On September 1st, President Bush declared Queens County to be a federal disaster area. The federal government will therefore provide monetary assistance to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.

There are two types of federal assistance being offered to individuals affected by the disaster:
• Temporary Housing (a place to live for a limited period of time): Money is available to rent a different place to live, or a government provided housing unit when rental properties are not available.
• Repair: Money is available to homeowners to repair damage from the disaster to their primary residence that is not covered by insurance. The goal is to make the damaged home safe, sanitary, and functional.

You may apply for assistance online at www.fema.gov OR over the phone at (800) 621-FEMA (3362).

Whether applying online or via phone, you should have a pen and paper and the following information ready:
• Your Social Security number.
• Current and pre-disaster address.
• A telephone number where you can be contacted.
• Insurance information.
• Total household annual income
• A routing and account number from your bank (only necessary if you want to have disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account)
• A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster.