Recovery Resources for Home

Are you a Hurricane Ian survivor in need of help? The Sarasota County Long Term Recovery Group has partnered with World Renew to host several Community Needs Assessment meetings in mid-May to assess the unmet needs of Sarasota County residents. Visit www.uwssc.org/IAN for more details.

Morgan Family Community Center

6207 West Price Blvd. North Port, Florida 34291

• May 8th & 9th Meeting Room 12:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.
• May 10th Multi-Purpose Room, Side A 1:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.
• May 11th & 12th Meeting Room 12:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.
• May 13th Meeting Room 11:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

PODCAST: Hear from FEMA's Renee Bafalis on Hurricane Ian assistance in this edition of North Port Newsbreak.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) encourages businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters to apply for a disaster loan before the Jan. 12 deadline. Anyone in the declared Florida counties who incurred damage from Sept. 23 through Nov. 4 from Hurricane Ian should apply for the disaster recovery loan program. As of today, the SBA had approved 19,537 Hurricane Ian disaster loans in Florida for a total of $1,377,407,300.

Disaster survivors with insurance should not wait for their settlement before applying to the SBA. The SBA can make a loan for the total loss and use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.

The SBA offers low-interest, long-term disaster loans to assist those with losses resulting from a declared disaster. Loans are available for physical damage and working capital. To take advantage of this opportunity, disaster survivors need to apply by the deadline.

Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may now include a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website and should apply under SBA declaration #17644.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at (800) 621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call (800) 621-3362.

The state of Florida and FEMA have activated the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program for Hurricane Ian survivors ;who have applied for disaster assistance. You may be eligible to shelter in a hotel or motel ;paid for by FEMA if you cannot return home and your housing needs cannot be met by insurance, shelters or rental assistance provided by FEMA or another agency (federal, state or nonprofit). View more information on FEMA's website.

FEMA and the State of Florida are committed to helping Hurricane Ian survivors get a safe roof over their heads as quickly as possible. FEMA is providing grants for basic repairs to homes damaged by the storm, rental assistance for those who can’t remain in their homes and hotel stays for survivors who can’t find a place to rent. This support is available in all 26 counties approved for FEMA Individual Assistance.

In Sarasota County, FEMA is providing Direct Temporary Housing Assistance. This includes direct lease of residential properties, repair of existing vacant multi-family properties for use by survivors, and travel trailers or manufactured housing units. It takes time to transport, permit, install and inspect these temporary housing units. FEMA is working as quickly as possible with the state and local authorities to provide housing to survivors.

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, the American Red Cross has worked closely with partners to provide emergency shelter, food, water, relief supplies, emotional support and health services to people in need. Thanks to generous donors, the Red Cross is now starting to get emergency financial assistance into the hands of Florida residents whose homes were severely impacted. To be eligible for immediate financial assistance, applicant’s primary residence suffered major damage or was destroyed.

• Major damage is indicated by significant structural damage to a residence that requires extensive repairs. This may include substantial failure of the roof, walls or foundation, or a water line above 18 inches.
• A residence that is destroyed is one that is a total loss or with damage so extensive that repair is not feasible.

The majority of eligible households will receive an invitation to complete an application through an email, text message or phone call directly from the Red Cross. People who fall into this category include those whose homes for which the Red Cross has contact information and have been verified by FEMA, the Red Cross or another agency to have sustained major structural damage or have been destroyed. This is a real program and not a scam.

If a household believes it has qualifying damage but has not received a call, text or email from the Red Cross then the household will have an opportunity to visit www.redcross.org/Ian to make an in-person appointment to enroll for assistance at one of the recovery assistance locations opening on Nov. 28, 2022. This program will be open from Nov. 14-Dec. 19, 2022.

If there is not a location near you, please know that the Red Cross is also working with partners and community advocates to reach people that we do not have contact information for and whose homes were destroyed or sustained major damage. This will include pop-up locations and mobile teams in impacted communities that will begin the week of Nov. 28 walk in locations will be added to www.redcross.org/Ian as they open.

Impacted by Hurricane Ian? SBA may be able to help homeowners, renters, businesses and most private non-profits with low interest loans to fund repairs not covered by insurance. Apply online at www.sba.gov/disaster or call 1-(800) 659-2955 with questions.

The SBA has announced it will waive the interest rate for the first year on new disaster loans and extend the initial payment deferment period automatically to 12 months.

Rostan Solutions is seeking motivated, reliable individuals to serve as debris monitors responsible for monitoring the removal of debris generated by Hurricane Ian in our area. Those interested can learn more or apply online via the Rostan website.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to Florida businesses and residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Ian. Individuals affected in the designated-disaster areas must file DUA applications by December 30, 2022 Learn more or apply online at FloridaJobs.org.

The Awaken Church Food Pantry is providing food as well as other donated items to individuals seeking hurricane relief. Please visit 4940 Pan American Blvd. on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesdays 3-7 p.m., and drive-thru service on Fridays 9-12 a.m. Please call (941) 200-2739 if you have any questions.

