Disaster Relief | NorthWest Arkansas Community College
Menu

Main Content Start

Disaster Relief

Students, faculty, and staff: Find helpful information about resources and contacts that might be useful to you as our area and our college recover from the storms of May 26th.

Students, faculty, and staff: please review this document for helpful information about resources and contacts that might be useful to you as our area and our college recovers from the storms of May 26th.

Students: as you have questions, please reach out to offices on campus who regularly serve you:

  • International students, please contact Lou or Codie through WhatsApp or email at internationalprograms@nwacc.edu.
  • LIFE students, please contact Maria or Juanita by email at hispanicoutreach@nwacc.edu or by phone at 479-619-2204. If we cannot answer, leave a voice message, and we will call you back.
  • Veterans and dependents, please contact Veteran Services by email at veteranresources@nwacc.edu or by phone at 479-619-2273. If we cannot answer, leave a voice message, and we will call you back.
  • Parenting students participating in Career Pathways, please contact Alana or Christie at 479-619-3128. If we cannot answer, leave a voice message, and we will call you back.
  • Students with disabilities, please contact disability@nwacc.edu.
  • Students with counseling appointments, please contact counseling@nwacc.edu or 479-619-4128. If we cannot answer, leave a voice message, and we will call you back.
  • First generation college students, please contact Gaby at firstgen@nwacc.edu or 479-986-6747. If we cannot answer, leave a voice message, and we will call you back.

Students who do not regularly work with any of the offices listed above may contact the Office of the Dean of Students at deanofstudents@nwacc.edu or 479-619-4234. If we cannot answer, leave a voice message, and we will call you back.

Scam Awareness and Privacy Protection

  • Disaster recovery can be a time when scams surge, as exploiters descend upon survivors at their most vulnerable, claiming to be government employees, financial institutions, and even charities. Data leaks and caller ID spoofing can make these scammers appear even more legitimate. Remember:
    • Never share personal information when someone unknown has contacted you via phone, email, or text. Find the phone number for the business or agency yourself, then call them.
    • FEMA disaster assistance employees will always have ID, and will never ask for money. They do not endorse businesses, services, or products.
    • Repair scams may include insisting you pay for the job in full up front, agree to the repairs without a written offer, or act quickly.
  • Price Gouging
    • Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin on May 27th issued this advisory:
    • “Those with storm damage should call their insurance company before paying any company or individual a deposit. Post-storm scammers will offer quick repair jobs for an immediate deposit and may even claim that insurance will reimburse the purchaser. I encourage Arkansans not to feel pressured into immediate solutions that appear too good to be true.
    • “Furthermore, the Governor’s emergency declaration has triggered the state’s anti-price gouging law, prohibiting businesses from charging more than 10 percent above the pre-disaster price of goods or services. Price gouging will not be tolerated as Arkansas recovers, and I will bring the full power of my office to bear on anyone who violates our law.”
    • Griffin reminded homeowners that:
      • Insurers will honor their home policies.
      • There is no need to rush into or be pressured to sign a contracting agreement.
      • He also offered these tips for repairing damaged property:
      • Get more than one estimate.
      • Demand references and check them out.
      • Never let a contractor pressure you into hiring them.
      • Never sign a contract with blanks “to be filled in later.”
      • Never pay a contractor in full until the work is finished.
      • Never let a contractor discourage you from contacting your insurance company.
      • Make sure you review and understand all documents sent to your insurance company.
    • Act 376 of 1997 is triggered whenever a state of emergency is declared by federal, state, or local governments. A violation of Act 376 is also a violation of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, which carries a fine of up to $10,000. The law prohibits businesses from charging more than 10 percent above the pre-disaster price of goods or services, such as:
      • Food and water;
      • Fuel;
      • Blankets, medicine, and bandages; and
      • Flashlights, batteries, and construction materials.
      • The ban on price gouging remains in effect for at least 30 days and can be extended another 30 days if necessary to protect Arkansans’ lives, property, or welfare. For home repairs, the law remains in effect for 180 days.
    • Arkansans who wish to report concerns about the subject of this Consumer Alert or desire more information should contact the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office by calling (501) 682-2007, emailing consumer@arkansasag.gov, or visiting ArkansasAG.gov. 

