Granville Disaster Recovery Center Changes Name And Hours; But Disaster Assistance Services Still Available 

Release Date: May 4, 2004
Release Number: 1513-011

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OTTAWA, Ill. -– Tornado victims will notice little change at the American Legion Hall in Granville except the name, when the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) opens a workshop on Monday to replace the Disaster Recovery Center. The center will continue to operate 10 a.m..to 7 p.m. through Saturday, May 8.

At this stage of the recovery process, the emphasis for assistance has shifted to low-interest loans to meet the long-term needs of victims. To assist victims with the application process, the SBA will continue to have loan officers available at the American Legion Hall, 209 North McCoy Street in Granville. The workshop will be open Monday, May 10 until Thursday, May 13 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. A FEMA representative will also be on hand at the workshop to answer any questions about assistance programs.

More than 250 homeowners, renters, and business owners have visited one of the three Disaster Recovery Centers. The temporary centers were established to provide detailed program information to those who have already applied for assistance. Disaster recovery specialists staff the centers to answer questions and provide information on recovery, restoration and rebuilding. Even those who have not suffered damages from this disaster may visit a center to receive information on ways to reduce potential future disaster damages.

The two remaining temporary FEMA/IEMA Disaster Recover Centers will continue to operate from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, until further notice. The centers are located at:

Applicants who have questions on the recovery process can also get information by calling the toll-free application line 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing or speech impaired. Multilingual operators at the FEMA toll-free numbers are available from 8.a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday to answer your assistance questions, as well as take new applications for disaster assistance for those who suffered damage from the severe storms and tornadoes that occurred April 20 – 23.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 04-May-2004 16:34:54