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FEMA to extend temporary shelter assistance as winter storm approaches

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein said he will continue to use all resources at his disposal to ensure that residents affected by Hurricane Helene stay warm, as winter storms sweep across the state – potentially affecting power grids and other critical infrastructure affected by the previous storm.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) temporary assistance will end Saturday for thousands of North Carolina residents, some of whom are facing freezing temperatures this weekend in the Appalachian Mountain region.

“At our request, FEMA has extended temporary shelter assistance until Tuesday due to the winter storm that hit western North Carolina,” Stein’s office confirmed to FOX Business.

Workers, community members, and business owners clean up debris after Hurricane Helene in Marshall, NC, September 30, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

AMERICANS SPEND THANKSGIVING ON TENTS AS HEAT, ELECTRICITY, FOOD ARE HARD TO GET

The Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which cannot be requested and has been given only to survivors identified by FEMA since October, was supposed to end on Friday and was later postponed to Saturday.

Local FEMA disaster recovery centers will be closed Monday, “due to winter weather.”

“I will continue to use all the resources I have to bring people into a safe and warm place,” said Gov. Josh Stein.

North Carolinians began receiving letters on Jan. 3 who informed them that their hotels or motels will no longer be covered, reports Fox News Digital. When eligibility ends, they are given a week’s notice to test.

HUNDREDS OF THE BIG ONES ARE EXPECTED TO BURN AROUND THE EARTH

Thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors continue to be supported by the program in western North Carolina, following the September storm.

Asheville Hurricane Helene damage

Heavy rains from Hurricane Helene caused record flooding and damage on September 28, 2024, in Asheville, NC (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

There are currently 5,600 homes currently in shelters, according to FEMA.

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The agency said those with questions about eligibility should contact FEMA’s helpline at 1-800-621-3362.

Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin and Brooke Singman contributed to this article.


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