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CHICAGO — Two newly opened disaster recovery centers in the Chicago area are helping neighbors affected by flooding in July.
Homeowners, renters and small business owners can get face-to-face support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration at the disaster recovery centers, which opened Wednesday in Chicago Lawn, 6120 S. Kedzie Ave., and suburban Homewood, 2010 Chestnut Road.
This joint effort between FEMA and Illinois’ government aims to provide a streamlined, one-stop solution for those dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters. People can get grants for repairing uninsured homes, replacing damaged furniture, moving and storage costs and child care among other issues related to the storms and flooding.
Nancy Schmit, manager of the disaster recovery center at the Chicago Lawn library, said people can stop by to get help with applying for federal disaster assistance, to check on their application status and to learn about aid programs available to them.
FEMA spokesperson Kim Keblish said the two locations were chosen based on their accessibility. Both centers provide multilingual services, including American Sign Language interpretation.
Eligible individuals can receive up to $42,500 in housing assistance and other disaster-related expenses.
The centers are open:
- Chicago Lawn location: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, noon-8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sundays
- Homewood location: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily
Those unable to visit in person can still seek assistance through FEMA’s online portal and the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.
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