09/19/2017

Hurricane Seniors Hotline Opens: Help for Seniors in Hurricane-Impacted Regions Available

Hurricane Services for Seniors Hotline Opens:

Help for Seniors in Hurricane-Impacted Regions Available

COLUMBUS, Ohio ­– National Church Residences, in partnership with LeadingAge, has established the Hurricane Services for Seniors hotline: 844.259.HS4S (844.259.4747). This hotline is open to all seniors and their families in hurricane-impacted regions to help coordinate housing and services. The hotline is currently manned from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time Mondays through Fridays. 

“Our country has experienced a very challenging situation: two Category 4 hurricanes a week apart. National Church Residences has been relatively fortunate in the scope of the problems from this.  While the hurricanes have impacted 29 of our properties, only one was so heavily damaged that it is not inhabitable,” said Executive Vice President Michelle Norris. 

National Church Residences feels called to use its unique set of resources and infrastructure to help seniors impacted by the storms across the regions. The organization has the capacity to serve as a clearinghouse, matching needs for housing and services with the seniors affected. 

In addition to providing the hotline, National Church Residences is seeking relief from state and federal regulations that might hamper the speed of the recovery effort.  Working with LeadingAge and Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future, the organization is advocating for federal funds to rebuild devastated areas, including funds for senior housing.  A fund has also been established to help the organization’s seniors who were displaced or sustained property damage in the storm. Click here for donation information.  

“We thank LeadingAge, the association for not-for-profit senior service providers, for their financial support of this effort. We will continue to evaluate the situation and needs of seniors and how we can support them.  Our organization seeks to advance better living for all seniors, enabling them to remain home for life,” Ms. Norris added. 

About National Church Residences

National Church Residences serves more than 42,000 seniors through its array of housing and health care services. The not-for-profit organization is driven by a vision of advancing better living for all seniors, enabling them to remain home for life. With 340 communities in 27 states and Puerto Rico, it is the nation’s largest not-for-profit provider of affordable senior housing and the largest employer of service coordinators. It also offers residential senior communities, home and community-based services, and permanent supportive housing for the formerly homeless and disabled. For more information, visit www.nationalchurchresidences.org.