General Relief Services

Food & Water

  • NWACC Food Panty is open for students, faculty, and staff. Contact studentlife@nwacc.edu or 479-986-6682.
    • Students who are veterans or dependents of veterans may access the NWACC Veterans Resource food pantry once the Student Center is open for services again. Contact Veteran Services using the contact information near the top of this document.
    • Other food pantries in the area might be able to open even if NWACC cannot. A list of them is available here.
  • Arkansas 211 also provides assistance related to food and water.
    • 479-365-2147
  • Religious organizations (churches, temples, mosques) in the area might offer meals. They usually announce meals and other services via local news, social media, and their websites.
  • Grocery stores and restaurants inside the affected area might not be open. If they are, they might not be able to process credit card, debit card, or other electronic payments. Cash might be the only payment option.
  • Grocery stores and restaurants in nearby areas unaffected by the storm might be open and available for all payment methods. Because of higher demand than usual, expect them to be more crowded than usual, supply to dwindle faster (i.e., shelves might empty quickly), and checkout lines to be longer than usual.
  • See note under Public Information about what to do with cold and frozen food if power goes out.
  • To cook without use of a stove or microwave, plan to cook outdoors. A propane, charcoal, or pellet grill if you have one can be useful. Camping stoves may also be used outdoors.

Clothing

  • Please contact any of the student services offices listed at the top of this document for information about where to find clothing.
  • Rogers High School has compiled a list of resources and information which includes resources for clothing and laundry.

Shelter

  • Family, friends, and neighbors might have space to welcome you into their homes temporarily.
  • Local religious organizations (churches, temples, mosques) may also offer assistance. Check local news, social media, and their websites for the latest information.
  • Salvation Army operates a shelter for the area, and they might know of additional community shelters that are open specifically for this emergency.
    • 479-271-9545
  • Hotels, motels, and short-term rentals (e.g., AirBNB, VRBO) might have vacancies, but the closest ones likely are full by now. Look for properties outside of the affected area.
  • Nearby RV Parks and campgrounds might be an option, but they too might be full by now. Look for ones outside of the affected area.

Transportation

  • Road Closure Map for Benton County
  • Gas stations in the affected area might not be open for business. If they are, they might not be able to process all payment methods. Cash might be the only payment they can accept.
  • Gas stations outside the affected area might be operating as usual, but demand could be higher than normal, so expect to wait for a pump.

Healthcare

  • For mental health emergencies (such as suicidal thoughts), dial 988.
  • For medical emergencies, dial 911.
  • Local hospitals
  • NWACC Counseling & Wellness Center
  •  

Safety/Security

  • For police emergencies, dial 911.
  • For NWACC Public Safety, dial 479-619-4229.
  •  

Childcare

  • Trusted family, friends, and neighbors may be able to help.
  • Local childcare businesses might not be able to open or safely operate.

Utilities

  • If you smell natural gas in your home,
    • Leave immediately and leave the front door open.
    • Then, call 911.
    • Then, if Black Hills Energy is your natural gas provider, call 888-890-5554.
  • Electricity might be intermittent as crews work to clear debris, fallen trees, and fallen powerlines. (See note under Public Information about what to do if power goes out to safeguard cold or frozen food.)
    • Click here for information from SWEPCO including making sure your home is still capable of receiving power.

Public Information

  • Lots of roads and trails are blocked or damaged. Lots of powerlines and trees are down. Avoid travel until News Media share news from cities and counties that it is safe to do so.
    • Some cities and towns may be safe to travel before others are.
    • If you must travel, know road conditions for your entire route before you leave.
    • This applies to streets and bike trails.
  • To report damage to your home in Benton County from the May 26 storms, click here.
  • Also report damage to your home or property to your house insurance company.
  • If you rent or lease, report damage to your landlord or property management company.
    • Also report any damage to your belongings to your renter’s insurance company.
  • Report damage to your vehicle to your automobile insurance company.
  • If power goes out, please follow these tips to safeguard cold or frozen food:
    • Move food to the bottom of fridge and group together.
    • Keep refrigerator doors closed if at all possible.
    • Use coolers to keep frozen meat frozen and always keep ice on hand in preparation for an upcoming storm.
    • Throw meat away if it thaws for more than 4 hours.
  • For veteran students, visit this website from Benton County about veteran services in the area to view available resources in an emergency.