Additional services may be available by third party partners such as:

• Mothers Helping Mothers – supplies for mothers and children
• World Central Kitchen - supplying hot meals daily Tues – Saturday during lunch hours
• Shower Trailer – providing hot showers for free on Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• On the Spot Medical Care – Thurs and Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m

Salvation Army of Sarasota County has been providing hot meals for lunch and dinner at various locations daily around North Port and south Sarasota County. Visit their Facebook page for daily updates.

United Way of South Sarasota County has started a Hurricane Ian Recovery and Relief fund and has been accepting donations and supplies. If you need clothing, toiletries, water, food, etc. to recover from the impact of Hurricane Ian, please stop by the United Way of South Sarasota County office. Distribution is open Tuesday-Saturday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.. United Way South Sarasota County is located at 4242 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice, FL. 34293 (behind the Outback Steakhouse & next to the Books-a-Million)

If you have any questions or need other assistance, please call the UWSSC Office at (941) 484-4811.

Making An Impact (MAI), a nonprofit group providing equitable access to community resources, recently created a comprehensive disaster recovery resource guide in response to those in Sarasota and Manatee counties affected by Hurricane Ian. Access to the disaster guide is available 24/7, at www.making-an-impact.org/disaster-recovery-guide.

With floodwaters receding, it is important to disinfect your private well using the procedures available from DOH-Sarasota or visit the Florida Department of Health website. You may also visit the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (US EPA) website for instructions.

To know if your water is safe, DOH-Sarasota offers no-cost microbiological water test kits to Sarasota County residents whose wells have been disinfected after flooding. Please call (941) 861-6133 for more information.

Did your private well or septic system get damaged by Hurricane Ian? FEMA may reimburse you for the cost of a professional, licensed technician to visit your home and prepare an estimate detailing the necessary repairs or replacement of your disaster-damaged systems.

In addition to the technician’s estimate, FEMA may also pay for the actual repair or replacement cost of your septic system or private well, which typically are not covered by homeowner’s insurance.

If you have applied for FEMA assistance and have not had a home inspection, you should call the FEMA Helpline at (800) 621-3362. At the time of your inspection, let the FEMA inspector know you have a private well and/or septic system that may have been damaged by the storm. If the damage is determined to be caused by Hurricane Ian, you may be eligible for FEMA assistance.

If you have already had an inspection and damage to the well or septic system wasn’t reported, contact the FEMA Helpline to learn how to amend your application.

Hurricane Ian survivors can apply for FEMA assistance online at disasterassistance.gov, by calling the FEMA Helpline at (800) 621-3362 or by using the FEMA mobile app.

Still need help? Visit the Disaster Recovery Center at Shannon Staub Library, 4675 Career Lane, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily to speak with a FEMA representative in person.

Scammers often follow disasters and prey on people at vulnerable times. If you suspect fraud, report it to FEMA by calling (866) 223-0814. As we pick up the pieces after Hurricane Ian, here are six ways to recognize and prevent scams.

1. Don’t trust anyone who offers financial help and then asks for money or personal information. Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money.
2. Resist the pressure to act immediately. Scammers pressure you to provide information immediately, they want you to act before you have time to think.
3. Know how scammers will ask you to pay. They often insist that you pay by sending money through a money transfer company or by putting money on a gift card and then giving them the number on the back.
4. Stop and talk to someone you trust. Before you do anything else, tell someone - a friend, a family member, a neighbor - what happened. Talking about it could help you realize it’s a scam.
5. Research and be aware of common scams by visiting the Federal Trade Commission website.
6. To check on whether a contractor is licensed with Sarasota County, please call (941) 429-7044, or email bldginfo@northportfl.gov.

The Sarasota County Volunteer Reception Center is now open for individuals and groups who would like to offer their skills to help with the disaster response. To register and receive an assignment with an agency that needs assistance, individuals should go to the VRC, which is located at Nokomis Community Park, 234 Nippino Trail East, Nokomis, FL 34275. It will be open Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 7:30-11:30 a.m. The VRC will be closed on Sundays.

For additional information, you can call (941) 288-0232 or email vrc@scgov.net.

If you’re in need of assistance from volunteers, visit crisiscleanup.org.

Awaken Church has serviced over 5,500 individuals and over 2,000 hot meals to date. They are in need of volunteers to help stock, distribute food, and provide information to those seeking assistance. Awaken Church hours for assistance are walk-up assistance Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesdays 3-7 p.m., and drive-thru service on Fridays 9-12 p.m. Please call (941) 200-2739 if you have any questions.

If you are looking for a way to get involved and help your community in this time of need, United Way of South Sarasota County could use your assistance! We are actively recruiting volunteers to fill the following roles:

• Donation Distribution
• Back Office
• Outside Clean-up Crew
• Inside Clean-up Crew

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer to help meet these needs, complete the Hurricane Ian Recovery & Relief Volunteer Interest Form or call the UWSSC Office at (941) 484-4811.

The North Port Social Services Division can offer information on how to apply for Department of Children and Families benefits. Simply visit the Family Service Center at 6919 Outreach Way off of Pan American Blvd., Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., or call (941) 429-3700. You may also register directly on the DCF website.

Florida Department of Children and Families can provide the following assistance to qualified individuals:

• Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP)
• Food Replacement Benefits
• Food Assistance
• Temporary Cash Assistance
• Medicaid