COLUMBIA, S.C./RALEIGH, N.C.—Within the past week the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation has received more than 400 disaster relief aid grant applications from credit unions. Due to the limited resources of its disaster relief fund, the Foundation is suspending acceptance of applications, effective Oct. 26.
The Foundation will continue to raise money for the disaster relief fund from the national credit union system. The hiatus on grant applications will allow the foundation to review and disburse funds to members and employees who have pressing financial needs, CUNA reported.
“Our hope is to reopen the application process once additional donations are received and we are able to provide assistance to even more members,” said Lauren Whatley, Carolinas Credit Union Foundation president.
“We are hearing heartbreaking stories from local credit unions,” Whatley noted. “As flood waters have receded, members are returning to their homes to find everything destroyed and their homes flagged by FEMA as uninhabitable. Flooded roads are still preventing many residents of the small town of Princeville, N.C., from returning to and inspect damage in their homes.”