Despite your best efforts to plan and prepare, no one can plan for every possible disaster. Some disasters, for instance, are too large to manage without assistance. Others are so far outside the scope of expectation that you may never have imagined a reasonable need for protecting against those disasters. Fortunately, disaster assistance programs are available to help ordinary people like you overcome extraordinary hardships born of unexpected disasters that sometimes arise. These are prime examples of disaster assistance programs you may need to use for yourself, your business, or on behalf of your loved ones.
Federal Disaster Assistance
Federal disaster programs assist with widespread disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and major floods. These programs include economic relief, food and water provision, business loan guarantees, job placement assistance, crop, and national flood insurance, targeted aid for older adults, and help for families to rebuild property through low-interest loans. Many of these programs are accessible through FEMA.
State and Local Disaster Assistance
The federal government is large and somewhat unwieldy. That means local and state governments offer the first lines of defense regarding rapid mobilization and immediate disaster responses. They can quickly and easily help communities after disasters by coordinating emergency medical, fire, and law enforcement responses, distributing blankets, food, and water to families needing assistance immediately, and facilitating access to insurance companies and community services available to disaster victims.
SBA Disaster Loans
While widespread disasters are devastating to individuals and families in the immediate aftermath, they can be even more devastating in the long term, with many small businesses failing to recover long enough to rebuild after disasters strike. This results in losses of businesses and services within the community, much-needed jobs, and essential tax revenue for the community. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans help small businesses rebuild and reopen after disasters to continue serving as a light within the community while providing goods and services, jobs, and tax dollars.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
For families experiencing extreme hardship and dire need, the federal government funds state agencies to offer Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. This program offers time-limited assistance to families with cash assistance to meet their basic needs. To qualify, families must have children under the age of 18 and must exhibit an extreme need for financial assistance.
Non-Government Organizations and Charities
Charitable and not-for-profit organizations frequently provide essential resources for families requiring disaster assistance. Each program has its specific requirements and offers various types of aid. This assistance ranges from financial support for individuals and families, loans, to basic supplies like sanitation kits for post-disaster cleanup and hygiene kits for family use. They also offer lodging assistance, food, water, and other necessities.
Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Some state and federal agencies also offer supplemental nutrition assistance after disasters. They provision essentials such as baby formula, milk, cereal, peanut butter, juice, and other basics for the family after a disaster. When every dollar matters, knowing where your next meal or the baby’s next can of formula will come from can be a massive weight off your shoulders.
Tax Relief and Disaster-Related Tax Provisions
The IRS recognizes that disasters impact individuals and businesses beyond what standard tax records can reflect. To address this, they offer tools to help businesses and individuals reconstruct lost tax documents and account for disaster-related losses, including their impact on annual business or personal income. These tools aim to support taxpayers affected by disasters in their communities, homes, and businesses. Local tax professionals can assist in acquiring the necessary documentation and filing the relevant forms for disaster-related tax relief.
Housing Assistance Programs
FEMA's Individuals and Households Program (IHP) is a well-known housing assistance program for disaster relief and recovery. This program offers grants to assist victims in paying for housing. It also provides services to help them find suitable temporary, short-term, or long-term housing during their recovery from a disaster. IHP is particularly useful in areas with widespread damage from disasters like wildfires and hurricanes, where securing housing is challenging and temporary relocation may be necessary while community infrastructure is repaired and homes are rebuilt.
Preparing for Applications
In the aftermath of disasters, obtaining necessary documentation can be a challenging and prolonged process. It's important to gather what documentation you can and not be deterred by the inability to access certain documents immediately. Local services are often available to help replace lost documents such as birth certificates, Social Security cards, driver's licenses, and state identification, with many providing expedited services. Additionally, many insurance companies now offer online access to insurance documents via mobile apps and websites for further convenience. Collaborate with disaster relief organizations in your community for help with complex applications, document recovery, and information on additional resources to aid disaster recovery.
Takeaways
There are many disasters that even the most meticulous planners can neither prepare for nor prevent. When these disasters strike, communities often pull together to provide abundant resources and assistance. This guide, including the links below, is a good start for disaster recovery planning.