September 5, 2017
Hurricane Harvey has caused physical and emotional devastation across much of southeast Texas and affected several other southern states. In the aftermath of this storm, Benefits.gov wants to point citizens who may have been impacted by Harvey to the disaster-relief resources that may be available to them. These resources include emergency contacts, federal assistance, as well as more general information about disaster recovery. We want to first provide you with two important resources for those requiring immediate assistance:
- If you are facing a life-threatening situation, please call 911 or your local County Emergency Operation Center.
- For those experiencing emotional distress from the storm, please call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text ‘TalkWithUs’ to 6674 to speak with a professional.
For those who are not in immediate danger, please consider visiting the American Red Cross Safe & Well website to find family and friends or to register yourself as safe. Then, we also recommend visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, which is the quickest way to find and register for federal disaster assistance to help get back on your feet.
In addition to the resources above, Benefits.gov also houses disaster relief resources aimed at helping victims of Hurricane Harvey and other disasters. Some of these resources include:
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), which can provide unemployment benefits to individuals who have become unemployed as a direct result of the storm;
- the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which gives homeowners, business owners, and renters in participating communities the opportunity to purchase federally backed flood insurance in the event of a natural disaster; and
- the Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief Program, which can help taxpayers and businesses recover financially from the impact of a disaster.
Finally, for citizens across the nation who are able and willing to give a helping hand, please visit the Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster page, which provides a list of trusted organizations and charity groups, to find out how you can help make a difference.
We encourage you and your family to stay safe and have hope. For more information on related assistance programs, visit the Benefits.gov Disaster Relief category.
https://www.benefits.gov/newsroom/news-and-updates/article/303?utm_source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dr307
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