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Hurricane Resources and Information can be found here
Washington, DC,
March 12, 2019
Our office is here to help assist recovery and rebuilding efforts in any way possible. President Donald Trump designated a Major Disaster Declaration for North Carolina for the release of Federal funds to assist in the recovery from Hurricane Florence. The following counties in the 7th District are eligible for both individual and public assistance -- Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, Johnston, New Hanover, Pender, Sampson and Wayne counties. Below is a summary of disaster assistance programs available to individuals and businesses following a disaster. If you need assistance navigating these resources, please do not hesitate to call one of our offices. Individual Disaster Assistance
There are several ways to see if you qualify for financial assistance:
FEMA Evacuation Reimbursement Unemployment Disaster Assistance The Division of Employment Security (DES) announced that the following counties have been approved for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) due to the effects of Hurricane Florence: Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, Johnston, New Hanover, Pender, Sampson, and Wayne. Individuals from these counties who are affected by the disaster, and are unable to continue working, must file an application for benefits by October 18, 2018. Additional counties may be added at a later date. If your county has not been approved for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, please continue to monitor this website as we will post updates as we receive them. Workers or business owners meeting the following criteria may be eligible for benefits:
Individuals need to file first for regular unemployment insurance. If an individual is determined ineligible for regular unemployment insurance, or has exhausted their regular unemployment insurance benefits, a DUA claim can then be filed. Individuals will need their Social Security number, copies of their most recent federal income tax forms or check stubs, or documentation to support they were working or self-employed when the disaster occurred. To receive DUA benefits, all required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the day the DUA application is filed. To file an unemployment insurance claim, please click here or call 1-866-795-8877. Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (D-SNAP) Program Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits may be available to residents in the following 7th District counties – Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, Johnston, New Hanover, Pender, Sampson and Wayne. To be eligible, a person must:
Eligible households will receive a one-time benefit on a special debit card (called an EBT card) to help buy food. The exact amount will depend on household size, but a family of one would receive $192, a family of four would receive $640 and larger families would receive more. To apply, you must do so in person at your county’s designated application site. To access the application, please click here. Those wishing to apply can bring the application with you, or you can fill out an application when you arrive. Residents will meet with county Department of Social Services staff to process your application. If eligible, an EBT card will be given to you to buy food. The application window to apply is Friday, September 28, 2018 through Saturday, October 6, 2018. All application sites will be closed Sunday, September 30. For more information, please click here. You can also call 211 for information about application locations. D-SNAP Locations by County:
Home or Property Damage
Renters Assistance Renters who face eviction or have been evicted from their storm-damaged apartment complex—whether their unit received damage or not—may be eligible for disaster assistance from FEMA. To apply for disaster assistance, you can:
Renters who had already registered for federal assistance and were later evicted due to damage to other parts of their complex should take the eviction notice to a recovery center. Displaced renters who need a safe place to stay while they look for longer-term housing may be eligible for short-term hotel stays paid by FEMA under its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. Renters may be eligible for grants from FEMA to help with disaster-related expenses, such as:
The grants are not loans and don’t have to be repaid. They are not taxable income and won’t affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid, welfare assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and several other programs. Business Assistance The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest, long-term disaster loans for business damages, physical damage and working capital. Learn more about the business loan application process here. The following counties in the 7th District are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA: Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, Johnston, New Hanover, Pender, Sampson and Wayne counties. Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via the SBA's secure website at DisasterLoan.sba.gov. Additional details on the loan application process can be obtained by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 13, 2018. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 14, 2019 SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and private non-profit organizations located in North Carolina that suffered financial losses as a direct result of Hurricane Florence. In the 7th District, the Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available for Brunswick and Columbus counties. The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) at www.DisasterLoan.sba.gov or by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955. Loan applications can also be downloaded from www.sba.gov. Applications must be submitted no later than June 4, 2019 and should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155 Other Federal Resources How the IRS Can help with tax assistance:
How the VA can help with assistance: If you need assistance seeking medication or care from the VA in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, please call the Veterans Disaster Response Line at 1-800-507-4571. How the Department of Agriculture can help ranchers and farmers: Ranchers and farmers whose family or small business is struggling due to the storm, can receive assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to receive financial assistance for damage to your home or farm property, food, or lost crops or livestock. Find out what aid is available to your family or business at the USDA’s Disaster Resource Center. I Applied for Assistance, What's Next? Small Business Administration Application: Some applications for disaster assistance require you to also submit an SBA application before we can determine your eligibility for assistance. Learn more about the home and property disaster loan application. Home Inspection: You will receive a call from FEMA within 10 days of submitting your application to schedule an appointment for a home inspector to visit you. In the event of a catastrophic disaster an inspector may take longer to visit you. After the Inspection If you qualify for a grant, FEMA will provide you:
If you do not qualify for a grant, FEMA will provide you:
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