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There are Many Good Reasons to Apply for SBA Low-interest Disaster Loans

JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi tornado survivors who fail to return completed Small Business Administration low-interest disaster loan applications may be saying no to federal assistance.

Sometimes survivors think SBA disaster loans are only for businesses. Some may be counting on a future insurance settlement to cover all the costs of rebuilding. Often they don’t want a disaster loan or fear they cannot afford one. Or maybe they simply need assistance completing the SBA disaster loan application.

SBA offers disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations for physical damage from the April 28 through May 3 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in the following Mississippi counties: Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston.

Economic injury disaster loans are available to provide working capital to eligible small businesses and non-profit organizations located in the counties listed above and the adjacent counties.

There are good reasons for FEMA applicants who have been contacted by SBA to submit a completed disaster loan application before the June 30, 2014, deadline.

Some of the top reasons for submitting an SBA application include:

A future insurance settlement may fall short. Survivors may find out they are underinsured for the amount of work it takes to repair or replace a damaged home. An SBA low-interest loan can cover the uninsured costs. By submitting the loan application, survivors may have loan money available when it is needed. SBA can approve a loan for the repair or replacement of a home up to $200,000. The loan balance will be reduced by a survivor’s insurance settlement. However, the opportunity for an SBA disaster loan may be lost if they wait until after the application deadline.
SBA can help renters repair or replace disaster damaged personal property. Renters, as well as homeowners, may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace clothing, furniture, appliances and damaged vehicles.
By submitting an SBA loan application, survivors keep the full range of disaster assistance available as an option. SBA may refer applicants who do not qualify for a home loan to FEMA for grants to replace essential household items, replace or repair a damaged vehicle, cover medical, dental and funeral expenses and other serious disaster-related needs. But if survivors do not submit their disaster loan applications, the assistance process may stop. Survivors are not required to accept a loan offer.

For more information, homeowners, renters and businesses may call the SBA at 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339), send an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visit SBA.gov/Disaster. Survivors can complete disaster loan applications online at https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA.

Survivors can visit any of the three disaster recovery centers open in Mississippi to sit down and talk with an SBA representative in person. Disaster recovery center locations can be found by visiting FEMA.gov/DRCLocator or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585.)

Survivors who have not yet registered with FEMA can do so online at DisasterAssistance.gov, with a mobile device at m.FEMA.gov or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362.) Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability can call TTY 800-462-7585.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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There are Many Good Reasons to Apply for SBA Low-interest Disaster Loans

Recovery Center in Tuscaloosa to Close May 31; Re-Opens June 2 as SBA Center

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Disaster Recovery Center in Tuscaloosa will close Saturday, May 31 at 6 p.m. An SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will open in the same location on Monday, June 2, at 9 a.m.

The Recovery Center is located at the Salvation Army Building, 1601 University Blvd. East, Tuscaloosa, 35404. The FEMA center will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the final day.

The SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Friday, June 6 at 6:00 pm. The Center will have both SBA and FEMA staff on hand.

After the center closes, survivors will still be able to contact FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone at m.fema.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available. Survivors may also visit any of the open Recovery Centers.

Recovery Centers in Alabama are currently open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the following locations:

· Baldwin County

o Elberta Town Hall,10352 Main St., Elberta, 36530

o Fairhope Civic Center (Delchamps Room), 161 North Section St., 3653

· Blount County:

o Oneonta Recreation Park – City Depot, Chamber of Commerce Room, 28161 State Highway 75, Oneonta, 35121

(Closes May 31, 6 p.m.)

· Jefferson County:

o Maurice C. West Community Center, 171 2nd St. SW, Graysville 35073

o Lawson State Community College, 1100 9th Ave SW, Bessemer, 35022

· Limestone County:

o Ripley Woodmen of the World Hall, 11281 Ripley Road, Athens, 35611

· Mobile County:

o Old Navy/Marine Corps Reserve Center, 4851 Museum Drive, Mobile, 36608

· Tuscaloosa County:

o Salvation Army Building, 1601 University Blvd. East, Tuscaloosa, 35404

(Closes May 31, 6 p.m.)

The deadline to register for disaster assistance is July 1, 2014

The SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations for losses not covered by insurance. The SBA may lend up to $200,000 to repair or replace homes and up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property.

