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For Release:   IMMEDIATE                                           Contact:  Sherri Johnson       

Date:                April 7, 2005                                             Phone:    919-733-5612          

GOV. EASLEY ACTIVATES HURRICANE RECOVERY BILINGUAL HOTLINE

Hotline Will Provide Additional Disaster Assistance to Citizens

RALEIGH -- Gov. Mike Easley today activated the Governor’s Hurricane Recovery Bilingual Hotline to provide additional assistance to citizens who sustained damage from one or more of the seven hurricanes and tropical storms that struck North Carolina during the late summer and early fall of 2004. 

“This hotline will supplement our ongoing recovery efforts and give citizens a place to call with questions about the resources available in their communities,” said Easley.  “Hotline operators will provide callers with information in English and Spanish about financial assistance programs that are available to individuals, businesses and public agencies.  I encourage anyone with questions to use this valuable resource.”

The Hurricane Recovery Act of 2005, signed by Easley in February, put in place programs that provide grants for:

• Housing assistance for homeowners and renters and to local governments for housing infrastructure;
• Individual assistance for personal needs in the form of property, medical, dental, funeral, transportation;
• Economic recovery assistance in the form of grants and loans for agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and businesses;
• Restoration of public utility infrastructure such as water, solid waste, waste water and hazardous waste clean-up; and
• Grants to local governments for repair, renovation and relocation of public buildings and facilities.

Citizens can call the hotline Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 888/835-9966, TTY 877/452-2514.  Information about the financial assistance programs is also available on-line at www.nccrimecontrol.org/WesternRecovery . 

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