RIDGELAND, Miss. – The state of Mississippi, local governments and certain private nonprofits in 26 Mississippi counties are now eligible to receive federal assistance to help cover expenses and repair damage associated with the severe storms and flooding that occurred March 9-29, 2016, according to state and federal officials.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency said an amendment to the disaster declaration of March 25, authorizes the Public Assistance program for Bolivar, Claiborne, Clarke, Coahoma, Covington, Forrest, Greene, Holmes, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Leake, Leflore, Lincoln, Marion, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, Walthall, Washington and Wayne counties.

The Public Assistance Grant Program is a reimbursement program paid to state, tribal and local governments, and certain private nonprofits. Under the Public Assistance program, FEMA pays 75 percent of the cost for repairs, overtime and debris removal. Typically, the remaining 25 percent is split between state and local governments at 12.5 percent each. Eligible nonprofits are responsible for the full 25 percent. The program is administered by MEMA. Eligibility and project approval is determined by FEMA.

MEMA and FEMA will schedule applicant briefings with officials of eligible entities and nonprofit organizations in the designated counties. MEMA and FEMA will provide information on the application process, as well as deadlines for submission of necessary documents to receive federal reimbursement.

The applicant briefings may be followed by face-to-face meetings in local communities between FEMA, state officials and eligible applicants.

MEMA and FEMA and their local, state and federal partners are also providing assistance to individuals affected by the storms.

Survivors in the 16 Mississippi counties designated for the Individual Assistance Grant Program can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling the FEMA helpline at (voice, 711 or relay service)  800-621-3362. (TTY users should call 800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available. Survivors may also call the helplines with questions regarding their applications or the appeals process.

There are 16 Mississippi counties designated for FEMA’s Individual Assistance Grant Program, including: Bolivar, Clarke, Coahoma, Forrest, George, Greene, Jones, Marion, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Quitman, Sunflower, Tunica, Washington and Wayne.

For more information on Mississippi’s flood recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4268 or visit the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency website at msema.org.

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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.

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). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

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 are referred to SBA must submit the loan application to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

 

 

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26 Mississippi Counties Approved for Infrastructure Disaster Aid

RIDGELAND, Miss. – A disaster recovery center will open at noon Tuesday, April 19, and remain open through 6 p.m. Saturday, April 23, in Pearl River County to provide assistance to survivors of the severe storms and flooding that occurred from March 9-29, 2016.

Recovery centers are run jointly by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Representatives of state, federal and voluntary agencies are available in the centers to explain the various programs designed to help survivors recover.

The Pearl River County Center will be located at Manna Ministries, Inc., 120 Street A, Suite A, Picayune, MS 39466. It will be open on Tuesday from noon until 6 p.m.

Beginning Wednesday, April 20, through Saturday, April 23, the Picayune center will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The center will close permanently on Saturday at 6 p.m.

A nearby Forrest County center remains open to assist survivors Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Centers are closed on Sunday. The location is:       

Forrest County

Forrrest County Community Disaster Shelter facility

946 Sullivan Drive

Hattiesburg, MS 39401

Anyone affected by the storms and flooding in a designated county may visit either of the centers. Survivors can locate the nearest center by visiting fema.gov/drc or by calling the FEMA helpline.

Many services available at disaster recovery centers are also available by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Survivors with questions regarding the application or the appeals process, or who need to register for assistance, may visit online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362. (TTY users should call        800-462-7585.) The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Survivors requiring a reasonable accommodation (ASL interpreting, Braille Large Print, etc.) while visiting a disaster recovery center may call the appropriate Helpline number above.

Homeowners, renters and business owners can apply for low-interest disaster loans at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.  SBA representatives are available at the disaster recovery centers to answer questions and help survivors complete their disaster loan applications. Questions can also be answered by calling the SBA disaster customer service center at         800-659-2955 or (TTY) 800-877-8339 for the deaf or hard of hearing, or by visiting sba.gov/disaster.

For more information on Mississippi’s flood recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4268 or visit the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency website at msema.org.

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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.

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 are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is the federal government’s primary source of money to help business of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters rebuild and recover after a disaster. SBA low interest disaster loans repair and replace property losses not fully compensated by insurance and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

 

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Pearl River County Disaster Recovery Center Open Today Through Saturday

Mississippi Storm Damage Assistance Tops $5.1 million

JACKSON, Miss. – More than $5.1 million in state and federal disaster assistance has been disbursed to help those affected by the storms and flooding in Mississippi that began March 9, 2016.

Of this amount, more than $4 million was for housing assistance for repairing/rebuilding homes and rental assistance to provide more than 650 people a temporary place to live.  An additional more than $1 million in other needs assistance was delivered to help cover the costs of replacing lost contents, medical, dental and other disaster-related expenses.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been contacted by more than 2,900 people for help or information regarding disaster assistance.