Loans to businesses, including non-profits are available up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged real estate, and other business assets. Eligible businesses and non-profits can apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. The deadline for Economic Injury Disaster Loans is February 2, 2015.

Recovery Center in Tuscaloosa to Close May 31; Re-Opens June 2 as SBA Center

Whole-Community Rapid Response Marks First Thirty Days of Recovery

JACKSON, Miss. – It was April 28 when tornadoes swept from west to east across Mississippi, the beginning of five days of severe storms that also brought rain and flooding. The National Weather Service confirmed 23 tornadoes in the state and 14 deaths. More than 1,200 homes and 90 businesses were destroyed or sustained major damage. Approximately 2,000 homes and 200 businesses were damaged in some way. Two days into the event, Governor Phil Bryant’s request for a federal disaster declaration was granted by President Obama.

A dozen counties were so badly damaged they soon qualified for federal Individual Assistance to help individuals and households. Public Assistance was also included to help local governments, and certain private nonprofits in 10 counties.

The American Red Cross quickly opened shelters for those displaced by the tornadoes and eventually operated six shelters which provided 678 overnights stays, 21,512 meals and 25,721 snacks by the time they closed. The Salvation Army opened eight mobile kitchens (“Canteens”) and three fixed feeding sites. They served 10,256 meals, 13,547 beverages and 7,328 snacks.

Only a week after the Louisville tornado destroyed the Winston Medical Center, the only hospital in the area, MEMA and FEMA, with the assistance of the State of North Carolina, delivered a replacement. The National Mobile Disaster Hospital, which FEMA kept in a state of readiness in North Carolina, was loaded onto 27 tractor-trailers and delivered to Louisville for installation. MEMA leased another dozen mobile units in Mississippi to be installed as patient exam rooms.

Mississippi’s State Medical Assistance Team from University of Mississippi Medical Center provided emergency medical care to the citizens of Winston County while the National Mobile Disaster Hospital was transported and assembled.

Less than three weeks after their hospital was destroyed, the staff of the Winston Medical Center opened their new temporary facility at 7 a.m. on May 19.

Meanwhile, on May 3, MEMA and FEMA opened the first three disaster recovery centers where disaster survivors could obtain recovery information in person. Those centers were in Louisville and Tupelo, which briefly had two centers. On May 5, three more centers opened in Brandon, Columbus and Mantachie. Eventually 10 centers would be opened, the last on May 12 in Laurel. Six remained open this week. The centers have received nearly 4,000 visits so far.

The U.S. Small Business Administration also staffs the disaster recovery centers to help individuals, households and businesses understand the process for obtaining low-interest, long-term loans. Currently the SBA has approved 95 home loans for homeowners and renters totaling just over $6.6 million dollars for rebuilding, repairing and replacement of damaged property.

SBA continues to have staff at all disaster recovery centers to provide assistance with the completion and return of the loan applications. SBA advises there is no need to wait on an insurance settlement and encourages those with SBA loan applications to complete and return them as soon as possible.

For many Mississippians, the face of FEMA was a member of its Disaster Survivor Assistance cadre who are the eyes and ears of FEMA in impacted communities. They meet with local officials, community and faith leaders, business owners, schools and service organizations to identify disaster survivors who may need one-on-one help in registering and receiving FEMA assistance. They have visited more than 8,500 homes and interacted with more than 6,000 disaster survivors in Mississippi.

Mitigation is the word FEMA uses to describe the job of helping residents reduce the risk of damage in a future disaster. FEMA mitigation outreach teams can be found in home improvement stores, armed with situation-specific advice, booklets and pamphlets explaining how to repair or rebuild safer and stronger.

On another front, MEMA and FEMA created a joint task force to tackle the complex housing problem the disaster created. Statewide, 767 households were left homeless in the aftermath of the tornadoes.

Upon official review of assistance applications of homeowners and renters, more than a dozen cases were referred to the voluntary agency liaison for possible volunteer assistance to repair or rebuild their homes. More than 30 other disaster survivor households were identified as having access and functional needs. Their cases were referred to appropriate agencies. Overall, adequate temporary housing was determined to be available in 11 of the 12 counties eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance.

On May 20, FEMA approved a direct housing mission for residents of Winston County, where the most severe and concentrated tornado destruction happened. New, FEMA-owned mobile homes can be provided as temporary living quarters where no rental housing or other appropriate housing is available.

