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West Virginians: There’s still time to register for help. Do it now!

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – If you were affected by the severe storms, landslides and mudslides that occurred June 22-29 and haven’t registered for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), why wait? Do it now!

Take the first step toward getting federal assistance. Don’t miss out! Once you register with FEMA, you may be eligible for a federal grant to help you with your recovery. You may also qualify for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

If you haven’t registered yet and are a homeowner or renter with disaster-related damage in the designated counties, do it now before it’s too late.

Did you not register because:

You simply didn’t know that FEMA offers help to homeowners and renters whose homes were damaged?
- Once you register with FEMA you will learn about the help that may be available to you.
You kept putting off registering because you were too busy and didn’t remember to register until the evening, and thought everything would be closed?
- Registering is a very important first step to getting help. The FEMA helpline is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT every day of the week.
- Or go online anytime to DisasterAssistance.gov.
You are confused about the process of registering with FEMA?
- FEMA is there to help you. Make the phone call (800-621-3362) or go online to the website (DisasterAssistance.gov). Ask questions and you will get answers.
You thought talking with your county officials or the American Red Cross, or calling2-1-1 would automatically make you eligible for FEMA aid?
- The only way for you to be eligible for federal help is for you, the homeowner, renter or as the business owner, to register with FEMA.
You thought the damage to your property would not be eligible for federal help?
- Let FEMA make the decision to determine if you qualify for federal assistance.
You thought that since you already cleaned up and made repairs you couldn’t apply for assistance?
- You can register with FEMA even after you make repairs. It is helpful to have photographs of the damage. It also helps if you keep all repair receipts.
You thought others needed the federal aid more than you?
- No one is denied aid because of someone else’s need. If you are eligible for assistance, FEMA will provide funds to help you start the recovery process.
You thought you’d have to repay a FEMA grant?
- FEMA assistance is a grant, not a loan. It does not have to be repaid. It is not subject to income tax.
You thought that getting disaster assistance from FEMA would affect your government benefits, such as Social Security, Medicaid or SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)?
- You will not have to pay additional income taxes or see any reduction in your Social Security checks or any other federal benefits.
You didn’t think you were eligible for FEMA help because you are not a U.S. citizen?
- If you are in the United States legally or are the parent of a U.S. citizen in your household, you need not worry about applying for federal disaster assistance.

None of these reasons will prevent you from getting help from FEMA. Here’s what to do to get the correct information:

Call the FEMA helpline (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. EDT seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.
Go online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Visit a Disaster Recovery Center near you. To find the closest one, go to www.fema.gov/drc.

If you have questions about how you may qualify for a low-interest SBA disaster loan for homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes:

Call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or 800-877-8339 or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from www.sba.gov. Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by calling the FEMA Helpline 800-621-3362 or visiting: www.DisasterAssistance.gov; the flood pages at www.WVflood.com; fema.gov/disaster/4273; twitter.com/femaregion3; and fema.gov/blog.

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West Virginians: There’s still time to register for help. Do it now!

Many good reasons to apply for an SBA loan before the Aug. 24 deadline

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – If you applied for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and were referred to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), there are many good reasons to submit a loan application.

The deadline to apply for an SBA low-interest disaster loan is Wednesday, Aug. 24. If you don’t apply before that date, you may not be eligible to receive the help that may be available to you, not only from SBA but also from FEMA.

SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations for physical damage from the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred June 22-29. The following counties are eligible to apply: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers and Webster.

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

SBA can help renters and homeowners repair or replace disaster-damaged personal property. Renters, as well as homeowners, may be eligible to borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace clothing, furniture, appliances and damaged vehicles.
A future insurance settlement may fall short. You may find out that you are underinsured for the amount of work it takes to repair or replace your damaged home. An SBA low-interest disaster loan can cover the uninsured costs. By submitting the application, you may have loan money available when it’s needed. SBA may approve a loan for the repair or replacement of a home up to $200,000. The loan balance may be reduced by your insurance settlement. However, the opportunity for an SBA loan may be lost if you wait until after the deadline expires on Aug. 24.
You are not required to accept a loan even if you qualify for one.
If SBA determines you aren’t eligible for a home loan, they will refer you back to FEMA. This could make you eligible for more FEMA aid.
Interest rates on SBA loans may be more affordable than you think. Get in touch with an SBA representative to get details.
If you need help completing your loan application call the SBA at 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339); send an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov; or you can visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to sit down and talk with an SBA representative one-on-one. Find the nearest center to you by going online at www.fema.gov/drc.

