m an advocate for being prepared; education is so important,” he said. “People say ‘that will never happen to me’ or ‘that’s what I have insurance for.’ However, people feel differently when a disaster happens this close to home.”
Rogers plans to keep the coalition’s focus on preparedness year-round by attending fairs, community events and other activities where he can talk to and provide people with information.
For more information on committees and the CDRC, call 910-745-7021 or 910-745-7021 (please leave a message). Information on other long-term recovery committees in North Carolina is available online at www.ncvoad.org/cms/. For more information on North Carolina’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4285 and readync.org. Follow FEMA on Twitter at @femaregion4 and North Carolina Emergency Management @NCEmergency.
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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 or TTY at 800-462-7585.
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. Follow FEMA on Twitter at @femaregion4. Download the FEMA app with tools and tips to keep you safe before, during and after disasters.
Dial 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162 to speak with a trained call specialist about questions you have regarding Hurricane Matthew; the service is free, confidential and available in any language. They can help direct you to resources. Call 5-1-1 or 877-511-4662 for the latest road conditions or check the ReadyNC mobile app, which also has real-time shelter and evacuation information. For updates on Hurricane Matthew impacts and relief efforts, go to ReadyNC.org or follow N.C. Emergency Management on Twitter and Facebook. People or organizations that want to help ensure North Carolina recovers can visit NCdisasterrelief.org or text NCRecovers to 30306.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.