FEMA Assistance Won’t Affect Other Federal Benefits

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – If you live in Davison, Lincoln, Turner, or Union counties and you had loss or damage from the severe storms and flooding that occurred June 16 – July 8, you may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance.

FEMA assistance is not taxable. Applying for disaster assistance will not affect other federal benefits you may receive. 

Accepting FEMA funds will not affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP), Child Care Assistance, or other federal or state benefit programs.

Disaster funds help survivors pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, essential personal property replacement, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other sources.

The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is October 15, 2024.

1. How to Apply with FEMA

• Visit a Disaster Recovery Center in person. To search for Disaster Recovery Centers, visit www.fema.gov/drc or text DRC and your Zip Code to 43362 for a list of centers closest to you.
• Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov for English, or DisasterAssistance.gov/es for Spanish.
• Use the FEMA mobile app in English or Spanish.
• Call the disaster assistance helpline at 800-621-3362 anytime from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are available. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service.

For an accessible video on three ways to apply for FEMA assistance, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 833-285-7448.

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FEMA's mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 
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