Youngkin sets up Helene recovery office, appoints Rob Ward to head it up

Gov. Glenn Youngkin has established an Office of Hurricane Helene Recovery and Rebuilding within the Office of the Governor, and appointed Chief Transformation Officer Rob Ward to lead the state’s recovery effort.

“In the wake of the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene affecting Southwest Virginia, it is imperative to create a dedicated office to support the coordination of long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts,” Youngkin said. “We know this is a long road, but with the incredible grit and resilience of the people and communities affected, in collaboration with local, state and federal partners, Southwest Virginia will rebuild stronger than ever.”

The state has opened five disaster recovery centers across the Commonwealth to individually assist Virginians in need.

The locations include Damascus, Independence, Tazewell, Dublin and Marion.

Additional centers will be opening in the coming weeks throughout Southwest Virginia.