Volunteer attorneys could help homeowners denied help from FEMA

LELAND, NC (WWAY) – If you have ever needed an attorney but couldn’t afford one, the Pro Bono Resource Center (PBRC) may be able to assist.

PBRC, a program of the North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission, was launched to assist lawyers in fulfilling their professional responsibility to provide pro bono legal services.

Right now, PBRC is focusing its efforts on helping homeowners struggling to recover from Hurricane Florence.

If you received a response letter from FEMA and feel you are not getting the amount of financial assistance in which you should or were flat-out denied, you could try to appeal that decision with assistance from PBRC attorney volunteers.

“We started by having some presence in the disaster recovery centers right after Hurricane Florence and one of the needs we saw is that people need help with these appeals after they were getting letters from FEMA,” said PBRC Staff Attorney Katherine Asaro. “We are there to help guide people through the appeals process.”

PBRC is hosting clinics across North Carolina where people can make appointments to meet with attorneys for free. The volunteer attorneys will then help these homeowners go through the process of preparing their appeal.

PBRC plans to host a clinic on Saturday, Feb. 9, in the Union Station building at Cape Fear Community College located at 502 N. Front Street from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

“If you have gotten a rejection or denial from FEMA, go to the NCProBono.org/assistance website to make an appointment,” Asaro said.

Attorneys who wish to volunteer with the PBRC can find more information here: NCProBono.org/disaster.