Residents whose properties sustained damage as a result of the severe storms and flooding that began on March 12 are urged to register for disaster assistance as soon as possible. Assistance is available to businesses as well.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) established a Disaster Recovery Center at the Monmouth County Park System’s Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center, 945 Route 36, Leonardo. The office is now open to begin processing claims.

In addition to Monmouth County, federal funding has been made available to people and businesses in Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, and Union counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing, home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

FEMA said residents and business owners who sustained losses can register by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or for the speech or hearing impaired TTY 1-800-462-7585, or online anytime at
www.disasterassistance.gov. These toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, until further notice.

“Do it now. Get into the FEMA system,” State Coordinating Officer Lt. Bill McDonnell said. “We urge affected residents to go online or make that call, to make that first step toward recovery.”

Individuals and business owners should register even if they have flood insurance. Some losses may not be covered by insurance, but federal grants may cover those expenses. In addition, certain Private Non-Profit Organizations (PNPs) that do not provide critical services of a governmental nature may be eligible to apply for low-interest rate disaster loans. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

Registering with FEMA is required for assistance, even if the person has registered with another disaster relief organization such as the American Red Cross, local officials or churches. Applicants will need to provide:

• Social Security number
• Address of the damaged home or apartment
• Description of the damage
• Information about insurance coverage
• A current contact telephone number
• An address where you can get mail
• Bank account and routing numbers if they want direct deposit of any financial assistance

Disaster Recovery Centers are staffed with FEMA, U.S. Small Business Administration and state agency disaster recovery specialists who are ready to help survivors through the recovery process. Besides Monmouth, FEMA has opened Disaster Recovery centers in Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, and Union counties.

Residents affected by the flooding are encouraged to register with FEMA before visiting a center. At the Disaster Recovery Center, visitors can:

• Receive information about different types of state and federal disaster assistance.
• Get help completing low-interest loan applications from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for homeowners, renters and business owners.
• Inquire about the status of applications for federal assistance.
• May receive referrals to voluntary organizations to help with immediate unmet needs.
• Learn cost-effective mitigation measures to reduce the impact of future disaster losses.

Until further notice, daily hours at the Disaster Recovery Center are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The centers will be closed on Sundays.