Tyrrell County residents who suffered losses and damage as a result of Hurricane Matthew can now get information about state and federal assistance at the FEMA-State Disaster Recovery Center in Columbia.

The center is located in Tyrrell Hall at 906 U.S. Hwy 64 East. Regular hours are Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

Disaster recovery centers are staffed with representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, North Carolina Emergency Management, and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Survivors can receive help applying for federal assistance, learn about the types of assistance available, learn about the appeals process and get updates about applications.

If you have telephone and/or internet access, you may also register in one of the following ways:

— Online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

— Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. It is the same number if you use 711 or Video Relay Service

— Call 800-462-7585 if you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY

FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.

Survivors should register even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but underinsured applicants may receive help after their claims have been settled.

As of Oct. 25, the day before the center opened in Columbia, 123 families in Tyrrell County had applied for FEMA assistance, and grants totaling $98,858 had been approved.

Dial 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162 to speak with a trained call specialist about questions you have regarding Hurricane Matthew; the service is free, confidential and available in any language. They can help direct you to resources.

People or organizations that want to help ensure North Carolina recovers can visit NCdisasterrelief.org or text NCRecovers to 30306.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property.