More Than $8.7 Million in Missouri Summer Flood Aid Approved

Release Date: October 3, 2008
Release Number: 1773-080

=C2=BB More = Information on Missouri Severe Storms and Flooding

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- More than $8.7 million in disaster aid has = been=20 approved in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants and U.S. = Small=20 Business Administration (SBA) loans for Missouri residents and = businesses=20 suffering damage from the severe storms and flooding between = June 1 and=20 Aug. 13, state and federal officials announced Friday.

Below is a recovery summary as of the close of business Oct. 3, 2008 = for the=20 Individual Assistance program in the declared counties of Adair, Andrew, = Callaway, Cass, Chariton, Clark, Gentry, Greene, Harrison, Holt, = Johnson, Lewis,=20 Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Nodaway, Pike, Putnam, = Ralls,=20 St. Charles, Stone, Taney, Vernon and Webster.

More than $4.1 million has been approved in = housing=20 assistance to help disaster-affected Missourians with temporary = housing and=20 home repairs. Another $366,014 has been approved for = Other=20 Needs Assistance (ONA), which may include the repair or replacement of = personal property and disaster-related transportation, moving, and = medical=20 expenses. Missouri provides 25 percent of ONA money provided to=20 applicants.
2,247 individuals have applied for assistance by = calling=20 the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) toll-free = registration=20 number at: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY = 1-800-462-7585. Lines=20 are open seven days a week, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., until further notice.=20 Multilingual operators are also available. Those affected by the = storms can=20 also register online at http://www.fema.gov/. = The deadline to apply for assistance is Oct. 14, = 2008.
1,691 damage inspections have been completed. = Those who=20 may be awaiting an inspector are reminded to keep their appointments = to speed=20 recovery assistance.
More than $4.1 million has been approved for = homeowners=20 and businesses by the U.S. Small Business = Administration=20 (SBA). Those who have questions about low-interest loans from SBA can = call=20 1-800-659-2955, e-mail to disastercustomerservice@s= ba.gov,=20 or visit SBA's Web site at: www.sba.gov/servi= ces/disasterassistance.
SBA has issued a total of 1,708 applications to=20 homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofits. = It is=20 important that these applications are completed and returned as soon = as=20 possible. Completing the SBA loan application is a crucial step in the = recovery process and may determine eligibility for other types of = disaster=20 assistance.
$8,000 has been paid in Disaster = Unemployment=20 Assistance to individuals whose employment was affected by = the=20 flooding. The program is administered by the state using FEMA funding = and is=20 secondary to non-disaster unemployment assistance.
1,320 people visited 6 = Disaster=20 Recovery Centers (DRCs) to talk face-to-face with recovery=20 specialists, get help with SBA loan application, or check the status = of their=20 applications. All DRCs are now closed.
FEMA Community Relations (CR) specialists working = in=20 disaster-designated counties have visited more than = 1,500=20 flood-stricken residents as well as business owners, church leaders, = community=20 groups and local officials, to provide disaster assistance and = recovery=20 information.
FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Community Education and = Outreach=20 has visited 285 public libraries and Missouri Extension offices to = distribute=20 information on how to rebuild stronger in future storm events.
A disaster stress hotline is available through the LifeRAFT = Crisis=20 line, 1-866-384-1254. A counselor is available to help those = impacted=20 in a disaster to understand their current situation and reactions.
The Young Lawyers Section of the Missouri Bar = disaster=20 hotline at 1-800-829-4128 is = available to=20 assist people in the disaster-affected counties with basic legal = questions,=20 such as replacing lost documents, housing/landlord/tenant disputes, = mortgage=20 foreclosure information, consumer rights, and insurance questions. = Leave a=20 message to receive a call from a legal specialist. There is no charge = for the=20 service.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) information on how = to claim=20 disaster losses and other information can be found at http://www.irs.gov/ (click on storms, = floods,=20 tornadoes and other disasters and then choose Missouri). The IRS = toll-free=20 number for general tax questions is 1-800-829-1040. = Disaster=20 assistance from FEMA is not taxable.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, = preventing,=20 mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all = domestic=20 disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Last Modified: Friday, 03-Oct-2008 16:02:08

FEMA 500 C Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20472
Disaster Assistance: = (800)=20 621-FEMA