Several state and government agencies are now offering disaster assistance to residents who were affected by or had to evacuate because of Hurricane Gustav.
Listed below are programs that St. Charles Parish residents could qualify for if eligibility guidelines are met.
Disaster food stamp program begins Thursday in SCP
The United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services has approved the operation of a Disaster Food Stamp Program in 31 parishes – including St. Charles.
The Office of Family Services on Highway 90 in Boutte will begin taking applications on Thursday, Sept. 11 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will run for seven consecutive days.
All the information is posted on the parish blog as of now – http://stcharlesgov.blogspot.com/2008/09/food-stamp-information.html
If you want to apply before then there are locations in St. John and Jefferson parishes they can get to, those are on the DSS Web site at www.dss.state.la.us.
Social services workers say that it will take no longer than three days for benefits to be approved.
An individual’s eligibility for the program will be determined by the following criteria and policies:
•Only individuals who live in the affected parish at the time of the disaster and who experienced damage to their property or incurred other disaster-related expense or loss of income.
•Income limits will apply and will include a standard deduction amount for disaster-related expenses.
•New households will be certified for one month and will receive the maximum allotment for the household size.
•The state will make sure there is no duplication among households before benefits are authorized.
•Applicants will be required to show proof of identification and residency prior to certification.
Citizens will be allowed to use their benefits to buy hot food as well as groceries and will be given one $25 voucher to be used if a grocer’s connection for electronic processing is down to a power outage.
All applicants are reminded to have with them the social security numbers of household members and those who already receive food stamps do not need to reapply. Benefits will be automatically adjusted accordingly.
Call 1-888-524-3578 for more information on the program or to learn about specific site locations.
Unemployment assistance for hurricane victims
People whose jobs have been lost or interrupted because of Hurricane Gustav in 36 parishes eligible for individual disaster assistance are also eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance. St. Charles Parish residents can apply for this program.
Before an individual is approved, it must be determined that they are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits.
The deadline to file an application for assistance is Oct. 6. Applications filed later may be denied.
DUA is available to U.S. nationals and qualified aliens who worked or were self-employed if they:
•Worked or were self employed in or were scheduled to begin work or self employment in an area declared as a federal disaster area.
•Can no longer work or perform services because of physical damage or destruction to the place of employment as a direct result of a disaster.
•Establish that the work or self employment they can no longer perform was their primary source of income.
•Do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance benefits from any state.
•Cannot perform work or self employment because of an injury or because they were incapacitated as a direct result of the disaster.
•Became the breadwinner or major support of a household because of the death of the head of the household.
•Cannot work or perform self employment due to closure of a facility by the federal government.
•Lose a majority of income or revenue because the employer or self-employed business was damaged, destroyed, or closed by the federal government.
Those filing new disaster unemployment claims should call 1-866-783-5567. The call center is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.
FEMA offers help to those who can’t return home
The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency has activated procedures under its transitional sheltering initiative that allows eligible Gustav evacuees who cannot return to their homes to stay in hotels or motels until it is safe for them go home.
FEMA will pay for the lodging through the use of an authorization system directly to hotels and motels. A list of participating hotels is available online at www.gustav-evac.com.
As congregate shelters begin to close down, this assistance is intended to provide a more appropriate extended sheltering environment to evacuees who cannot return home because their neighborhoods are inaccessible or because their homes are so severely damaged that they cannot live in them.
The initial period of assistance is from Sept. 3 to Oct. 3. FEMA can extend the stay if needed. Applicants are responsible for their own meals and hotel expenses other than lodging, as well as for any lodging costs above the authorized allowance.
To qualify, evacuees first need to apply for federal assistance through FEMA either online at www.fema.gov or by calling the FEMA toll free number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 1-800-462-7585.
Eligible evacuees must fit the following criteria:
•FEMA must be able to verify the identity of the evacuee.
•The primary residence of the evacuee must be in one of the parishes that have been declared a disaster area (please, contact the toll-free number to be certain); and
•The evacuee cannot return to or re-occupy his/her primary residence.
This program will not reimburse applicants for previously incurred hotel expenses. However, applicants should contact FEMA to see if they are eligible for such reimbursement under other FEMA programs.
Prescription drug and other medical assistance
The secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Mike Leavitt, announced that $1 million in individual assistance for Louisiana hurricane victims is available.
The program, which has begun providing benefits, is an efficient way for pharmacies to process claims for prescription medications and certain durable medical equipment items for individuals who do not have any form of health insurance coverage.
Claims for individuals with private insurance, such as employer-sponsored coverage or an individual health insurance policy, are not eligible for payment under the EPAP. Nor are claims for individuals with public insurance, such as Medicare or Medicaid.
To assist in the determination of eligibility, pharmacies must check at the point of sale for other forms of health insurance coverage. Only claims with a date of service between Sept. 2 and Sept. 11, 2008 are eligible under for processing under the EPAP-Gustav Activation at this time.
For more information, visit www.hhs.gov/hurricane or call 1-877-696-6775.
Low-interest loans also available to those with damage
Parish residents who sustained damage as a result of Hurricane Gustav and have not registered for disaster assistance should call the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s toll-free registration line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) (TTY 1-800-462-7585). Both lines are available 24 hours a day seven days a week until further notice.
Residents also may register online at www.fema.gov.
Individual Assistance can include grants or low-interest loans to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other necessary disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance.
FEMA disaster assistance covers basic needs only and normally will not compensate residents and business owners for entire losses.
Free tarps are just a phone call away
For a free blue tarp, all 1-888-BLU or 1-877-TRAC4LA.
Businesses should assess and report all damage
The St. Charles Parish Department of Economic Development is assessing the physical and economic losses resulting from Hurricane Gustav.
Please email damage information to Corey Faucheux, the economic development director, at cfaucheux@stcharlesgov.net.
Faucheux urges all businesses experiencing economic and/or physical damages to visit the St. Charles Business Association’s Web site, http://www.sba.gov/hurricanes/index.html, and begin the application process if you need financial assistance to rebuild/repair your facilities or if you need temporary working capital until normal operations resume after the disaster.
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