In observance of National Volunteer Week, Governor Roy Cooper joined Habitat for Humanity in Fayetteville today to help repair a home damaged by Hurricane Matthew. Gov. Cooper also signed into law House Bill 5, extending the unemployment benefits for survivors of natural disasters.
"Tens of thousands of volunteers have pitched in to help clear debris, provide food and water, and rebuild homes since Hurricane Matthew struck last October,” Gov. Cooper said. “In that spirit of service, I encourage all North Carolinians to find a way to give back in their local communities during National Volunteer Week and beyond.”
Gov. Cooper met with Mary and Charles Wright, a Cumberland County family who had to evacuate during Hurricane Matthew. Gov. Cooper and several staff from his administration joined Habitat for Humanity volunteers to help repair the Wrights’ home, which experienced significant flooding from the storm.
Gov. Cooper was joined at the volunteer site by Secretary Larry Hall of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and Director Mike Sprayberry of the North Carolina Department of Emergency Management, as well as leaders from Habitat for Humanity and University of North Carolina basketball legend Phil Ford.
After helping repair the storm-damaged home, Gov. Cooper held a public signing for House Bill 5. The new law waives work search requirements and extends the unemployment insurance period for North Carolinians who have survived natural disasters like Hurricane Matthew.
“Survivors of natural disasters like Hurricane Matthew and last year’s wildfires in the western part of the state deserve relief while they recover,” Gov. Cooper said. “This new law extends unemployment benefits and waives work search requirements to help affected families get back on their feet.”
Fayetteville and Cumberland County experienced some of most significant flood damage during and after Hurricane Matthew. Nearly 15,000 families out of 82,000 families that registered statewide with FEMA for assistance were from Cumberland County.
Several recovery milestones have been reached in Fayetteville and Cumberland County since Hurricane Matthew. Nearly $23 million in Small Business Administration loans have been approved for Cumberland County business owners and over $7 million in flood insurance claims have been paid out to survivors of the storm. FEMA has provided nearly $32 million in relief funds for Cumberland County families affected by the disaster, and an additional $31 million is projected to be provided to the county through FEMA’s public assistance fund. The U.S. Department for Housing and Urban Development also granted $198.5 million to assist with critical housing needs in Cumberland, Wayne, Robeson, and Edgecombe Counties.
Today’s visit is part of Gov. Cooper’s ongoing effort to help survivors of Hurricane Matthew recover in all 50 disaster-declared counties. Gov. Cooper recently called upon state and federal lawmakers to recognize the urgent need for additional resources in North Carolina communities affected by the storm. Earlier this month, he requested nearly $1 billion in additional funding from Congress to address the $4.8 billion in damages caused by Matthew. This week, Gov. Cooper also joined a bipartisan group of five governors from states that were affected by natural disasters to call on Congress to include disaster funding in a pending continuing resolution.
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