Disaster Recovery Centers in North Carolina Will Transition to Locally Operated Resource Centers March 31

HICKORY, N.C. – FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers in Western North Carolina will transition to locally operated Resource Centers March 31 and will cease operation as FEMA centers at 2 p.m. on March 29.

The centers will operate Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and FEMA will have specialists to help people apply for FEMA assistance and update application status. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also will have specialists to help people apply for disaster loans. The centers will be locally operated, state and federally supported.

After Tropical Storm Helene, FEMA, North Carolina Emergency Management and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) coordinated with local communities to open 33 centers where residents could meet face to face with specialists to get help with FEMA assistance, SBA disaster loans and state recovery resources. Since October, these centers have received more than 78,500 visits.

This week, to find the nearest Disaster Recovery Center visit fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a ZIP code to 43362. It is not necessary to visit a center to apply for FEMA assistance: Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App, or call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone service or other, give FEMA your number for that service.

Deadline for FEMA applications is April 7.