FEMA Assistance to Tennesseans Tops $20 Million

More than $20 million is now in the hands of Tennesseans recovering from Tropical Storm Helene in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi or Washington counties, FEMA grants are an important tool to help you begin the recovery process.

Disaster grants do not have to be paid back. They help you pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, essential personal property replacement and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by your insurance or other sources. To date:

• Over $10 million in financial Housing Assistance to more than 6,150 households has been delivered to cover reimbursement for short-term lodging, rental assistance, home repair and home replacement.
• Over $10 million in Other Needs Assistance has been paid to more than 10,600 households to reimburse both homeowners and renters for uninsured or underinsured out-of-pocket expenses such as:
  • Medical and dental expenses; cleaning, or replacement of clothing, household furniture, appliances and specialized tools used for your occupation; childcare, educational materials, moving, storage and other necessary expenses.
  • Repair or replacement of personally owned and registered disaster-damaged cars and trucks.

The first step to see if you are eligible for any of FEMA’s Individual Assistance programs is to apply. The deadline to apply is Jan. 7, 2025.

To apply for FEMA assistance, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as Video Relay Service, captioned telephone or other service, you can provide FEMA your number for the service. You may also visit a Disaster Recovery Center. For locations and hours, visit fema.gov/drc.

To watch an accessible video on how to apply, visit FEMA Accessible: Registering for Individual Assistance (youtube.com).

You may also qualify for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA disaster loans are the largest source of federal recovery funds for homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. To learn more or apply, visit sba.gov/disaster or call 800-659-2955.