Team South Carolina makes stop in Aiken County to help bring resources to local residents
AIKEN, S.C. (WJBF) – Today a Team South Carolina Day was held in Aiken County. Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette was there to cheer on the team in charge of bringing relief to victims of Hurricane Helene.
County Days like these provide local residents, affected by Hurricane Helene with a one stop opportunity to learn about relief resources available to them.
"Well, I am homeless. So, my tent got messed up and all of my stuff got messed up and I asked for assistance on helping me with food and stuff, and they're trying to come inspect the woods where my tent was and I'm like 'that doesn't make sense to me, how would you inspect the woods...," Christina Stewart, who attended the event, said.
It's stories like Christina Stewart's, this event was designed– to make all resources easily-accessible to residents in Aiken, Saluda, and Edgefield counties no matter their living circumstances.
"It's, it's the people that come, they're coming here because they really don't know what to do, most of the time it's our seniors, and I think that's something we have to be very conscious of– my mom will be 96 tomorrow, so I realize first-hand that technology gets way past what our seniors feel comfortable on. And so, bringing every single state resource, bringing in FEMA, bringing in local government and sitting in one room and letting people get the services they need...," Lt. Governor, S.C. Pamela Evette said.
Many impacted by the hurricane say it's hard to get all the information on local resources due to power and internet service outages.
"It's actually good to have this stuff out because not everybody has internet, they don't know how to use the internet for applications. A whole lot of older people, they have problems with that and, and them coming out just to help all of us– because we don't have access to the internet and phones and stuff, and you just come out here and actually speak to someone and get a clear answer..." Stewart said.
And other issues post-Helene causes that could be rooted deeper.
"When you have a disaster like this, the amount of stress that develops for each person– and each person has their own story, obviously. Whether they lost their house or their pet, they are going to be in need of having a talk– being able to express how they feel," S.C. Department of Mental Health Dr. Robert Bank said.
While the Aiken County "County Day" is over with, today, you can visit SCEMD for the three additional county days they will be adding.
