FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky residents who receive Social Security payments or other government assistance should not be concerned that FEMA disaster assistance will affect your benefits.
FEMA assistance is not taxable income and does not affect eligibility for other benefits. FEMA grants do not affect Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. And it does not affect assistance provided under Kentucky’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, or other federal welfare and entitlement programs.
Disaster funding helps survivors pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, essential personal property repairs and replacement, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other sources.
The Dec. 10-11 tornadoes affected survivors in 16 counties: Barren, Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Logan, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Taylor and Warren. If you were among those residents, you can apply for FEMA assistance if your primary home had damage or losses from the tornadoes.
Applying with other agencies such as American Red Cross or the Commonwealth of Kentucky does not make you eligible for FEMA assistance; you must apply with FEMA. The deadline to apply is Friday, Feb. 11.
To apply, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS) or captioned telephone service, give FEMA the number for that service. Helpline operators are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CST daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.
For official information on Kentucky’s recovery from the tornadoes, visit fema.gov/disaster/4630. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.