Rev. Raphael Warnock, our U.S. Senator for Georgia, has provided some resources to help our communities stay safe and begin to recover during this very difficult time.

 

Please share and pass this information along to those in MACON and MIDDLE GA or any community in Georgia or the Southeastern States that were impacted. 

 

First and foremost, if you require immediate emergency assistance, we are asked to dial 911.  

 

For non-damage related questions, you can call 211 for assistance.

 

For additional assistance, such as food, water, or shelter-related questions: The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA) has compiled a list of resources related to food, shelter and donations here: https://gema.georgia.gov/hurricane-helene .  You can contact your local Emergency Management Agency, which can be found here: https://gema.georgia.gov/locations. If you cannot reach your local agency, you can contact the Georgia Emergency Management and HOmeland Security Agency (GEMA) at 404-635-7200 or 1-800-TRY-GEMA (1-800-879-4362). 

Georgians receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can report food loss by submitting Form 841 to the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services

 

Georgians receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can report food loss by submitting Form 841 to the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services, either at a county office ( https://dfcs.georgia.gov/locations ) or electronically: https://dfcs.georgia.gov/form/food-loss-replacement-form . More information is available here: https://dfcs.georgia.gov/snap-food-stamps/benefits-replacement-request              You can also contact your local American Red Cross Regional Office. The contact information for their Georgia office is available at https://www.redcross.org/local/georgia.html or 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) 24 hours a day.               You can also find more information about locating a loved one through the American Red Cross here: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services/contact-and-locate-loved-ones.html

 

For those recovering from hurricane-related damage (These resources extend beyond Georgia):

 

You can report damages to your home, business or other property here: https://damage-assessment-gema-soc.hub.arcgis.com/  You can find resources and apply for disaster assistance here: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ You may also be eligible for low-interest disaster loans for homeowners and businesses from the Small Business Administration, which you can learn more about here: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance/hurricane-helene  Ready.gov offers resources on what to do following a hurricane: https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has tips for handling finances while recovering and rebuilding after disasters and emergencies here: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/disasters-and-emergencies/ (Spanish language resources here: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/es/desastres-y-emergencias/ ). 

 

The federal government offers several resources for those with healthcare-related needs:

 

                          People on dialysis with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) can reach out to the ESRD Network 6 (Georgia) toll-free hotline at 1-800-524-7139. You can find more information on the Kidney Community Emergency Response website here: https://kcercoalition.com               People affected by the storm may be able to apply for health insurance in a special enrollment period: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/news-alert/cms-announces-resources-and-flexibilities-assist-public-health-emergency-states-florida-georgia               The federal government also operates a 24/7 Disaster Distress Helpline for toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service for those experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. You can call or text 1-800-985-5990 or learn more here: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline

 

Unfortunately, frauds and scams can be common following a disaster, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself

 

As a reminder, federal agencies will never charge you for disaster assistance. If you believe you may have been the victim of a fraud or scam, you can contact the Georgia’s Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 404-651-8600 or 1-800-869-1123 (toll-free in Georgia) or online at https://consumer.georgia.gov/ and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov . You can find more resources about disaster-related frauds and scams here: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-scams-after-weather-emergencies-and-natural-disasters .   

 

Finally, you can read more about the activities of the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency at https://www.fema.gov/hurricane-helene (Spanish:https://www.fema.gov/es/disaster/current/hurricane-helene ) and across federal agencies at https://usa.gov/hurricane-helene (Spanish: https://www.usa.gov/es/huracan-helene). 

 

Praying for GOD'S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS and HEALING to all the children and families affected by the recent HURRICANES.

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