You can submit your SBA disaster loan application in one of three ways: online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/; in person at a DRC; or by mail.

If your SBA loan application is approved, you may be eligible to borrow additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples

include elevating utilities, water heaters and furnaces, and installing retaining walls and sump pumps. Applicants may be eligible for an SBA loan increase, for mitigation purposes, of up to 20 percent of their physical damage.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to provide working capital to eligible small businesses and nonprofit organizations in the 12 counties listed above and the 17 adjacent counties in West Virginia, five in Virginia, and one in Ohio.

The deadline to apply for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan is March 27, 2017.

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Many good reasons to apply for an SBA loan before the Aug. 24 deadline

Clay County DRC has closed

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at Clay County High School in Clay has closed as of Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016.

FEMA staff will be on site in the mobile command vehicle located in the parking lot of the school at 1 Panther Road, Clay, where you can register for assistance and submit any documentation you have regarding your registration.

FEMA will be on site from:

8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 12;
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13;
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, Aug. 15-17.

The last day that FEMA staff will be on site is Wednesday, Aug. 17 at 5 p.m.

As a survivor of the June storms and floods, you can still get the help you need with just a phone call. The deadline to register ends on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016.

Many of the services available at the site are also available on the FEMA helpline. The helpline operates from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice. Call 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or video relay services) or 800-462-7585 for TTY users.

You can also register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov or find an open DRC at www.fema.gov/drc. Remember to do this before Wednesday, Aug. 24.

If you want to discuss your application, you should have your nine-digit FEMA registration number and zip code.

You can still visit the other DRCs. Representatives from FEMA, various state agencies and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are at the centers to answer your disaster assistance or low-interest disaster loan questions:

Greenbrier County

Mobile Disaster Recovery Center,

Southeastern Labor Council,

AFL-CIO, 65 West Main St.,

White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986

Greenbrier County

Town Hall,

201 Kanawha Ave.,

Rainelle, WV 25962

Kanawha County

3300 Pennsylvania Ave.,

Charleston, WV 25302

Kanawha County

Office trailer in parking lot across from Dollar General Store,

120 Maywood Ave. W., Clendenin, WV 25045

Nicholas County

City of Richwood City Hall,

6 White Ave.,

Richwood, WV 26261

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster. TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

The deadline to file an SBA physical disaster loan application is Aug. 24. SBA Disaster low-interest loans are available to businesses of all sizes, homeowners and renters for their recovery needs.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/femaregion3, twitter.com/FEMA and fema.gov/blog.

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Clay County DRC has closed

FEMA offers advice at local Kanawha County stores on repairing, rebuilding

CHARLESTON, W. Va. — As West Virginians repair or rebuild their homes damaged by last month’s storms, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and four local hardware and home improvement stores have teamed up to provide free information, tips and literature on making homes stronger and safer.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be on hand this week to answer questions and offer home improvement tips along with proven methods to prevent or reduce damage from future disasters. A variety of free workshops for storm-impacted homeowners on such topics as repairing or installing flooring and what to do with rain-soaked drywall will be presented daily. Most of the information is geared for do-it-yourselfers and general contractors.

FEMA advisors will be available at:

Green’s Feed & Seed

314 Piedmont Road

Charleston, WV 25301

Aug. 11 to 17 (Workshop closed on Sunday)

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday – Wednesday

The Home Depot

100 Cross Terrace Blvd.

Charleston, WV 25309

Aug. 11 to 17 (Workshop closed on Sunday)

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday – Wednesday

Lowe’s Home Improvement

5750 MacCorkle Ave. SE

Charleston, WV 25304

Aug. 11 to 17 (Workshop closed on Sunday)

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday – Wednesday

50 RHL Blvd.

South Charleston, WV 25309

Aug. 11 to 17 (Workshop closed on Sunday)

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday – Wednesday

Free reference booklets, in English and Spanish, with information on protecting your home from flood damage, will be available at all locations. More information about strengthening property can be found at http://www.fema.gov/what-mitigation.

