CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The deadline for people to apply for assistance after Hurricane Helene has been extended.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Friday that residents in 67 counties will now have until Jan. 7, 2025, to apply.
Homeowners and renters in the following N.C. counties are eligible to apply for FEMA help: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Nash, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey counties, along with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina.
Homeowners and renters in the following S.C. counties are eligible to apply for FEMA help: Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York counties and the Catawba Indian Nation.
FEMA representatives went door to door Thursday in Catawba County to sit down with residents, discuss options, and register them for aid on the spot.
Nate Custer, a media relations specialist with FEMA, said that following the hurricane, FEMA housed over 4,000 families and are now working on housing recovery programs. And still, he said the work is not done.
“The other day we had over 1,000 new registrations,” Custer said. "We have had 250,000 registrations. We already have about $210 million out in the hands of these folks for their needs."
FEMA funding can be used to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary housing, basic home repair costs, personal property loss and other disaster-caused needs.
There are multiple ways to apply for FEMA assistance in North Carolina for Hurricane Helene's recovery.
How to apply
- Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
- Click on your county, provide your ZIP code or state and city, and select the disaster that affected you
- Provide details about your needs, including property damage, emergency needs, and additional expenses
- Create an account or sign in to Login.gov
- Revisit the DisasterAssistance.gov website to submit your application to FEMA
- The FEMA app
- The FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362
- The helpline is available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. The line is open every day and help is available in multiple languages.
- The FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362
What you need to apply for FEMA aid
- A current phone number where you can be contacted.
- Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.
- Your Social Security number.
- A general list of damage and losses.
- Banking information if you choose direct deposit.
- If insured, the policy number or the agent/company name.
If you have homeowners, renters, or flood insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible. FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If your policy does not cover all your disaster needs, you may be eligible for federal assistance.