Here at the RTP, we have a three part mission: to support our region’s colleges and universities, create jobs, and uplift all the people of North Carolina. Often times, we are asked how exactly we accomplish that last goal through our day-to-day operations. Just this week, we’ve been given an opportunity to serve the state. Nearly two weeks ago, Hurricane Matthew slowly moved across the Caribbean and the southeastern seaboard, leaving a wake of water and destruction in his path. Eastern North Carolina was hit particularly hard, and is struggling with rising waters – some of which have still not crested.
Today, we are proud to announce that we are providing FEMA with a location for their North Carolina disaster relief headquarters. FEMA has consolidated many of their ground teams to a central location within RTP’s Park Center development. The federal disaster relief organization will be the RTP location their headquarters for Hurricane Matthew cleanup efforts throughout the next 6 to 12 months. Most of their work will be focused in the eastern part of North Carolina, but this location will serve as a central gathering place for personnel across the entire region.
Our team learned of FEMA’s need for office space just last week, and within only a few days we were able to locate FEMA in a vacant RTP facility. This took a lot of hard work and effort by the RTP team and our commercial office management partner, Hines. Vacant buildings often require a lot of love to get them up to speed, and the team worked tirelessly for 24-hours to create a space that would be welcoming to the FEMA employees working to help North Carolina citizens. This was an opportunity for RTP to directly uphold our mission while aiding the crucial cleanup efforts in areas across the state.
If you’re interested in learning more about what you can do to assist the cleanup effort in eastern North Carolina, there are a few ways to pitch in. Gov. Pat McCrory activated the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, which accepts donations and is managed by the United Way. There is also a need for volunteers. A list of those of those opportunities can be found through this website.
If you are a North Carolina property owner seeking individual assistance, please visit DisasterAssistance.gov to begin the application process. The RTP location is not open for appointments or visits.