Where possible, temporary mobile homes will be installed on private sites while homes are rebuilt. Available vacant mobile home sites in existing parks also will be utilized.

But first, the tornado debris has to be cleared from properties of disaster survivors eligible for temporary use of a FEMA mobile home. By law, FEMA is not authorized to pay for debris clearance on private property. But skilled, disaster-experienced volunteers responded to Mississippi. They are helping survivors move debris off their lots and to the roadsides.

MEMA and FEMA are connecting those volunteers with the resources to get the job done. MEMA, through its newly-launched Business Emergency Operations Center, worked with private sector companies willing to donate tools and equipment, plus the diesel fuel to operate the heavy equipment.

In the fourth week of the disaster, the first applications for temporary mobile homes were approved and sites deemed suitable. Two will be placed on homeowner properties in Noxapater, Miss., and four will be installed on vacant pads in a trailer court in Louisville. More applications are being processed as quickly as possible.

Two temporary mobile homes arrived in Mississippi Tuesday; both are 34-foot, one-bedroom “park models.” One meets Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards for use by a disabled applicant. More units will make the three-hour trip from FEMA’s staging area in Selma, Ala. as applicants are approved and sites are prepared.

Volunteers from Mennonite Disaster Services, under agreement with MEMA and FEMA, are clearing sites of debris using their own equipment and fuel as well as donated equipment and fuel. Other volunteer groups, including Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, Samaritan’s Purse and Team Rubicon, have placed tarps on roofs of damaged homes and cleared debris.

This week, Public Assistance “kick-off” meetings were completed for the 10 counties eligible for FEMA grants to help local governments cover the costs of debris removal and emergency protective measures. Nine of the 10 counties also are eligible for help funding the repair or replacement of damaged public property.

Public Assistance benefits all taxpayers of designated counties to the extent that it relieves them of bearing costs of disaster response and rebuilding public facilities.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

Individuals and households in those counties can register for FEMA Individual Assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.FEMA.gov or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY should call 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (central time) and assistance is available in multiple languages.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to FEMA.gov/Disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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Whole-Community Rapid Response Marks First Thirty Days of Recovery

Mississippi Disaster Survivors: Read any FEMA Correspondence Carefully

JACKSON, Miss. – Some Mississippi tornado survivors who registered for federal disaster assistance may receive letters or other correspondence from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that say they’re ineligible for help.

However, in many cases, they may be able to turn what appears to be a ‘no’ into a ‘yes’ by following through and providing additional information.

It’s important for survivors to carefully read letters and other information provided by FEMA because they include explanations of what steps need to be taken to have the status of their request for assistance reconsidered by FEMA.

Some of the reasons for an initial turn down can be easily remedied with more information such as:

Submitting insurance settlement documents to FEMA.
Providing proof of ownership and primary residence at that address at the time of the disaster.
Signing essential documents.

Survivors can ask FEMA to review their application again if they appeal the agency’s decision in writing and their letter is postmarked within 60 days of the date on the FEMA decision letter (not the date they received the FEMA letter.)

FEMA cannot duplicate assistance that comes from insurance benefits or other sources, but FEMA’s initial determination of ineligibility may change if private insurance or other government assistance is not enough to cover all the eligible damage.

If the decision is ineligible due to insurance coverage, the applicant may send their insurance settlement documents to FEMA within 12 months of the date they registered with FEMA. Insured applicants are encouraged to always submit their settlement documents for a final decision on whether they qualify for a FEMA grant.

Applicants can appeal FEMA’s decision. When appealing, applicants should explain in writing why they disagree with a decision along with any new or additional documents supporting the appeal.

Appeal letters should include:

Federal disaster declaration number ‘4175-DR-MS’ on all pages of documents.
Applicant information, including:
- Nine-digit FEMA application number on all pages of documents,
- Full name,
- Date and place of birth, and
- Address of the damaged dwelling.
Copies of verifiable documentation supporting the appeal. All receipts, bills and estimates must include contact information for the service provider. Applicants should keep all originals for their records.
A copy of a state-issued identification card, unless the letter is notarized or includes the following statement: “I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.”

The applicant’s signature.

Applicants may mail appeal letters to:

FEMA

National Processing Service Center

P.O. Box 10055

Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

Applicants may fax appeal letters to:

800-827-8112

Attention: FEMA

It is important to have appeal letters postmarked within 60 days of the date on the decision letter.

