Disaster aid offered to residents
By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor

A Disaster Recovery office has been opened in the Jenkins County Senior Citizens Center to assist local residents who incurred damage from the May 11 storms and tornado. The hours of operation are 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)

Jenkins County residents who suffered damage to their properties from the May 11 storms are now eligible for several forms of disaster assistance. A Disaster Recovery office has been set up at the Jenkins County Senior Citizens Center on College Avenue to help homeowners, renters and businesses recover from the effects of the severe storms and tornado that swept across the county Mother's Day. The center is open 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The county was declared a federal disaster area last week entitling residents to individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and low interest loans from the Small Business Administration.

Those who suffered damage may complete an online application at www.fema.gov or apply by telephone by calling 1- 800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800- 462-7585 for hearing/speech impaired. The toll free numbers are available seven days a week 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Residents are urged to apply as soon as possible. Applicants do not have to wait for an insurance inspection to begin the registration process. FEMA's Individual Assistance program can help eligible applicants with temporary housing assistance, uninsured personal property and medical, dental and funeral expenses caused by the disaster, along with other serious needs.

Residents may also be eligible for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to help pay for disaster losses. Renters may be eligible for loans of up to $40,000 to repair or replace their disaster damaged personal property. Homeowners may be eligible for up to $200,000 to repair or replace disaster damaged real estate, plus up to $40,000 to repair or replace their disaster damaged personal property. Non-farm businesses of all sizes and private non-profit organizations may be eligible for up to $1.5 million to repair or replace business assets physically damaged by the disaster.

The deadline for filing SBA applications for physical damage to homes, personal property or businesses is July 22. Filing deadline for applications for economic injury is Feb. 23, 2009. For additional information on disaster assistance available through the SBA, call 1- 800-659-2955 or visit the local Disaster Recovery office.

Additionally, State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond announced last week that workers in 10 Georgia counties, including Jenkins, may now be eligible for federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) to compensate for loss of income directly resulting from the destructive storms and tornadoes which occurred May 11-12. DUA is a federal program that provides benefits to self-employed business people, farmers, diversified farming operators, loggers, commission-aid employees and others who are not eligible for the state's unemployment program. Affected workers should apply for these benefits no later than June 27 at any Georgia Department of Labor career center. The local center is located in The Millen News building at 856 Cotton Avenue.

President George Bush has also designated Jenkins County as one of the counties that will be able to receive federal funds to help offset 75 percent of the cost of the initial emergency response, debris removal and restoration of damaged public facilities.

Thirty-seven Jenkins County residents have registered for disaster assistance as of Monday, June 2. Statewide, approximately 3,546 persons have registered.