WRBL

FEMA Recovery Center opens in LaGrange

LaGRANGE, Ga. (WRBL) – Thousands of families were impacted by the devastating storms that blew through parts of Alabama and Georgia on Jan. 12.  

In LaGrange, recovery specialists from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration are providing information on available services, explaining assistance programs and helping survivors complete or check the status of their applications. 

FEMA offers individual assistance grant money towards damaged personal property, reimbursements for hotel costs, rental assistance and basic home repairs for homeowners. 

“We want to give good customer service,” said FEMA Media Specialist, Maria Padron. “And so people can tell us this story and we can provide a face to face application process service.”

Troup County resident, Jay Parikh, describes his community as “a whole new neighborhood” –saying things just haven’t been the same before the storms.

While Parikh’s home received minimal roof damage, his backyard took the biggest hit, with his fence and 4-year-old’s playset getting decimated. 

He describes his family as lucky, knowing some of his neighbors are going through much worse.

“We are lucky that we didn’t get what they got,” said Parikh. “It’s unfortunate for them to go through it. And when I spoke to the neighbor, he almost broke down because he said he stayed here for like 20 or 30 years. And now his home is just gone in a couple of seconds.”

Parikh is glad that organizations are on the ground helping the community rebuild. He says the more assistance his neighbors get, the better.

“I’m glad that there is somebody who is looking out for people who have suffered through this storm or tornado,” said Parikh. “I know a couple of the people in the other neighborhood, he didn’t have insurance and stuff. So it’s as bad as it is and any support they can get is worth it for sure.”

Representatives from the Troup County Department of Family and Children Services are also available at the center. 

They are offering replacement food stamps to those who lost power for at least 4 hours, causing their food to go bad. For those who qualify for food stamps due to the storm, the representatives are assisting with the application process. 

People affected by the storms can visit the disaster recovery centers listed below:

You can also apply for assistance with FEMA online here or by calling 800-621-3362.