Hurricane Milton Assistance

The following Points of Distribution have been open and distributing food, water, and ice to impacted residents.

None Yet

SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.

Call or Text

From the United States and its territories, call or text 1-800-985-5990 to connect with a trained crisis counselor, 24/7. Spanish-speakers can call the hotline and press “2” for 24/7 bilingual support.

Disaster Legal Services (DLS) provides free legal help to low-income disaster survivors. If you’re not able to get adequate legal services for your disaster-related needs, DLS may be able to help. Please call 1-866-550-2929.

FEMA provides this service through an agreement with the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association (ABA). DLS may only provide advice and assist with cases that will not generate a fee. For cases that may generate a fee, the ABA may refer you to a local lawyer referral service.

DLS may help with –

• Insurance claims for medical bills, loss of property, and loss of life.
• New wills, powers of attorney, and other legal papers lost during the disaster.
• Home repair contracts and contractors.
• Problems with landlords.
• Proof of home ownership.
• FEMA appeals.

DLS attorneys are not FEMA employees. The services they provide are confidential and they do not share information with FEMA.

Crisis Cleanup opened a Home Cleanup Hotline for Hurricane Milton. They anticipate that most volunteer groups will work through Friday, October 25, 2024. Survivors needing assistance can call 844-965-1386.

To file a claim, you can go here, visit a local CareerSource Career Center, or call 1-800-385-3920. For DUA claims information, call 1-833-FL-APPLY (1-833-352-7759) to speak with a representative.

Individuals must file for state re-employment Assistance benefits before filing for DUA. During the application, claimants should indicate they have been impacted by the disaster. Claimants who are determined ineligible or exhausted re-employment assistance benefits will be automatically prompted to file a DUA application if they indicated on their re-employment Assistance application that the disaster affected their employment.

Here are three ways to apply for FEMA assistance if you have been affected by Hurricane Milton:

• Online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov
• Through the FEMA mobile app
• Call 800-621-3362 (For those who use relay services such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, provide FEMA the number for that service)

In order to apply for FEMA assistance, you will need the following information, requested by The Disaster Assistance Improvement Program:

• Social Security Number (must also be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien)
• Insurance Information (type(s) of insurance coverage you have, which could include coverage under policies like homeowners, flood, automobile or mobile home insurance)
• Damage Information (include the type of disaster (like flood, hurricane or earthquake) and the type of dwelling or vehicle like a condo, mobile home or house, or a car or truck)
• Financial Information (total annual household income, before taxes, at the time of the disaster)
• Contact Information (address and phone number of the property where the damage occurred and the address and phone number of where you can be reached now)
• Optional: Direct Deposit Information (if approved, the funds can be deposited directly into your bank account by providing the following banking information: bank name, type of account (like checking or savings), routing number and account number)

Find more information on FEMA assistance after Hurricane Milton here.

President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for the state of Florida on October 5, ahead of Hurricane Milton.

The following disaster loans are available, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration:

• Home Disaster Loans – Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.
• Business Physical Disaster Loans – Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.
• Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) – Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.

Florida areas eligible for SBA disaster loans: TBD

SBA application filing deadlines:

• Physical damage: TBD
• Economic injury: TBD

Apply for a SBA disaster loan:

• Online at www.sba.gov

You can also call 800‐659‐2955 if you have any questions.