Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 4, 1995 TAG: 9507050061
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: HOLIDAY
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Red Cross is offering help to repair or replace damaged property. The task force of the Virginia State Bar and Virginia Bar Association, in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Virginia Department of Emergency Services, is offering legal aid.
Starting Wednesday, people whose homes and businesses were damaged by flooding can meet with Red Cross workers at the Roanoke Service Center, 352 Church Ave. S.W.
The center will offer recovery assistance to individuals and families from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To schedule an appointment, people should call the Red Cross at 985-3560.
Aid covers help with temporary housing costs, groceries, a change of clothes, rent and replacement of basic household furniture and other essential items lost to the floods.
Other service centers already are open in Madison and Rockbridge counties.
Assistance is based on individual need, using a voucher program. Disaster victims seeking aid should bring a form of identification showing the address of their flood-damaged house.
There is no charge for Red Cross assistance. Donations for the Red Cross should be mailed to: Virginia Floods '95, American Red Cross, 352 Church Ave., Roanoke 24016.
Free disaster-related legal help is available from the Virginia State Bar's Crisis Task Force for victims who face insurance issues, landlord-tenant problems, home repair contracts, home solicitation, lost legal papers and more.
Disaster application centers are located at Madison County High School and Rockbridge Consolidated High School.
The centers are open through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
People needing help must bring legal documents such as insurance policies, contracts, leases, mortgage papers and Social Security cards.
Attorneys interested in joining the volunteer effort are urged to call Mary Yancey Spencer at the Virginia State Bar (804)775-0575, or Harry M. Johnson III at (804)788-8784.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency also was taking disaster applications by phone. Those wishing assistance should call (800)462-9029.
President Clinton on Monday declared seven more jurisdictions federal disaster areas. The counties of Albemarle, Augusta, Campbell, Culpeper and Giles and the cities of Lynchburg and Staunton joined five other localities made eligible for federal disaster assistance Saturday.
Gov. George Allen sought federal relief for about a dozen other localities in Western and central Virginia.
by CNB