Spend Your Individual Assistance Grant Wisely

BRUNSWICK, Ga., Sept. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency issued the following news release:

As federal disaster assistance grants begin arriving in survivors' checking accounts, it is important to remember that the funds are to be used only for specified disaster-related expenses.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency may audit how the money is actually spent and can require that it is repaid if not spent for intended repairs.

When a grant is awarded, FEMA will send a letter listing approved uses for your grant, which might include:

* home repairs (e.g., structure, water, septic and sewage systems)

* rental assistance for a different place to live temporarily

* repair or replacement of a flooded essential vehicle

* medical care for an injury caused by the disaster

* repair, cleaning or replacement of clothing

* repair, cleaning or replacement of specialized tools

* necessary educational materials (e.g., computers, school books, supplies)

* moving and storage expenses related to the disaster

* other disaster-related expenses

Rental assistance grants are provided for temporary housing when a disaster leaves your home uninhabitable or inaccessible.

* While dwellings are being repaired, FEMA recipients can choose to rent an apartment, house, mobile home or some other temporary rental unit.

* If you intend to seek continued rental assistance, you'll need receipts to show you used the grant for rent.

Disaster grants should not be used for travel, entertainment, regular living expenses or any discretionary expenses not related to the disaster.

FEMA encourages you to keep your receipts for three years to show how the funds were spent. After every major disaster, FEMA conducts audits of disaster assistance payments to ensure that taxpayer dollars were properly provided by the agency and appropriately used by recipients.

If you sustained damage from Hurricane Irma in Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Coffee, Glynn, Liberty or McIntosh counties, you need to register with FEMA to become eligible for disaster assistance. The deadline to register with FEMA is Nov. 14, 2017.

Ways to register:

* The quickest way to apply for federal assistance is online at DisasterAssistance.gov or with the FEMA mobile app, which can be downloaded free from your phone's app store.

* Survivors may also register by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or VRS) or 800-462-7585 (TTY). Because of high demand, lines may be busy. Please be patient, and try calling in the morning or evening when call volume may be lower.

* The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET, seven days a week.

When you get a letter from FEMA, read it carefully. If you have any questions, take the letter to a Disaster Recovery Center or call the FEMA helpline listed above. To find the nearest Disaster Recovery Center, use fema.gov/drc online or the FEMA mobile app.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion3 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government's primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA's Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing [email protected], or visiting SBA's Web site at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.