NEW BERN – Due to the generosity of Walmart and Sam’s Club customers, the Walmart 2018 Hurricane Relief Fund at Foundation For The Carolinas has contributed $50,000 to national disaster recovery nonprofit SBP. These funds will enable SBP to provide educational materials and in-person training for homeowners in impacted communities across North and South Carolina – with a goal of increasing access to available resources.

“As our neighbors in the Carolinas continue to recover, we are proud to support organizations on the frontline, providing critical support,” said Julie Gehrki, vice president of Walmart. “Thanks to the generosity of our customers we fully met our match. The funds from Walmart and Walmart customers will immediately assist communities with response and sheltering while investing in essential long-term recovery across the Carolinas.”

SBP expects to see a measurable reduction in the instances of contractor fraud, an increase in FEMA awards and a decrease in overall rebuilding costs as a result of this outreach.

“It’s critical that families know how to maximize their FEMA claims to support their recovery,” said SBP Co-founder and CEO Zack Rosenburg. “Once they receive these funds, the next step is to educate them about how to avoid contractor fraud to protect these resources and prevent any needless delays in recovery.”

With less than 10 percent of coastal Carolina residents having flood insurance, many will begin looking elsewhere for assistance – often turning to nonprofits like SBP for help. As such, SBP will continue its outreach in the Carolinas to support its mission of shrinking time between disaster and recovery. All of these resources are available for free online at www.sbpusa.org/start-here.