GREENSBORO — More than six weeks have passed since that EF2 tornado ripped through Guilford and Rockingham Counties. Although many victims are moving forward with their lives, the journey to recovery is a slow one.
Frances Lewis gave us what you could call a tour of Gravely Architects and Associates on Banner Avenue back in April. Weeks later, it doesn’t look much different. Lewis has worked with the family-owned company in Greensboro for 50 years and calls the damage devastating.
“That is a little bit emotional for us right now,” she said.
The company built the Banner Avenue location in 2009 and hoped it would serve them for decades to come. They’re now working from a temporary space, but still don’t have answers from their insurance company about the fate of the building.
Related: How To Apply For FEMA Money And Help
“They’re trying to make their determinations as to just how much of the building will be declared demolished and that seems to be a lengthy process,” she told us.
Chuck Cotton showed us his property a few days after the storm. Trees covered the yard and more than one crashed into the roof. He’d lived in the same home on Ardmore Drive in Greensboro for 30 years.
“Tore off the back wall of the bedroom and tore off the bathroom. It’s just terrible,” he said of his home.
Now the yard is free of debris, but the home is still unlivable. Cotton doesn’t have homeowners insurance or the money for repairs, but recently scheduled an appointment with FEMA. Hundreds of others have done the same.
As of June 1, 1,232 families in Guilford and Rockingham Counties have registered to receive aid from FEMA. So far, only 164 have been approved. FEMA does not give aid to individuals who are totally covered by insurance. But you still can get some help from FEMA if you have insurance and show the agency a settlement letter from the company proving how much you’ve received in insurance benefits.
Individuals receive assistance from FEMA in two different categories. One is housing assistance, things like rental payments or home repair. The second is other needs like furniture, cars or personal property. So far, the 164 payouts from FEMA total $501,452. That boils down to about $3,057 on average.
“We’re just trying to be patient,” said Lewis, about receiving answers moving forward.
She's prepared to be in a temporary location for a whole year.
Along with debris, the storm left in its wake, weeks of wondering and waiting.
There’s still a Disaster Recovery Center open in Greensboro at 1203 Maple Avenue. Hours are 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Representatives from FEMA, the state, Guilford County and the Small Business Administration are there to answer your questions or help you get aid.
For more information on North Carolina’s disaster recovery, you can visit www.readyNC.org or www.fema.gov.
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