As another massive hurricane powers its way toward the western Florida coast, Greensboro, N.C.-based DMJPS is helping North Carolinians recover from the devastation of Hurricane Helene by gathering truckloads of donations, helping clients with IRS and FEMA issues, and answering questions on disaster relief.
All 52 western North Carolina team members from the Boone, Marion and Asheville offices are safe, said partner Drew Haddock, although it took a frantic few days to get in touch. Other than a lack of water in the office in Asheville – the mountain community that bore the brunt of the storm – all offices are operable.
More than 30,000 North Carolinians did not fare as well. The damage from the Sept. 26 storm’s heavy rain, catastrophic flooding and mudslides has been likened to that of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana in 2005. Hundreds of roads are washed out, highways are blocked and water has not been restored in some areas. The hurricane death toll is at least 230 across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, but is expected to rise.
DMJPS responded. Donations poured in from DMJPS team members, clients and firm friends. Fellow CPAmerica firms from around the country also contributed. The firm developed an “essentials list” by working with community partners in the affected regions, and work began to collect water, nonperishable food, cleaning supplies, trash bags, toiletries, pet food, batteries, first aid supplies, diapers, propane tanks and whatever else was needed. Six trucks and one passenger van were sent directly to communities in the western part of the state. “Our whole firm has just been deeply grateful for the outpouring of support,” said Haddock, who will become co-CEO with Mike Gillis on Nov. 1.
Partners are contacting clients to provide information on FEMA initiatives, extended tax due dates and other tax relief, which is badly needed as many people in western North Carolina don’t have flood insurance. The firm’s disaster relief team, based in the coastal community of Wilmington, is streamlining information and providing FEMA and IRS updates to clients, Haddock said. Efforts will continue as long as necessary. “Our people are the engine that power us and serve our clients,” he said.
Haddock said the destruction is unprecedented. “We’ve never seen anything like this, it’s really devastating. But we’ll get through this – it’s what we always do.”
The firm is recommending financial donations be sent to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund or the North Carolina Foundation. For more information on resources, go to the DMJPS website.
