The American Red Cross or other voluntary agencies may be able to assist you with essential needs on an emergency basis including serious needs not addressed by your insurance company or other disaster assistance programs.
To help you reconnect with family and friends, the American Red Cross offers a free, on-line service where you can register yourself as being "safe and well". Concerned family and friends can search for you based on a pre-disaster address or phone number. To register visit www.redcross.org/safeandwell.
If you or a member of your household lost work or became unemployed due to the disaster, your local unemployment office may provide benefits and
services, even if you are self-employed, through their regular unemployment and/or Disaster Unemployment Assistance Program. This program may also assist you if you have become the head of household because the working breadwinner was fatally injured
as a result of the disaster.
Since you have damaged or lost property in a location declared by the President as a major disaster area, you may be able to get some money back
from the IRS. For more information, order their Publication Number 2194 (for Individuals or 2194B for Businesses) 'Disaster Loss Kit' by calling 1-800-829-3676.
Other Tax Assistance: County tax assessors may provide information and assistance on possible property tax relief.
Help and/or counseling is available on insurance problems and questions, which may include obtaining copies of lost policies, claims filing, expediting settlements, etc. If you have not been able to resolve your problem with your insurance company you may contact your State Insurance Commissioner. For flood insurance inquiries, contact the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Help is available from the Social Security Administration (SSA) in expediting delivery of checks delayed by the disaster and in applying for Social security disability or survivor benefits.
Counseling is available on consumer problems such as non-availability of products and services needed for reconstruction, price gouging, disreputable business concerns and practices, etc.
The Contractors State License Board protects consumers by regulating the construction industry through policies that promote the health, safety and general welfare of the public in matters relating to construction.
If you would like more information about the programs you have been referred to or require further assistance, a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) may be open in your area.
Recovery specialists are available to answer questions and offer information on specific federal and state recovery programs.
Disaster loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to homeowners and renters for restoring or replacing disaster damaged real and personal property. The maximum real estate portion of the loan is $200,000 and for personal property is $40,000. The loan amount is limited to the amount of uninsured SBA verified losses. If you have been referred to this program you will find more information in the "Application Summary" on the back of the Disaster Assistance Application Form.
HUD can provide critical housing and community development resources to aid disaster recovery. HUD has joined forces with other Federal and state agencies to aid in the implementation of disaster recovery assistance.
Assistance may be available for necessary expenses and serious needs caused by the disaster. This includes medical, dental, funeral, personal property, transportation, moving and storage, and other expenses that are authorized by law and not covered by insurance or provided for by other means such as disaster loans through the small business administration.