If applicants have any questions about appealing a decision, they should call 800-621-FEMA (3362) or

TTY 800-462-7585 or go to FEMA.gov/Help-After-Disaster.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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Mississippi Disaster Survivors: Read any FEMA Correspondence Carefully

More Than $10 Million Approved for Mississippi Disaster Survivors

JACKSON, Miss. – Federal assistance approved for disaster survivors in 12 Mississippi counties has reached more than $10 million.

Just three weeks after tornadoes ripped through Mississippi, FEMA’s National Mobile Disaster Hospital opened Monday in Louisville, Miss. and is being operated by the staff of the Winston Medical Center, which was severely damaged by a tornado April 28. The temporary facility will remain in place until the medical center is rebuilt. About 85 percent of the medical center staff is employed to operate the mobile hospital.

The opening, attended by Governor Bryant and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, was the culmination of coordination and teamwork by MEMA, the Mississippi Department of Health, the State of North Carolina, Winston County, the city of Louisville, North Carolina Baptist Men and Women, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and FEMA. This is the first time the National Mobile Disaster Hospital has been used as a fully operational hospital.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is leading a joint Long-Term Housing Task Force, which includes FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department, along with state and local officials, volunteers and the private sector to assess and provide assistance to families with housing needs.

Here is a summary through Thursday, May 22, of all federal assistance to individuals and households in the 12 counties designated for FEMA Individual Assistance as a result of the April 28 through May 3, 2014, severe storms, tornadoes and flooding.

More than $10 million in total federal disaster assistance has been approved by FEMA and SBA.
More than $6.3 million in low-interest disaster home loans has been approved by SBA for 89 homeowners and renters.
More than $3.9 million in FEMA Individual Assistance grants has been approved to help Mississippi disaster survivors recover, including:
- More than $3 million approved for housing grants, including short-term rental assistance and home repair costs.
- Nearly $935,000 approved to help cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and household possessions. Included is approval of assistance with funeral expenses for two disaster-related deaths. Other funeral expense requests are pending.

More than 4,400 people have contacted FEMA for help or information regarding disaster assistance.
- In addition to FEMA grants for individuals and families, other forms of disaster assistance are provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration and other partner agencies such as the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. FEMA refers some survivors to those agencies.
- All businesses that contact FEMA are also referred to the SBA.
- Others may be interested in other programs such as disaster unemployment assistance and disaster legal services.
2,279 home inspections completed.
More than 3,700 visits to disaster recovery centers by people affected by the disaster.
8 disaster recovery centers are open across the affected areas.
FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crews have visited 7,577 dwellings and assisted 5,209 survivors.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

For additional information about SBA low-interest disaster loans, contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339, emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visiting sba.gov/disaster. SBA representatives are available at ALL disaster recovery centers. Disaster recovery center locations can be found online at FEMA.gov/DRCLocator.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for childcare, medical, dental expenses and/or funeral expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, those who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, transportation, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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More Than $10 Million Approved for Mississippi Disaster Survivors

Federal Aid for Alabama Disaster Tops $12 Million

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — More than $12 million has been approved through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $3 million through its low-interest disaster loan program.

The following numbers, compiled May 23, provide a snapshot of the Alabama/FEMA disaster recovery to date:

Funds approved

$10.3 million for Housing Assistance grants to help with recovery rental expenses and home repair costs.
$2 million for Other Needs Assistance to cover essential disaster-related needs, such as medical expenses and lost personal possessions.
$3.4 million approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest loans to eligible homeowners, renters or business owners.

Survivor recovery

6,882 of the 7,899 damaged homes and property have been inspected (87 percent of requests).
2,990 visits have been made to the nine disaster recovery centers located in designated counties.
9 counties designated for Individual Assistance.

FEMA works with many volunteer agencies and the private sector to speed the recovery effort. But those affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding need to register with FEMA for disaster aid.

No matter the degree of loss or insurance status, survivors are urged to apply for help. They can use the following methods:

By phone, call 800-621-3662 (FEMA) from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., local time. Operators are multilingual. TTY 800-462-7585.
By computer, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
By smartphone or tablet, use m.fema.gov.

