'We can always rebuild:' Volunteers bring aid, food to New Bern

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The slow process of recovery is continuing in communities like New Bern, where President Donald Trump visited Wednesday.

There is a sense of resiliency among neighbors in New Bern and helping people rebuild will take a lot of dedicated volunteers.

When disasters strike, the volunteers are often called angels in bright orange shirts.

“It’s nice to give back to my community,” volunteer Tim Kiley said.

For one homeowner, a tarp delivered Wednesday was heaven sent after Florence caused leaks in the roof.

“The first thing I had to do was give him as hug,” Kiley said.

For Kiley, New Bern is where his heart is.

“As long as the people are still alive that’s what really matters. We can always rebuild,” he said.

Across town, members of a congregation in Vanceboro pulled up with a van full of snacks and homemade toiletry bags and began going door to door in flood damaged neighborhoods.

“We’ve been blessed. God has blessed us. We had a church from Wilson to bring food in for us and we were just over at our church separating everything and bringing it out here,” volunteer Mary Hacker said.

A community broken by Hurricane Florence is rebuilding and recovering with the help of some dedicated volunteers.

“It brought a tear to my eye really,” Kiley said. “I’m an electrician by trade, so this is just right up my alley to help out.”

Many of the volunteers plan to be in the New Bern community and surrounding areas as long as there is work to be done.