Family says they are being ‘forced out’ of Whiteville shelter

WHITEVILLE, NC (WWAY) — Shelters opened to help families displaced from their homes during Hurricane Matthew. Now, more than two weeks later, some people still don’t have a place to go.

The shelter in Whiteville has been a temporary home for people affected by Hurricane Matthew.

Now, the shelter is mostly empty.

The Red Cross says that shelters do not close until all families have a place to go.

But Latisha Robinson and her mother say their choices are limited.

“They are forcing us out of the evacuation shelter today.” Robinson said. “As it stands, we will be staying in her car.”

They say that only hotel available to them is deemed unsafe to them.

“Someone got shot in the room next to me and the bullet came through the wall.” Robinson’s mother Natalie Saunders-Russell said. “I won’t go there again.”

The manager of this shelter, said that the hotel is available to them and they also gave the women a box of basic supplies to help them get started.

Dee Luna, a Red Cross volunteer from California, says since she has been here, all guests have been treated well.

“I’ve been here for a little over a week, probably about ten days and everybody has been treated really nice.” Luna said.

Regional Red Cross spokeswoman Brittany Jennings stressed shelters will not close until all families have a place to go.

The volunteers here say they’ve followed that protocol.

Still, this family says they’ve been treated unfairly and this situation has been difficult.

“I’ve been through a lot in my life and this has been one of the worst things that has ever happened.” Said Saunders-Russell.

Jennings says Red Cross caseworks and organizations like FEMA will work one-on-one with the Whiteville shelter families on more permanent housing options.

Those options vary depending on the need of the resident.