West Virginians who have questions about their flood insurance policies and coverage should contact the National Flood Insurance Program call center at 800-621-3362 (Option 2) between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. (EDT) Monday through Friday. Specialists can help with service claims, provide general information regarding policies and offer technical assistance to aid in recovery.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/femaregion3, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, fema.gov/blog and the flood information pages at http://wvflood.com/Pages/default.aspx

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FEMA offers advice at local Kanawha County stores on repairing, rebuilding

FEMA advisors will be available at:

Green’s Feed & Seed

314 Piedmont Road

Charleston, WV 25301

Aug. 11 to 17 (Workshop closed on Sunday)

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday – Wednesday

The Home Depot

100 Cross Terrace Blvd.

Charleston, WV 25309

Aug. 11 to 17 (Workshop closed on Sunday)

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday – Wednesday

Lowe’s Home Improvement

5750 MacCorkle Ave. SE

Charleston, WV 25304

Aug. 11 to 17 (Workshop closed on Sunday)

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday – Wednesday

50 RHL Blvd.

South Charleston, WV 25309

Aug. 11 to 17 (Workshop closed on Sunday)

8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday – Wednesday

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FEMA offers advice at local Kanawha County stores on repairing, rebuilding

West Virginia survivors coping with emotional stress of storm and flooding

CHARLESTON, W. Va.— If you are facing the loss of your home, business or a cherished possession as a result of the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that hit on June 22-29, you may find that you are struggling to cope with the emotional impact of the disaster.

Everyone who lives through a natural disaster is affected by it in some way. The experts tell us that West Virginians who lived through the storms know well the profound sadness, grief and anger it is normal to feel anxious about your own safety and that of your family and close friends. The emotional toll taken by a disaster can sometimes be even more devastating than the financial strains resulting from the damage or loss of a home, business or personal property that follows a disaster. These are normal reactions to an abnormal event.

Children and older adults are of special concern in the aftermath of disasters. Even individuals who experience a disaster “second hand” through exposure to extensive media coverage can be affected.

The important thing, the doctors say, is how you react to your feelings; what you do to relieve your stress. Everyone has different needs and different ways of coping. Here are some tips from professional crisis counselors for West Virginia survivors coping with emotional stress in the wake of the storms and flooding:

Acknowledging your feelings helps you recover.
Focusing on your strengths and abilities helps you heal.
Accepting help from community programs and resources is healthy.
Contact local faith-based organizations, voluntary agencies, or professional counselors for counseling.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline is a national hotline dedicated to providing year-round immediate crisis counseling for people experiencing emotional distress related to any natural disaster.

Children can be especially vulnerable to stress following a disaster, such as June’s severe storms and flooding in West Virginia. Preschoolers, children and teenagers may have witnessed their home being damaged or destroyed, experienced an evacuation, suffered an injury, lost a pet or even just had their normal routines interrupted. These children are susceptible to bouts of anxiety, fear and behavioral problems.

Younger children may suffer sleep problems or bedwetting. Older children may display anger, aggression or withdrawal. Some children who have had only indirect contact with the disaster, but witness it on television, may develop distress.

As parents and adults, you can make disasters less traumatic for children by taking steps to manage your own feelings and plans for coping. Parents are almost always the best source of support for children in disasters.

What’s the best way to respond to your child during or after a disaster? Click here for some pointers, including a guide to common child reactions to disaster by age.

Your older parents and other older loved ones may be just as vulnerable, if not more so, to post-disaster stress, as your children.

For more information on how caretakers can help older loved ones cope with disaster – and how caretakers should take care of themselves – visit http://blog.aarp.org/2013/06/05/amy-goyer-caregiver-tips-for-tragedy/ .

If you or someone you know is struggling with post-disaster stress, you are not alone. Help is as near as your phone. Call the Help for West Virginia Helpline at 844-435-7498. Also, you can contact the Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746.

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West Virginia survivors coping with emotional stress of storm and flooding

A U.S. Small Business Administration loan can be smart business

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – If you are a disaster survivor in West Virginia you may not know you can get help from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that could lead to a smarter, faster recovery for businesses, homeowners, renters or private nonprofits.

The first step is to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Once you have done that, both FEMA and SBA encourage you to apply for a low-interest disaster SBA loan to help fund your recovery and to ensure the federal disaster recovery process continues.

An SBA low-interest disaster loan is a primary source of funds for real estate property repairs and for replacing contents destroyed in the severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides that occurred June 22-29.

Physical Damage Disaster Loans

Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

If your SBA loan application is approved, you may be eligible to borrow additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples

Interest rates are as low as 4 percent for businesses and 2.625 percent for nonprofit organizations, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans

SBA also offers a working capital loan to relieve the economic injury caused by the disaster. A disaster loan is available to eligible businesses as well as private nonprofits even if the property was not damaged by the June storms.

