Hurricane Helene Recovery Assistance in Georgia

The following is a communication from the Office of U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, 2 October 2024: “Resources for Georgians following Hurricane Helene”

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Dear Georgians,

I pray that you and your loved ones are all safe in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s devastating landfall in our state. I join Georgians all over in mourning those we have lost during this awful storm, and I am immensely grateful for the first responders who have risked their lives to keep our communities safe.

My office is monitoring on-going recovery efforts and has been in frequent contact with Federal, state, and local officials to ensure our communities get the help they need. Along with my colleagues in the Georgia delegation, I successfully urged President Biden to approve a federal Emergency Declaration for all 159 counties in Georgia, giving our state access to much needed federal emergency resources and assistance to supplement state and local preparation and response efforts. I’m also pushing to deliver additional aid and relief to aid Georgians in need, through a federal Major Disaster declaration. At my request, the President has declared a number of counties eligible for individual and public assistance. You can view the current list of counties here: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4830/designated-areas.

In the interim, I wanted to share some resources to help you and your communities stay safe and begin to recover during this difficult time. 

First and foremost, if you require immediate emergency assistance, please dial 911. For non-damage related questions, you can call 211 for assistance.

For additional assistance, such as food, water, or shelter-related questions:

• The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) has compiled a list of resources related to food, shelter, and donations here: https://gema.georgia.gov/hurricane-helene.
• You can contact your local Emergency Management Agency, which can be found here: https://gema.georgia.gov/locations. If you cannot reach your local agency, you can contact the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) at 404-635-7200 or 1-800-TRYGEMA (1-800-879-4362).
• Georgians receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) benefits can report food lost by submitting Form 841 to the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services, either at a county office (https://dfcs.georgia.gov/locations) or electronically: https://dfcs.georgia.gov/form/food-loss-replacement-form. More information is available here: https://dfcs.georgia.gov/snap-food-stamps/benefits-replacement-request.
• You can also contact your local American Red Cross Regional Office. The contact information for their Georgia offices is available at https://www.redcross.org/local/georgia.html or 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) 24 hours a day.
• You can also find more information about locating a loved one through the American Red Cross here: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services/contact-and-locate-loved-ones.html.

For those recovering from hurricane-related damage:

• You can report damages to your home, business, or other property here: https://damage-assessment-gema-soc.hub.arcgis.com/.
• You can find resources and apply for disaster assistance here: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/.
• You may also be eligible for low-interest disaster loans for homeowners and businesses from the Small Business Administration, which you can learn more about here: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance/hurricane-helene.
• Ready.gov offers resources on what to do following a hurricane: https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has tips for handling finances while recovering and rebuilding after disasters and emergencies here: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/disasters-and-emergencies/ (Spanish language resources here: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/es/desastres-y-emergencias/).

The Federal government offers several resources for those with health care-related needs: 

• People on dialysis/with end stage renal disease (ERSD) can reach out to the ESRD Network 6 (Georgia) toll-free hotline at 1-800- 524-7139. You can find more information on the Kidney Community Emergency Response website here: https://kcercoalition.com/.
• People affected by the storm may be able to apply for health insurance in a special enrollment period: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/news-alert/cms-announces-resources-and-flexibilities-assist-public-health-emergency-states-florida-and-georgia.
• The Federal government also operates a 24/7 Disaster Distress Helpline for toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service for those experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. You can call or text 1-800-985-5990 or learn more here: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline.

Farmers and growers can also access resources provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):

• You can find your nearest service center here: https://www.farmers.gov/working-with-us/service-center-locator, as well as resources for hurricane recovery here: https://www.farmers.gov/protection-recovery/hurricane, or you can call the Farm Service Agency Georgia State Office at 706-546-2266.
• It is important that agricultural producers keep detailed records of damages and report them to their local USDA Service Center as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, frauds and scams can be common following a disaster, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself:

• As a reminder, federal agencies will never charge you for disaster assistance.
• If you believe you may have been the victim of a fraud or scam, you can contact the Georgia’s Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 404-651-8600 or 1-800-869-1123 (toll-free in Georgia) or online at https://consumer.georgia.gov/ and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov.
• You can find more resources about disaster-related frauds and scams here: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-scams-after-weather-emergencies-and-natural-disasters.

Finally, you can read more about the activities of the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency at https://www.fema.gov/hurricane-helene (Spanish: https://www.fema.gov/es/helene) and across Federal agencies at https://usa.gov/hurricane-helene (Spanish: https://www.usa.gov/es/huracan-helene).

As your U.S. Senator, the safety of Georgians is my top priority. My office will continue to work to ensure that all Federal resources are leveraged to assist communities across Georgia as they become available.  My staff are available to answer questions and help you find local resources for further assistance. Anyone seeking assistance from my office can call (770) 694-7828.

During a recent visit to Augusta, which was hit hard by the hurricane, I surveyed storm damage, delivered supplies and met with local leaders and community members to hear what they needed from Washington in this challenging moment. But even in our darkest hour, what I saw in Augusta—and what I know about people in every corner of our state—is that Georgians are resilient, love their community, and come together during tough times. And know that I will keep walking with you as I continue to work for you.

Keep the faith,

 

 

 

U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock