Gov. Haley Establishes South Carolina Flood Relief Fund

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South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley called on people across the nation Monday to contribute to the One SC relief fund to rebuild homes following last month’s historic flooding, saying it can do what the government can’t.

“While the debris has gone off the roads, if you took a right-hand turn into any of the neighborhoods … all over the state, you will see devastation,” Haley said in announcing the fund’s creation. “If you are blessed and did not have damage to your home. If you are blessed and you had insurance. … Pay if forward.”

The early October storm that dumped 2 feet of rain in some parts of the state destroyed or damaged more than 38,000 homes. By federal definition, homes don’t have even “minor damage” unless at least a foot of water was inside, according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division.

More than 84,000 families have applied for help through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. As of Nov. 15, one quarter of them had been awarded grants totaling $62.8 million, said FEMA spokesman Jim Homstad.

Haley said all donations to One SC will go toward supplies for rebuilding efforts, since her nonprofit – the Original Six Foundation – is covering administrative costs. Priority for distributions will start with the elderly and those living in poverty, she said.

FEMA has identified 5,000 needy families who are over age 65 and live on less than $20,000 annually – with about 1,200 of those having immediate need, said retired Army Col. Kevin Shwedo, whom Haley appointed last month to coordinate relief efforts between government agencies and nonprofits.

“There’s a small pool right now who are the most vulnerable that the volunteer organizations are focusing on,” Shwedo said. But “they can’t do anything without contributions coming from this organization.”

Haley indicated she won’t push for Congress to pass a relief package for South Carolina like the one passed for Hurricane Sandy relief in 2013. Four of South Carolina’s congressmen and both U.S. senators voted against that package, so it’s unclear whether something like that could pass.

Haley said residents can’t wait on a political fight in Washington.

“We can go to Congress and we can go through that whole fight of doing that, but I know the generosity of the people of South Carolina, and I want these people to have their homes now,” Haley said.

Haley announced a wide-ranging committee of South Carolina standouts who will help raise money. They include former GOP Gov. David Beasley, comedian Stephen Colbert, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, musicians Edwin McCain and Darius Rucker, University of South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley and Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney.

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