Survivors Can Apply for FEMA Assistance Even if Helped in the Past

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Homeowners and renters who suffered losses after the March and April severe storms are encouraged to apply for FEMA assistance even if they have received help from FEMA after past disasters.

Previous FEMA aid does not affect eligibility for assistance after the March 14-15 storms and tornadoes or the storms, tornadoes and flooding of April 2-22. Survivors affected by both disasters are encouraged to file a separate FEMA application for each disaster.

Survivors in Greene, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph, Sharp and Stone counties may now apply if they had damage in March. Additionally, those affected by the April storms in Clark, Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Desha, Fulton, Hot Spring, Jackson, Miller, Ouachita, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Sharp, St. Francis and White counties may also apply.

Disaster assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help residents and business owners recover from the impacts of the disaster.

Residents with homeowners’ or renters’ insurance are encouraged to file a claim as soon as possible with their insurance carrier. By law, FEMA cannot provide funding for losses covered by your insurance. If your policy does not cover all disaster expenses, a survivor may then be eligible for federal assistance. 

There are several ways to apply for FEMA disaster assistance. Go to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Lines are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT seven days a week and specialists speak many languages. 

In-person survivor assistance is also available at several sites across the impacted area. To find dates and locations, visit fema.gov/disaster/4865, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the link under “In-person Survivor Assistance.”

To view an accessible video on how to apply, visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube.

The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance for the March storms is Monday, July 14. The last day to apply for the April storms is Monday, July 21. 

For the latest information about Arkansas’ recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4865 or fema.gov/disaster/4873. Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x.com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.