In addition to FEMA grants for individuals and families, other forms of disaster assistance are provided by partner agencies such as the U.S. Small Business Administration and voluntary agencies. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and FEMA often refer survivors to those agencies. All businesses are also referred to the SBA.

No matter the degree of loss or insurance coverage, survivors who sustained damage in the 16 disaster-designated Mississippi counties are urged to apply for help. The Individual Assistance-designated counties are Bolivar, Clarke, Coahoma, Forrest, George, Greene, Jones, Marion, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Quitman, Sunflower, Tunica, Washington and Wayne.

Individuals and businesses in any of the 16 designated Mississippi counties begin the disaster assistance process by registering online at disasterassistance.gov. Survivors also can call 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service should call 800-621-3362. Helpline hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week until further notice.

Survivors can speak in person with state, federal and voluntary agency representatives by visiting a disaster recovery center. Centers are open in Bolivar, Coahoma, Forrest, Greene, Quitman, Tunica and Washington counties. Centers are planned in additional counties in the coming days. To locate the nearest center, call the FEMA helpline or go to fema.gov/drc.

For more information on Mississippi’s recovery, go to fema.gov/disaster/4268 or visit the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency site at msema.org.

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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.

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 are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability 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. People who are referred to SBA by FEMA will be contacted by SBA and provided options for the application process. Completed applications must be submitted to SBA officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

 

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Mississippi Storm Damage Assistance Tops $5.1 million

 

April 5 is Deadline to Register for Disaster Assistance for December – January Storms

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Residents of 11 Arkansas counties who suffered damage from the severe storms of December – January have only until Tuesday, April 5, 2016 to register for federal disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Assistance can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Residents of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties may be eligible for assistance.

The first step is register:

  • Call 800-621-3362 (FEMA). If you are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

  • Go to www.disasterassistance.gov.

The toll free lines operate from 7 a.m.to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to help with residential and business losses not covered by insurance. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Applying for these loans is also a way to qualify for other avenues of assistance.

The SBA offers online an application through its Electronic Loan Application site at https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ela. Survivors can contact the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Individuals with a speech disability, are deaf or hard-of-hearing, may call TTY (800) 877-8339.

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Arkansas April 5th is Deadline to Register for Disaster Assistance for December-January Storms

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Residents of 11 Arkansas counties who suffered damage from the severe storms of December – January have only until Tuesday, April 5, 2016 to register for federal disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Assistance can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Residents of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties may be eligible for assistance.

The first step is register:

  • Call 800-621-3362 (FEMA). If you are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 800-621-3362.
  • Go to www.disasterassistance.gov.

The toll free lines operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to help with residential and business losses not covered by insurance. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Applying for these loans is also a way to qualify for other avenues of assistance.

The SBA offers online an application through its Electronic Loan Application site at https://DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ela. Survivors can contact the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Individuals with a speech disability, are deaf or hard-of-hearing, may call TTY (800) 877-8339.

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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.

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Deadline to Register for Disaster Assistance is April 5

AUSTIN, Texas— Twenty-six additional Texas counties are now eligible for Federal disaster assistance for FEMA Public Assistance (PA). The added counties received damage as a result of the severe winter storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding, which took place between Dec. 26, 2015 and Jan. 21, 2016.

FEMA Public Assistance is now available to state and local governments, and certain private nonprofits, to supplement recovery efforts. The 26 newly designated counties for PA include: Borden, Cass, Collingsworth, Cottle, Crosby, Delta, Donley, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Franklin, Haskell, Hockley, Jones, Knox, Leon, Motley, Nolan, Scurry, Shackelford, Stonewall, Terry, Trinity, Walker, Wheeler, and Wilbarger counties.

This brings the total to 51 counties designated for PA. The previous 25 counties included in the presidential disaster declaration of Feb. 9 include: Bailey, Castro, Childress, Cochran, Dallas, Deaf Smith, Dickens, Ellis, Hall, Hardeman, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Kaufman, Kent, King, Lamb, Lubbock, Navarro, Parmer, Rains, Red River, Rockwall, Titus and Van Zandt.

FEMA Public Assistance reimburses a minimum of 75 percent of the cost of eligible projects, which can include repair of roads and bridges, water control facilities, buildings and equipment, utilities and parks and recreational facilities affected by the December and January storms. The cost of debris removal and emergency protective services, such as police overtime for extra work caused from responding to the disaster, may also be eligible for reimbursement.                                                            

Applicants apply through the state of Texas using a Request for Public Assistance (RPA) form alerting FEMA that an applicant will seek assistance from the agency. State Public Assistance personnel will soon conduct briefings for applicants on how to prepare projects for submission.

FEMA ensures that all projects meet environmental quality standards and gives final approval for all projects. The federal share goes directly to the state, with the applicant paying the remaining 25 percent. The state forwards the federal funds to eligible applicants when documentation is complete.

