Berrien and Brooks counties added for FEMA Individual Assistance for Hurricane Idalia recovery

ATLANTA, Ga. – Homeowners and renters in Berrien and Brooks counties are now eligible for FEMA assistance to help them recover from Hurricane Idalia.

These counties join Cook, Glynn, and Lowndes counties, which were previously approved for Individual Assistance. Assistance for eligible survivors can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and for other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses. Also, low-interest disaster loans from the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available for businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofits, homeowners, and renters.

The first step for individuals and households to receive assistance is to apply to FEMA for federal assistance. There are no costs involved to receive FEMA assistance.

Apply by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, using the FEMA mobile app, or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance, visit youtube.com/watch?v= WZGpWI2RCNw.

If you live in Berrien, Brooks, Cook, Glynn or Lowndes county, the deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is Nov. 6, 2023.

For more information about FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, visit www.fema.gov/assistance/individual.

The Glynn County Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Brunswick will cease operations permanently at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6.

The DRCs, operated by the state of Georgia and FEMA in Cook and Lowndes counties will remain open to continue serving Hurricane Idalia survivors, but with some change in hours of operation:
▪ Beginning Sunday, Oct. 8, both DRCs will be closed on Sundays.
▪ Beginning Monday, Oct. 9, DRC hours will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday (including Columbus Day).

Disaster Recovery Centers provide one-on-one help to people affected by Hurricane Idalia and survivors can visit any DRC.

DRCs remain open at:

Cook County Extension Services
206 E. Ninth St.
Adel, GA 31620

Lowndes County Civic Center
2108 E. Hill Ave.
Valdosta, GA 31601

In addition, FEMA has added four more counties to the Hurricane Idalia disaster declaration for assistance under FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program. The additional PA counties are Burke, Montgomery, Toombs and Treutlen.

Public Assistance funding is now available, on a cost-sharing basis, to eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, in 32 Georgia counties. Previously approved PA counties, impacted by the Aug. 30 hurricane are: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Bulloch, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Echols, Emanuel, Glynn, Jeff Davis, Jenkins, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Screven, Tattnall, Thomas, Tift, Ware and Wayne.

PA provides help to communities impacted by Idalia to cover a full range of measures, including debris removal, life-saving emergency protective services and restoration of public infrastructure, including roads, bridges, dams and public parks and recreation facilities.

For the latest information on Georgia’s recovery from Hurricane Idalia, visit fema.gov/disaster/4738, follow FEMA on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/femaregion4 and at facebook.com/fema.

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