Disaster Assistance & Resources
Updated on 10/11/24 at 1 p.m.
FEMA
FEMA representatives always have branded uniforms and badges. FEMA assistance is intended to support basic needs of households for uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs. Apply for assistance at disasterassistance.gov or call FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. FEMA provides assistance to all disaster survivors regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, citizenship or residency, English proficiency, or economic status.
FEMA individual assistance is distributed as grants not loans and is as follows:
- Housing Assistance - Money to help you with expenses for damage that impacted your home, which may include:
- Rental Assistance: Money you can use to rent housing if you are displaced from your home because of the disaster.
- Lodging Expense Reimbursement: Money to reimburse you for emergency lodging expenses, such as hotel or motel.
- Home Repair or Replacement
- Accessibility Needs: Money to help survivors with a disability with specific repairs to make sure their home is accessible.
- Privately-owned Roads, Bridges, Docks: Money for survivors whose only access to their home has been damaged by the disaster.
- Other Needs Assistance - Money to help you with necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster, such as:
- Serious Needs: Money to help you pay for lifesaving and life-sustaining items such as water, food, first aid, prescriptions, infant formula, breastfeeding equipment, diapers, personal hygiene items and fuels for transportation.
- Displacement: Money to help with housing needs if you cannot return to your home because of the disaster.
- Personal Property: Money to help you repair or replace appliances, room furnishings, and a personal or family computer damaged by the disaster. This can also include money for books, uniforms, tools, additional computers and other items required for school or work, including self-employment.
- Medical/Dental: Money to help you pay for expenses because the disaster caused an injury or illness.
- Funeral: Money to help you pay for funeral or reburial expenses caused by the disaster.
- Child Care: Money to help you pay for increased or childcare expenses caused by the disaster.
- Transportation: Money to help you repair or replace a vehicle damaged by the disaster when you don’t have another vehicle you can use.
- Moving and Storage Expenses: Money to help you move and store personal property from your home to prevent additional damage, usually while you are making repairs to your home or moving to a new place due to the disaster.
- Clean and Sanitize: Money to help you pay for very minor damage caused by the disaster to prevent additional loss and potential health or safety concerns.
FEMA Rumor Response
FEMA DISASTER ASSISTANCE LOCATIONS
All locations are open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Locations change daily.
1. Black Mountain POD Site, 550 NC-9 Black Mt, NC
2. Walmart, 60 Airport Road, Arden, NC
3. Pack Square Park,?80 Court Square Asheville, NC
4. New Bridge Baptist Church, 199 Elkwood Ave, Asheville, NC
5. Riceville Volunteer Fire Department, 2251 Riceville Road, Asheville Road.
6. Reems Creek – Beech Community Center, 15 State Hwy 2117, Weaverville, NC
7. AC Reynolds HS, 1 Rocket Drive, Asheville, NC
8. CANVASSING Biltmore Area, Asheville, NC?????????
9. Swannanoa Library, 101 W Charleston Ave, Swannanoa, NC
10. CANVASSING – Swannanoa starting at the Swannanoa Library
11. CANVASSING – Starting Food Lion 1350 Charlotte Highway, Fairview, NC.
12. CANVASSING – Starting at Chosen Generation Church, 876 New Leicester Highway, Leicester.
13. Barnardsville, 1675 Barnardsville Highway, Barnardsville, NC
Reminder: Any FEMA representatives will be clearly marked. Be aware of anyone representing themselves that do not have on any clearly labeled article of clothing.
FEMA DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER (DRC)
Disaster Recovery Centers are one-stop shops to speak with someone in person about FEMA assistance and answer follow-up questions. Examples of assistance services are listed above and include but are not limited to help with rent or lodging, home repair or replacement, replacing personal property, medical/dental care, transportation, child care, replacing important documents, small business assistance.
A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is open daily from 8 a.m-7 p.m. at AC Reynolds High School, Asheville.
ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
The United States Small Business Administration has opened an assistance center at the Chamber of Commerce. The center is focusing on providing disaster relief in the form of low interest loans for businesses, nonprofits, homeowners and renters impacted by the storm. Visit sba.gov for more information or visit a SBA representative in person at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce (36 Montford Ave). Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
PRICE GOUGING AND SCAM REPORTING
North Carolina Consumer Protection Agency lines are open to report price gouging and other Helene-related concerns. To report, call 1-877-5-NO-SCA.M. (1-877-566-7226).
DONATED CLOTHING AND COLD WEATHER ACCESSORIES
Eblen Charities at 23 Hamilton Street, Asheville, is giving away coats and warm clothes from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. daily. Additionally, a coat giveaway is scheduled for October 23-24. More at www.eblencharities.org.
FARMERS ASSISTANCE
Farmers with emergency needs like hay, feed, fencing, animal rescue, should call the Ag Emergency Hotline at 866-645-9403.
UNEMPLOYMENT
- CareerOneStop.org or NCworks.gov to view available jobs
- Disaster assistance from FEMA at Disasterassistance.gov; deadline to apply is December 2
- Disaster assistance from the state at des.nc.gov/dua; deadline to apply is 60 days from October 1, 2024
UTILITY PAYMENT ASSISTANCE
Duke Energy Progress: Share the Light Fund. Accepts donations and offers financial assistance. To receive financial assistance, you must be a Duke Energy Progress residential customer and have a past due balance, unpaid deposit for utility service or unpaid reconnection charge. Call 800-662-7020 to give or get help.
Dominion Energy: energy assistance at 877-776-2427 or online for more.
The City of Asheville is not assessing late fees for water bills, sending delinquent notices, creating new bills, or doing any cut-offs for non-payment at this time. Call 828-251-1122 if you have billing concerns.
Updated Oct 12, 2024 01:45 PM