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Local Resource Center For Hurricane Evacuees Opens In North Philly

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — People displaced from their homes in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands are getting help from a service center that just opened in North Philadelphia.

Housed in the Hispanic Association of Contractors building at 167 W. Allegheny Ave., Philadelphia's Office of Emergency Management has a "one-stop-shop" now open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

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"We've seen some folks who have lost essentially everything here," said Daniel Bradley, Director of Emergency Management.  "So the first thing we want to do is make them comfortable, assure them that there are services here, and begin that recovery process."

Elena Alvarez is from San Juan.  She left Puerto Rico five days after the hurricane hit, in the face of scarce food, water and power, to stay with friends and family in Philadelphia.  She came looking for help finding a local job to help her get back on her feet.

The Philadelphia service center has many functions. People can register for FEMA disaster assistance, find temporary employment, housing or schooling and even replace vital documents and medicines.

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