Homeland Security Awards N.C. Citizen Corps $275,000

RALEIGH, N.C. — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded the North Carolina Citizen Corps initiative more than $275,000 in grants for 31 counties statewide for the 2007-08 year, the governor announced Wednesday.

Citizen Corps, a volunteer program managed by Gov. Mike Easley’s office, helps local communities prepare for disasters.

Earlier this month, Easley proclaimed September as “Ready North Carolina” month to encourage citizens, businesses and schools to take steps to prepare themselves for natural disasters and other emergencies.

The federal funds will be used to create local Citizen Corps Councils, which are made up of local leaders and interested citizens to encourage volunteers to become involved in community disaster preparedness efforts.

Grant funds will also be used to increase the number of Citizen Corps volunteer programs in the state.

Counties that will receive the funding are: Alamance, Bertie, Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke, Carteret, Catawba, Chatham, Chowan, Columbus, Clay, Craven, Cumberland, Forsyth, Graham, Guilford, Harnett, Haywood, Hertford, Jones, McDowell, Moore, Onslow, Orange, Pitt, Polk, Robeson, Rowan, Transylvania, Union and Washington.

For more information about Citizen Corps, visit www.citizencorps.gov. For more information about how to prepare for a disaster, visit www.ReadyNC.org or www.ListoNC.org.