Disaster assistance grant awarded to Lee County

March 19-- Mar. 19--TUPELO -- Local residents unable to pay for some flooding recovery costs may be eligible for assistance through a Mississippi Emergency Management Agency grant awarded to Lee County.

A maximum of $250,000 will be made available to Lee County, said local Emergency Management Director Lee Bowdry.

However, the money will only be offered in $50,000 increments and each increment must be disbursed before an additional one can be requested.

That means the total grant award may not ultimately be used, depending on local need.

On Monday, Lee County supervisors approved passing along the first payout of $50,000 to the area's long term recovery committee, which is headed by the United Way of Northeast Mississippi.

The money can be used by local residents only to pay for building supplies, and not all disaster victims will be eligible.

"It's for unmet needs, or if they didn't have insurance, situations like that," Bowdry said.

Social workers provided through Families First will assess eligibility for the grant funding.

Bowdry said residents who think they might be eligible should contact the United Way with any questions.

"They will connect someone with a social worker," Bowdry said.

During Monday's Board of Supervisors meeting, Chancery Clerk Bill Benson said state Sen. Chad McMahan, R-Guntown, assisted in efforts to obtain grant funding for Lee County.

As of yet, there has been no state or federal disaster declaration related to recent flooding in Northeast Mississippi. Local officials said, however, that MEMA inspectors have been in the area assessing total damage amounts.

Lee County has kept its own local disaster declaration in place should a state or federal declaration be made.

caleb.bedillion@journalinc.com Twitter: @CalebBedillion

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