To help ensure North Carolinians are prepared for this upcoming hurricane season, Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Disaster Relief Project is holding free events for Craven and Jones county residents aimed at helping eligible North Carolinians overcome the legal issues that could be a barrier to recovery from a storm.
“While property ownership and estate planning may not immediately come to mind when thinking about preparing for hurricane season, they can be critical aspects of recovery after a storm,” said Dale Deese, managing attorney of Legal Aid’s Disaster Relief Project. “These events are a great opportunity to learn more about how Legal Aid can help with disaster recovery and also access some of our services directly at the events.”
Legal Aid will partner with the Craven County Disaster Recovery Alliance on Saturday, May 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Havelock for a drop-in informational event focused on heir property, property that has been passed down within families informally and not through a will. Legal Aid representatives will be available at the event to provide general information about how property ownership issues can arise when seeking recovery funds following a storm and can screen individuals on site for eligibility for Legal Aid’s free services.
On May 22, Legal Aid will partner with The Father’s Refuge to provide estate planning services to survivors of Hurricane Florence. Individuals who are eligible for Legal Aid’s services will be able to get help drafting and executing end-of-life documents such as wills and powers of attorney free of charge. The Father’s Refuge will also be providing food and use of their campgrounds during the event. The event will take place at 9210 Hwy 55 W., Dover, NC 28526 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. While walk-ins are welcome, Legal Aid encourages people to register in advance by calling (984) 297-1977 to reach Legal Aid or (252) 497-8783 to reach Scott Murphy at The Father’s Refuge.
Both events will take place outdoors, and masks and social distancing will be enforced.
About
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers to economic opportunity. Legal Aid’s Disaster Relief Project provides legal assistance and education to survivors of natural disasters in North Carolina and supports community economic development and long-term recovery in disaster-impacted communities. Call the Legal Aid NC helpline at 866-219-5262 or visit legalaidnc.org/apply to learn about eligibility for our services and to get Legal Aid’s assistance.