WNC Disaster Recovery Hotline Returns on August 27 for Hurricane Helene Survivors
August 27 @ 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Nearly one year after Hurricane Helene devasted communities across Western North Carolina, residents are still dealing with the impact. On August 27, Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) and our partners will host a free WNC Disaster Recovery Hotline to help survivors with critical legal support needed to move forward.
People can call in anonymously for free help with legal issues still lingering after Helene, including: FEMA claims and appeals, unresolved FEMA applications, continued FEMA rental assistance, roads and bridges, mortgage issues and foreclosure prevention, insurance and contractor problems, scams or fraud, and other disaster-related issues.
WNC residents can call the “Ask A Lawyer – WNC Disaster Recovery Hotline” at 1-828-418-6969 from 12pm – 6pm on Wednesday, August 27. The hotline is hosted in partnership with Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) and the NC Bar Foundation.
“Even now, almost a year after the storm, there are families still feeling stuck and exhausted,” said Julia Horrocks, PLS Managing Attorney. “We are able to help resolve a lot of disaster-related issues and even make successful FEMA appeals well after the deadline to get resources for our neighbors.”
If anyone is unable to call during the hotline hours, or if they have legal needs unrelated to disaster recovery, they can apply anytime online or call PLS at 828-253-0406 or LANC at 1-866-219-5262.
“We know how overwhelming it can be to face FEMA denials, insurance disputes, difficulty catching up on mortgage and rent payments, and so many other issues following a disaster,” said Alicia Edwards, LANC Disaster Recovery Program Director. “We’ve seen firsthand that a phone call with an attorney can change the course of someone’s recovery.”
