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In the two weeks since Helene devastated western North Carolina, FEMA officials say the agency has distributed more than $60 million in individual assistance to North Carolinians. But getting information about federal aid to immigrant and refugee communities in rural areas has taken a network of organizations — and lots of word of mouth.

Many Hmong refugees settled in western North Carolina in the decades following the Vietnam War. Now that they’re getting older and are dealing with more health issues, they’ve become more reliant on their adult children to serve as interpreters in healthcare settings, which can be challenging given major differences between the English and Hmong languages.

North Carolina’s immigrant residents face a range of challenges such as language barriers, complex eligibility rules and discriminatory treatment when interacting with government agencies.

Note: this segment originally aired April 29, 2016. Shirlette Ammons's rhythms and rhymes can take on many different shapes. The Durham musician's latest…

Note: this segment originally aired April 29, 2016. Shirlette Ammons's rhythms and rhymes can take on many different shapes. The Durham musician's latest…