For more information on Texas recovery, visit our disaster web page at www.fema.gov/disaster/4255 Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/femaregion6 and the Texas Division of Emergency Management website, https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem.

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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

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. 

Visit www.fema.gov/texas-disaster-mitigation for publications and reference material on rebuilding and repairing safer and stronger.

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FEMA Public Assistance Added for 26 Texas Counties

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas residents who need legal advice as a result of the severe storms in late December – January can get free help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and its local partners.

Free legal assistance on topics related to the storm recovery is provided by the Arkansas Bar and the Young Lawyers’ Section, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, the Arkansas Emergency Management Agency, the Center for Arkansas Legal Services, and Legal Aid of Arkansas.

The service is available to individuals affected by the storms in Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties.

The toll-free number for the Young Lawyers’ Disaster Legal Services in Arkansas is 800-609-5668. Legal aid providers and pro bono attorneys are available to assist with almost any legal issue that arises from a presidentially-declared disaster including:

  • Help with disaster-related health, property, life insurance claims, etc.;
  • Replacement of wills and other important legal documents lost or destroyed in the disaster;
  • Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
  • Counseling on mortgage and foreclosure problems;
  • Consumer protections for issues like price gouging and avoiding contractor scams in the rebuilding process;
  • Assistance securing FEMA benefit claims;
  • Employment law; and
  • Civil Rights.

Additional information is available by calling Disaster Legal Services Helpline at 800-609-5668.

FEMA’s Disaster Legal Services (DLS) program provides free legal assistance to low-income individuals who, prior to or because of the disaster, are unable to secure legal services adequate to meet their disaster-related needs. DLS is provided only to survivors of presidentially declared major disasters and is limited to cases that will not produce a fee. All information is confidential.

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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.

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Free Legal Aid Offered to Arkansas Storm Survivors

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – Undocumented immigrants who are parents or guardians of minor children who are U.S. citizens in the federally-declared Arkansas disaster area may apply for disaster aid on behalf of their child, according to the FEMA.

Residents of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period Dec. 26 – Jan. 22, 2016 may be eligible for disaster aid and are encouraged to register for assistance with FEMA.

To register, go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Multilingual operators are available. Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability, are deaf or hard of hearing and use TTY should call 800-462-7585; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service, call 800-621-3362.

FEMA collects only the information the agency needs to process the application. That information is confidential. However, FEMA shares that information with the state and designated agencies that provide disaster assistance.

FEMA can supply contacts for other assistance programs — those operated by local volunteer organizations such an American Red Cross chapter — that may help.

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 800-621-3362 (FEMA). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

# # #

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.

This article: 

Undocumented Immigrants May Qualify for Some Disaster Aid on Child’s Behalf

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – A joint federal/state disaster recovery center will be open in Benton County March 8 – 12, 2016, to help those whose homes or businesses were affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding Dec. 26, 2015 – Jan. 22, 2016.

Representatives from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies are at the center to explain disaster assistance programs and help survivors apply for aid.

The center is located at the Centerton Fire Department, 755 W. Centerton Blvd., Centerton.

Hours are from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 8 through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 12.

Those seeking disaster assistance should register with FEMA before going to a recovery center. To do so:

  • Call 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA). If you are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
  • Go to www.disasterassistance.gov.

The toll free lines operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Each disaster recovery center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. ASL interpreters are available at the DRCs by calling 800-621-3362.

Disaster aid for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to help with residential and business losses not covered by insurance. The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Applying for these loans is also a way to qualify for other avenues of assistance.

For more information on SBA programs, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

Federal disaster assistance is available to eligible residents of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties. Residents of those counties may visit any DRC.

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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.

Continue reading – 

Disaster Recovery Center Open in Benton County, March 8 – 12

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – A joint federal/state disaster recovery center is open in Jackson County to help those whose homes or businesses were affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding Dec. 26, 2015 – Jan. 22, 2016.

Representatives from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies are at the center to explain disaster assistance programs and help survivors apply for aid.

The center is located at the Newport Fire Department Training Center, 1206 Hwy. 367 N., Newport.

Hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sundays until further notice.

Those seeking disaster assistance should register with FEMA before going to a recovery center. To do so:

  • Call 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA). If you are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
  • Go to www.disasterassistance.gov.

The toll free lines operate from 7 a.m.to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

Each disaster recovery center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. ASL interpreters are available at the DRCs by calling 800-621-3362.

Disaster aid for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to help with residential and business losses not covered by insurance. The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. Applying for these loans is also a way to qualify for other avenues of assistance.

For more information on SBA programs, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

Federal disaster assistance is available to eligible residents of Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Faulkner, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Little River, Perry, Sebastian and Sevier counties. Residents of those counties may visit any DRC.

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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.

See original article here: 

Disaster Recovery Center Open in Jackson County

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