These loans are for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and certain private nonprofit organizations of all sizes to cover unpaid bills and lost business due to the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available in amounts up to $2 million. The total of both physical damage and economic injury loans cannot exceed $2 million.

Eligible counties for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans

The disaster declaration covers the counties of Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers and Webster in West Virginia, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.

Eligible counties for Economic Injury Disaster Loans only

Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Lewis, Mercer, Logan, Mason, Mingo, Pendleton, Putnam, Raleigh, Randolph, Upshur, Wayne, Wirt and Wood in West Virginia; Alleghany, Bath, Craig and Giles and Highland in Virginia; and Meigs in Ohio.

Deferred Disaster Loan payments

The first payment for a disaster loan is due five months from the date of the SBA note.

Deadlines

The deadline to apply for an SBA Physical Damage loan is Aug. 24, 2016.

The deadline to apply for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster loan is March 27, 2017.

You can submit your SBA disaster loan application in one of three ways: online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/; in person at a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC); or by mail. SBA has staff at all DRCs to provide one-on-one assistance to businesses of all sizes, homeowners and renters in submitting their application.

Do not wait for an insurance settlement before submitting an SBA loan application. You can begin your recovery immediately with a low-interest SBA disaster loan. The loan balance will be reduced by the insurance settlement if you receive one. SBA loans may be available for losses not covered by insurance or other sources.

Remember, you don’t have to accept the loan if you qualify for one.

SBA Disaster Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) help businesses get back on their feet from damage they sustained during the storms. The BRCs are a resource where businesses can meet face-to-face with SBA representatives to learn how a low-interest disaster loan can help them recover. The BRCs are located in Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas counties. To locate a DRC or an SBA BRC, call the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955.

If you have not registered with FEMA:

You can apply by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services, you should call 800-621-3362. Operators are multilingual and calls are answered from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time seven days a week; or
You can go online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov; or
You can visit a DRC.

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A U.S. Small Business Administration loan can be smart business

West Virginians: You have just three weeks left to register with FEMA

Charleston, W.Va. – If you suffered damage or losses from the June 22-29 severe storms, flooding, mudslides and landslides, you have less than three weeks left to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for federal disaster assistance. The deadline to register is Wednesday, Aug. 24.

Individual disaster assistance grants for homeowners and renters are available to eligible residents of 12 counties: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers, and Webster.

Here is how to register:

Call 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or video relay services) or 800-462-7585 for TTY users;
Go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov;
Visit your nearest Disaster Recovery Center.Find that center by calling 800-621-3362 or going online to www.fema.gov/drc.

FEMA grants do not have to be repaid. FEMA assistance is nontaxable and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid or other federal benefits.

You should register even if you have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments, but if you have losses insurance doesn’t cover, you may receive help from FEMA after your insurance claims are settled.

To fully cover your losses, you may also need a low interest disaster loan. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides these loans, not just for small businesses, but also for renters, homeowners, businesses of any size and private nonprofits to cover uncompensated real or personal property losses. The deadline to apply for an SBA physical damage loan is the same as for FEMA assistance, Wednesday, Aug. 24. There is no fee to apply for a loan and you do not have to accept one even if it is offered.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster. TTY users can call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by calling the FEMA Helpline 800-621-3362 or visiting: www.DisasterAssistance.gov; www.WVflood.com; fema.gov/disaster/4273; twitter.com/femaregion3; and fema.gov/blog.

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West Virginians: You have just three weeks left to register with FEMA

Have your housing needs changed? Tell FEMA now.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – If you already registered with FEMA and your housing situation has changed, please get in touch with FEMA and update your application. Call 800-621-3362.

You may have told FEMA you were moving in with family or friends. But that situation may have changed.

You may have told FEMA you planned to stay in your flood damaged home while repairs are being made. Now that may be proving too difficult. Perhaps repairs haven’t gone as quickly as you hoped.

These and other situations may make you eligible now for temporary housing assistance.

Follow up on your application by calling the FEMA Helpline, 800-621-3362 (voice 711 or video relay services) or 800-462-7585 for TTY users. The Helpline is staffed from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice. Go online to update your application at DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also visit a Disaster Recovery Center; find locations at www.fema.gov/DRC or by calling the Helpline.

If you have damage or losses from the June 22-29 flooding, severe storms, mudslides and landslides, don’t wait to register for aid. Use the same phone numbers and website above or visit a recovery center.

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Have your housing needs changed? Tell FEMA now.

