Disaster Assistance

Need help? Call our toll-free line at: 1 (877) 937-3663

DHS has several programs to help with the damage caused by flood and storms. This page contains information about the Individual Assistance Grant Program and scroll down for infomation about emergency food assistance programs and about coping with a disaster.

For information on other state and federal programs, please go to http://www.flood2008.iowa.gov/.

Individual Disaster Assistance

Applying for a reimbursement grant: Iowa residents who sustained damage in this year’s storms or floods should apply for federal or state-only disaster assistance grants if they are available. Residents are not eligible for both. By design, the federal program is far more generous than the state-funded Iowa-only program. Click here for more information regarding the state and federal disaster grant programs.

This page provides information about applying for the state's disaster assistance grant program for people with low income. The grant program is automatically launched with a governor's declaration.

Applications for Iowa's Individual Assistance Grant Program are available:

Online applications can be printed out at your local library if necessary.

By Governor Culver's Proclamation, beginning on May 25, 2008, residents of these counties are eligible for Iowa's disaster assistance program for families with limited income.

Application Deadline: August 15, 2008

Adair Howard Poweshiek
Audubon Humboldt Shelby
Carroll Jackson Taylor
Cass Jefferson Wayne
Grundy Lyon Winnebago
Guthrie Palo Alto  
Henry Pocahontas  

Instructions for Completing the Disaster Assistance Application [ pdf]

Disaster Assistance Application [ pdf] - This form applies only to the severe weather event impacting the counties listed above in May and June, 2008. Please note: Assistance is now available before purchase, receipts may be provided at application, or submitted to Iowa Department of Human Services immediately after the purchase of goods/equipment. Please refer to the instructions for details. The application must be filed by August 15, 2008.

Due to a Presidential disaster declaration, people who sustained losses in the counties below should contact FEMA at 1-800-621-3362, or online at http://www.fema.gov/.

Adams Davis Jones Page
Allamakee Decatur Keokuk Polk
Appanoose Delaware Kossuth Pottawattamie
Benton Des Moines Lee Ringgold
Black Hawk Dubuque Linn Scott
Boone Fayette Louisa Story
Bremer Floyd Lucas Tama
Buchanan Franklin Madison Union
Butler Fremont Mahaska Van Buren
Cedar Greene Marion Wapello
Cerro Gordo Hamilton Marshall Warren
Chickasaw Hancock Mills Washington
Clarke Hardin Mitchell Webster
Clayton Harrison Monona Winneshiek
Clinton Iowa Monroe Worth
Crawford Jasper Montgomery Wright
Dallas Johnson Muscatine  

See below for information regarding emergency food assistance.

List of County Emergency Coordinators [ pdf]


Food

Residents of counties that have been declared in a presidential disaster declaration may be eligible for the Disaster Food Assistance Program.  There is a special application for the Disaster Food Assistance program and applications are only accepted for a limited time.  Applications will be taken at the FEMA disaster site offices as they are set up, or residents may contact their local DHS offices to apply (click here for help finding the address).  Note that some people who would not qualify for Food Assistance under the regular rules may qualify for Disaster Food Assistance. All households affected by the disaster are encouraged to apply.

If you currently receive Food Assistance you may qualify for Disaster Food Assistance benefits in addition to what you have already received.

To qualify a household must because of the disaster have experienced at least one of the following:

  • Loss of food.
  • Damage to, or destruction of the household's home.
  • Damage to, or destruction of a household member's self-employment business.
  • Disaster-related expenses not expected to be reimbursed during the disaster period.
  • Loss or inaccessibility of income.

If you live anywhere in Iowa and currently receive Food Assistance you can apply for assistance to replace destroyed or spoiled food. To apply, complete a Request for Replacement of Spoiled Food application and bring or mail it to your county’s DHS Office (click here for help finding the address). If you are unable to get to your local office you should call 1-877-YES-FOOD (1-877-937-3663) to apply.


For information on Project Recovery Iowa Crisis Counseling Outreach or more documents for help in dealing with a disaster event click here.

 

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