County-by-County approved breakdown of Individual Assistance:

County	Approved Registrations	Housing Assistance	Other Needs Assistance
Baldwin	1,315	$5,618,245.47	$831,785.39
Blount	11	$88,865.68	3,189.15
DeKalb	16	$24,233.20	$10,343.47
Etowah	41	$379,218.80	35,910.51
Jefferson	342	$932,366.08	138,250.46
Lee	47	$206,609.16	51,907.93
Limestone	227	$725,883.91	$366,621.99
Mobile	1,445	$2,265,917.98	$544,046.56
Tuscaloosa	34	$128,910.34	$36,814.67
Total:	3,478	$10,370,249.90	$2,018,870.13

Recovery officials urge all Alabama residents who have registered for assistance to stay in close contact with FEMA throughout the recovery process. This is especially true during the first weeks after registering when FEMA housing inspectors must contact applicants to view damages. Those with mobile phones should provide that number to FEMA during the registration.

Affected survivors and business owners in the nine designated counties may apply for assistance. Those counties are: Baldwin, Blount, DeKalb, Etowah, Jefferson, Lee, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa.

Alabama/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are located in Baldwin, Blount, Jefferson, Limestone, Mobile and Tuscaloosa counties. These centers will be open Monday, Memorial Day, May 26, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The DRC in Etowah County closes Saturday, May 24.

The deadline to register is Tuesday, July 1.

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Federal Aid for Alabama Disaster Tops $12 Million

DR-4177-FL, Florida Disaster Assistance Reaches Nearly $28 Million in Two Weeks

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Just two weeks since the May 6 major disaster declaration for severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in the Florida Panhandle, nearly $28 million in disaster assistance has been approved to help survivors and their communities recover.

The following is a summary of ongoing recovery efforts by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to date:

Four designated counties – Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton – are eligible for disaster assistance.
Nearly $28 million in total federal disaster assistance has been approved by FEMA and SBA.
More than $20.7 million has been approved for housing assistance, including short-term rental assistance and essential home repair costs.
Nearly $3.4 million has been approved to help cover other essential disaster-related needs such as medical and dental expenses and lost personal possessions.
Nearly $3.9 million has been approved for low-interest disaster loans by SBA for qualified homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofits.
More than 9,500 people have contacted FEMA for help or information regarding disaster assistance.
Five disaster recovery centers are open in Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties.
More than 2,000 visits have been made to disaster recovery centers to get information and apply for disaster assistance.

Survivors in the designated counties can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov, via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov, or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY can call 800-462-7585. Lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. central time and assistance is available in multiple languages.

To apply for an SBA low-interest disaster loan, survivors can find the electronic loan application on SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Questions can be answered by calling the SBA disaster customer service center at 800-659-2955 or (TTY) 800-877-8339.

For more information on Florida disaster recovery, click fema.gov/disaster/4177. Visit the Florida Division of Emergency Management website at FloridaDisaster.org or Facebook page at facebook.com/FloridaSERT.

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DR-4177-FL, Florida Disaster Assistance Reaches Nearly $28 Million in Two Weeks

MEMA, FEMA, Volunteers Working Together to Help Disaster Survivors Recover in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. – A cooperative effort involving the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), federal agencies including FEMA, local governments and volunteer groups is underway to help disaster survivors recover from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that swept across Mississippi between April 28 and May 3.

The need is great. Officials have identified more than 700 households and individuals whose dwellings were too heavily damaged to be habitable. Nearly 2,000 other dwellings were less seriously damaged.

Compounding the issue, nearly 800 households who have registered for FEMA assistance are uninsured.

Clearing the debris is the first step toward recovery. Without homeowner insurance to pay the bill, it may seem an insurmountable obstacle. That is where the generosity of volunteer groups can be critical. Organizations such as Mennonite Disaster Service, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, Samaritan’s Purse and Team Rubicon have responded to Mississippi with the experience, the tools and the equipment to move debris and make repairs.

MEMA and FEMA are working together and with local governments, the volunteers and disaster survivors to get the debris moved to roadsides where it can be taken to the appropriate landfills. FEMA is covering 75 percent of the cost of hauling debris away from roadsides and the state is paying the remaining 25 percent. If homeowners contract to remove debris, it must be hauled away by the contractor.

Debris removal from private property is an allowable cost in U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters and businesses.

Disaster survivors in Itawamba, Jones, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Madison, Montgomery, Rankin, Simpson, Warren, Wayne and Winston counties may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.

