Use FEMA Grants for Intended Purpose

Release Date:
October 24, 2022

Disaster assistance is intended to help residents pay for basic necessities lost because of Hurricane Ian. A letter explaining what the payment is to be used for arrives within a day or two of the check or direct deposit payment.

If applicants spend the payment on anything other than the purpose for which it is intended, they may be denied future disaster assistance. In some cases, FEMA may ask that the money be returned.

Those receiving assistance are urged to keep receipts for their disaster spending for three years to document the money was used to meet disaster-related expenses. If you receive an insurance settlement to cover the same expenses, you must reimburse FEMA. Audits are conducted to confirm funds were spent properly.

Hurricane survivors in Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns and Volusia counties with uninsured disaster-caused damages and losses can apply to FEMA for disaster assistance by:

  • Going online to DisasterAssistance.gov;
  • Downloading the FEMA mobile app to any Smartphone, or by
  • Calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Multilingual specialists are available. Those who use a relay service such as a videophone should provide FEMA with the phone number assigned to that service.

The deadline to apply is Nov. 28, 2022.

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