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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | The Indian Eye 16

After Hurricane Helene:

NRS Helps Local Retailers Get Back on

Their Feet to Serve Communities in Need

OUR BUREAU

Newark, NJ
urricane Helene brought un-
precedented flooding and
Hdestruction to the Carolinas,
sweeping away hundreds of homes
and small businesses and devastating
communities once peacefully situat-
ed by rivers and streams that trans-
formed into deadly torrents. The
flooding tragically claimed over 230
lives and caused an economic toll es-
timated at over $200 billion.
National Retail Solutions
(NRS), which operates the most ex-
tensive point-of-sale (POS) platform
for independent retailers across the
United States, quickly mobilized an
emergency response team to sup-
port NRS retailers and assist in relief
efforts throughout North Carolina
and South Carolina. With over 2300
North and South Carolina stores re-
lying on the NRS platform, the com-
pany focused on helping these essen-
tial local businesses reopen and serve
their communities in need.
Nationwide, more than 30,000
independent brick-and-mortar retail
businesses—including convenience
stores, bodegas, small grocery stores,
tobacco shops, and liquor stores—
depend on the NRS POS platform
to process sales, manage operations, over a week without electricity or in- food and supplies for hard-hit com- local retailers affected by Hurricane
and enhance customer service. Many ternet,” an NRS team member on the munities.” Helene. In a time when many larger
of these retailers are located in areas scene shared. “We showed these store IDT Corporation, NRS’s parent stores remain closed or cut off from
hardest hit by Hurricane Helene. owners how the NRS handheld POS, company, also had team members on communities, the NRS network of
NRS representatives traveled paired with a SIM Card and equipped the ground, offering crucial support independent retailers plays a vital
from the company’s headquarters with NRS Pay credit card processing, to NRS retailer customers and local role in the resilience and recovery of
in Newark, New Jersey, to the disas- could enable them to accept card communities during the recovery these hard-hit regions. NRS will con-
ter-stricken regions around Green- payments without power or Wi-Fi. project. tinue to stand by its retail partners,
ville, SC, and Asheville, NC. Once on For stores with power, we provid- Elie Y. Katz, President and ensuring they have the resources and
the ground, the NRS team focused ed technical support to restore their CEO of National Retail Solutions support needed to serve their com-
on helping damaged stores reopen, POS and card processing terminals.” (NRS), contacted impacted retailers munities.
allowing these essential businesses to NRS’s community outreach of- to check on them and extend assis- National Retail Solutions oper-
once again serve their communities. ficer, known for his ‘Ricky on the tance. “We cannot begin to imagine ates one of the largest and most com-
The team also donated non-perishable Road’ video segments, added, “The the devastation that local small busi- prehensive point-of-sale networks
foods to local non-profits, including NRS POS terminal is at the core of nesses have experienced. When news for independent retailers in the U.S.
the Greenville-based Hispanic-Amer- our retailers’ operations. We must broke of the disaster’s broad scope in With a POS system designed specifi-
ican Women’s Association (AHAM repair, replace, or reconnect these the Carolinas, we immediately sent cally for independent stores like con-
- Asociación Hispano-Americana de units quickly so these stores can con- a team of NRS volunteers to help venience stores, bodegas, and grocery
Mujeres), to support food drives for tinue serving their customers, espe- these business owners through this outlets, NRS empowers its customers
impacted families. cially since so many larger grocery crisis and stay afloat by keeping their with the tools they need to manage
“We witnessed extensive flood and big box stores were closed or stores running,” said Mr. Katz. their business, grow their customer
damage, with many store owners fac- inaccessible. Independent NRS re- As the recovery continues, NRS base, and serve their communities.
ing loss of merchandise and going tailers have been a critical source of remains committed to supporting the

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