More Than $6 Million In Aid Approved For Missouri June Flooding
Release Date: August 29, 2008
Release Number: 1773-059
» More Information on Missouri Severe Storms and Flooding
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- More than $6 million in disaster aid has been approved in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loans for Missouri residents and businesses suffering damage from the flooding between June 1 and July 18, state and federal officials announced Friday.
Below is a recovery summary as of the close of business Aug. 28 for the Individual Assistance program in the declared counties of Andrew, Cass, Clark, Gentry, Greene, Holt, Johnson, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, Marion, Nodaway, Pike, Ralls, St. Charles, Stone, Taney, Vernon, and Webster:
- Nearly $3.2 million has been approved to help disaster-affected Missourians with temporary housing and home repairs.
- $282,998 has been approved for Other Needs Assistance (ONA), which may include the repair or replacement of personal property and disaster-related transportation, moving, and medical expenses. Missouri provides 25 percent of ONA money provided to applicants.
- 1,721 individuals have applied for assistance by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) toll-free registration number at: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585. Lines are open seven days a week, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., until further notice. Multilingual operators are also available. Those affected by the storms can also register online at www.fema.gov. The deadline to apply for assistance is Sept. 10, 2008.
- 1,443 damage inspections have been completed. Those who may be awaiting an inspector are reminded to keep their appointments to speed recovery assistance.
- Almost $2.56 million has been approved for homeowners and businesses by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Those who have questions about low-interest loans from SBA can call 1-800-659-2955, e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit SBA's Web site at: www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.
- SBA has issued a total of 1,402 applications to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofits. It is important that these applications are completed and returned as soon as possible. Completing the SBA loan application is a crucial step in the recovery process and may determine eligibility for other types of disaster assistance.
- 1,320 people visited 6 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to talk face-to-face with recovery specialists, get help with SBA loan application, or check the status of their applications. The last DRC in Winfield is closed Wednesday but an SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center opened at the same location, the Winfield-Foley Fire Department, 2663 E. Highway 47, Winfield, MO 63389. Normal operating hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; closed Sunday and holidays, including Labor Day.
- FEMA Community Relations (CR) specialists working in disaster-designated counties visited thousands of flood-stricken residents, business owners, church members, and local officials, providing recovery information and information on mitigation (reducing the potential for future flood damage).
- A disaster stress hotline is available through the LifeRAFT Crisis line, 1-866-384-1254. A counselor is available to help those impacted in a disaster to understand their current situation and reactions.
- The young Lawyers Section of the Missouri Bar has established a Disaster Hotline at 1-800-829-4128 to assist people in the disaster-affected counties with basic legal questions, such as replacing lost documents, housing/landlord/tenant disputes, mortgage foreclosure information, consumer rights, and insurance questions. Call the hotline and leave a message to receive a call from a legal specialist.
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) information on how to claim disaster losses and other information can be found at www.irs.gov (click on storms, floods, tornadoes and other disasters and then choose Missouri). The IRS toll-free number for general tax questions is 1-800-829-1040. Disaster assistance from FEMA is not taxable.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 03-Sep-2008 13:17:10