NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee residents who receive Social Security payments or other government assistance should not be concerned that FEMA disaster assistance aiding their recovery from the March 31 to April 1, 2023, storms and tornadoes will affect their 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 they do not affect assistance provided under Tennessee’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.
Under the president’s major disaster declaration, affected individuals and households in the following 10 counties are eligible to apply for FEMA assistance: Cannon, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Rutherford, Tipton and Wayne counties. If you were among those who had damage or losses to your primary home, you can apply for FEMA assistance.
Applying with other agencies such as the American Red Cross or the state does not make you eligible for FEMA assistance; you must apply with FEMA to be considered for federal assistance. The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is Tuesday, June 6, 2023.
To apply for FEMA assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call the Disaster Assistance Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service when you apply. Helpline operators speak many languages and lines are open from 6 a.m. to midnight Central Daylight Time daily. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
For an American Sign Language video on how to apply, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI&list=PL720Kw_OojlKOhtKG7HM_0n_kEawus6FC&index=6
For the latest information on Tennessee’s recovery from the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes, visit FEMA.gov/Disaster/4701. You may also follow TN.gov/TEMA; Twitter.com/TEMA, Facebook.com/TNDisasterInfo, @FEMARegion4/Twitter and Facebook.com/FEMA.