Federal assistance hits $72 million for West Virginia flood survivors

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – Seventy-two million dollars in federal disaster assistance have been approved to date for survivors of the June 22-29 severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides. The aid comes to West Virginia as a result of the major disaster declaration signed by President Obama on June 25.

The money has come to survivors in the form of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants to individuals and households; FEMA public assistance grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations; low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and claims paid by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Nearly five weeks into the recovery, FEMA has approved nearly $29.8 million in housing assistance, more than $5.4 million in other needs assistance and $1.43 million in public assistance. In addition, the SBA approved 426 low-interest disaster loans totaling more than $27.9 million, and 939 NFIP claims have been filed totaling more than $7.5 million in payouts.

A total of 8,034 households and businesses have applied to FEMA for disaster assistance. Individual disaster assistance grants for homeowners, renters and businesses affected are available to residents of 12 counties: Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers, and Webster.

Disaster assistance for individuals may include grants to help homeowners and renters with temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacement, and serious disaster-related needs. Disaster assistance grants from FEMA are not taxable income and will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicare and other federal and state programs. Grants do not have to be repaid to the federal government.

Public assistance grants are available in Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, Randolph, Upshur and Wayne counties and are also available in the 12 individual assistance counties. FEMA Public Assistance Grants provide funding to state, tribal and local governments, and certain types of private, nonprofit organizations. These monies help communities quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the president.

FEMA-contracted housing inspectors have completed nearly 6,400 inspections of disaster-damaged properties to verify damage.

Registering with FEMA is the first step in qualifying for disaster assistance. Aug. 24 is the last day for survivors to file an application. FEMA encourages all survivors who sustained disaster-related damage or losses to apply by phone (voice, 711 or relay service) at 800-621-3362 (TTY users should call 800-462-7585) or online at DisasterAssistance.gov . The toll-free lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

In support of the State of West Virginia, 89 Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) personnel have been canvassing storm-damaged neighborhoods. In the first 30 days of recovery operations, DSA workers visited 15,720 homes in severely storm-damaged neighborhoods. They are equipped to register survivors with FEMA and answer their questions about disaster assistance.

The State and FEMA operate Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Clay, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Monroe, Nicholas and Webster counties. The centers report 6,506 visitors to date. DRCs are open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sundays. An easy-to-use DRC Locator is available at http://asd.fema.gov/inter/locator/home.htm

The SBA, one of FEMA’s partners in disaster recovery, offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses, homeowners and renters. SBA disaster loans may cover repairs, rebuilding, as well as the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged real estate and personal property. SBA has staff on hand at all FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to assist survivors, one-on-one.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster. TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. The deadline to file an SBA physical disaster loan application is Aug. 24.

If your SBA loan application is approved, you may be eligible for additional funds to cover the cost of improvements that will protect your property against future damage. Examples of improvements can include something as simple as elevating to the first floor utilities, water heaters and furnaces, sump pumps, etc. Mitigation loan money would be in addition to the amount of the approved loan, but may not exceed 20 percent of total amount of physical damage to real property to a maximum of $200,000 for home loans.

In addition, the SBA operates three Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) to enable storm-impacted businesses to meet individually with SBA representatives and find out how a low-interest disaster loan can help them recover.

The BRCs are located at:

Greenbrier County

Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corp.

804 Industrial Park, Suite 5

Maxwelton, WV 24957

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Kanawha County

Charleston Area Alliance

1116 Smith Street

Charleston, WV 25301

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nicholas County

Summersville Village Hall

Conference Room

400 N. Broad Street

Summersville, WV 26651

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Other help available to individuals:

For those who lost work as a result of the storms, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available. New claims for DUA must be filed within 30 days of the date of the announcement of availability of DUA. For more information, visit WorkForce West Virginia at workforcewv.org.
In conjunction with FEMA, WorkForce West Virginia is advertising open temporary positions in Kanawha, Greenbrier and Raleigh Counties. Interested “local hire” applicants may complete an enrollment form at workforcewv.org.
Free disaster legal assistance is available to storm survivors. This service offers counseling on insurance claims, landlord-tenant issues, home-repair contracts, and the replacement of legal and other legal matters. Call the toll-free hotline 877-331-4259.

Survivors may be eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (D-SNAP) benefits through the Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. D-SNAP benefits can be used to buy food, but cannot be used for alcoholic beverages, tobacco or non-food items. Storm survivors can apply for these benefits from July 25 through July 31. More information is available at www.dhhr.wv.gov

Federal assistance hits $72 million for West Virginia flood survivors

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