For additional information about SBA low-interest disaster loans, contact the SBA Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339, emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visiting sba.gov/disaster. SBA customer service representatives are available at ALL disaster recovery centers. Disaster recovery center locations can be found online at FEMA.gov/DRCLocator.

For more information on Mississippi disaster recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4175. Visit the MEMA site at msema.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/msemaorg.

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MEMA, FEMA, Volunteers Working Together to Help Disaster Survivors Recover in Mississippi

Individual Assistance Tops $2 Million for Arkansas Tornado Survivors

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Less than three weeks after tornadoes, severe storms and flooding hit Arkansas, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have announced that more than $2 million in Individual Assistance has been approved to help Arkansans recover.

“Two million is a great start,” said State Coordinating Officer David Maxwell of ADEM. “But it’s just one component of a successful recovery.”

“We’re working together to bring assistance to eligible survivors who need it,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Timothy J. Scranton. “We will stay here until the job is done.”

In less than three weeks, FEMA has approved almost $1.7 million in Housing Assistance and more than $355,000 in Other Needs Assistance. Additionally, the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved $721,100 in low-interest disaster loans for Arkansans affected by the April 27 severe storms, tornadoes and floods.

Housing Assistance is provided to individuals, families and businesses in Faulkner, Pulaski, Randolph and White counties whose property has been damaged or destroyed and whose losses are not fully covered by insurance.

Other Needs Assistance can be used to repair or replace personal property damaged or destroyed during the disaster, for transportation costs, or for medical, dental, funeral and burial expenses.

Tornado survivors can continue to register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

The deadline to register for assistance is June 30, 2014.

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The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) is the state’s homeland security and preparedness agency. The agency works to identify and lessen the effects of emergencies, disasters and threats to Arkansas by developing effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery actions for all disasters and emergencies. For additional information, contact ADEM at (501) 683-6700 or visit the website at www.adem.arkansas.gov.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/femaregion6, the R6 Hurricane Preparedness website at www.fema.gov/about/regions/regionvi/updates.shtm and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov. For information on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger, visit www.fema.gov/ar-disaster-mitigation.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants can go to www.sba.gov/disaster or call (800) 659-2955 (TTY 1-800-977-8339).

Individual Assistance Tops $2 Million for Arkansas Tornado Survivors

Non-U.S. Citizens May be Eligible for Disaster Assistance

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas storm survivors who are in the United States legally, but who are not U.S. citizens, may be eligible for disaster assistance for damage from the tornadoes and severe storms that hit Arkansas on April 27, according to officials from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“We want to help everyone who may qualify for disaster assistance, regardless of their national origin,” said State Coordinating Officer David Maxwell of ADEM. “We encourage anyone in Faulkner, Pulaski, Randolph and White Counties who might be eligible for disaster assistance to apply.”

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals or qualified aliens to receive federal monetary assistance. The legal status of qualified aliens will not be jeopardized by applying for aid.

Qualified aliens include:

Individuals with Lawful Permanent Residency (holders of “green cards”);
Persons with refugee or asylum status;
Persons whose deportation has been withheld;
Persons on parole in the U.S. for at least one year for humanitarian purposes;
Persons with conditional entry;
Cuban or Haitian entrants; and
Persons with petitions for relief based on domestic violence against spouses or children;
Persons subjected to severe forms of human trafficking, including those with “T” and “U” visas.

Disaster assistance may also be available if someone in the household is entitled to it. For example, a parent or guardian who is not eligible for assistance can still apply on behalf of a minor child who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien. The guardian only certifies for the child. Additionally, low-interest disaster assistance loans for homeowners, renters and businesses may be available from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Undocumented immigrants from a household with no one eligible for FEMA assistance may still be eligible for assistance from voluntary agencies that deliver humanitarian services without regard to citizenship or immigration status. They may also be eligible for short-term, non-cash aid from FEMA, such as disaster legal services.

“Even if people are in doubt, they should still apply,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Timothy J. Scranton. “FEMA will work with them to determine their eligibility.”

To register for FEMA assistance, tornado survivors can call 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual registration assistance is available at both numbers. Survivors may also apply online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. By smartphone or tablet, use m.fema.gov.

The deadline to apply for Individual Assistance is June 30, 2014.

Credit:

Non-U.S. Citizens May be Eligible for Disaster Assistance

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