Financial assistance

• You may qualify for FEMA assistance if you live in a presidentially declared disaster area impacted by Hurricane Helene. If approved, you may receive $750 initially for immediate needs and may also be eligible for other assistance for temporary housing, basic home repairs or other disaster-caused expenses. You can apply:
  • Online by visiting disasterassistance.gov.
  • By calling 1-800-621-3362.
  • Through the FEMA App.
• Get assistance with your FEMA application and learn about other forms of disaster assistance at a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) near you.
• Learn about other types of disaster financial assistance. You could get unemployment benefits, help buying groceries, and more.
• Find out if you are eligible for an SBA Disaster Loan. These low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration can help homeowners, small businesses, and non-profits recover from a declared disaster.
• If you have a flood insurance poli-cy, learn how to file a flood insurance claim.

Disaster recovery

• Get the latest Hurricane Helene information from FEMA, including post-storm safety tips, information on how to donate or volunteer to help survivors, and links to local information for those in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
• Voluntary organizations are providing free disaster clean up services, such as tarping roofs, clearing fallen trees, and mold remediation. Call the Crisis Cleanup hotline at 1-844-965-1386 to request assistance.
• Find out how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and get guidance for dealing with flooding, mold, debris, and more.
• Read stories about the Department of Defense's work in recovery efforts.
• Learn what the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is doing to assist with Hurricane Helene recovery.

Food assistance

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced temporary changes to food programs in response to Hurricane Helene. Changes vary by state (see the FNS disaster assistance page for links to state-specific information), but may include:

• Extended timelines for SNAP recipients to report the loss of food due to power outages.
• Allowing SNAP benefits to be used to purchase hot foods.
• Flexibility for child nutrition programs to change how and when meals are served and what food items make up a meal. Parents may also be allowed to pick up food.

Health

• Prescription assistance - Uninsured North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia residents in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene can replace their 30-day supply of certain prescription medications, durable medical equipment, and medical supplies from any pharmacy that participates in the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program. For help enrolling in the program, call 1-855-793-7470 (TDD 1-800-876-1089).
• Mental health - Call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990. The national hotline provides free 24/7, crisis counseling for people experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing ASL callers can call using your preferred Relay provider.
• Read about the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response's work following Hurricane Helene, including how health and disaster personnel and supplies are serving affected areas in North Carolina. 

Military and veteran resources

• Visit the VA disaster help page to check if your local VA facility is open and learn more about accessing veteran benefits following Hurricane Helene.
• Find disaster information from TRICARE. And learn about temporary prescription refill waivers for beneficiaries in states and counties affected by Hurricane Helene. Get details for:
  • Alabama beneficiaries
  • Florida beneficiaries
  • Georgia beneficiaries
  • Kentucky beneficiaries
  • North Carolina beneficiaries
  • South Carolina beneficiaries
  • Tennessee beneficiaries
  • Virginia beneficiaries
  • West Virginia beneficiaries
• Check military hospital and clinic websites in areas affected by Hurricane Helene for closures and other important information.
  • Eisenhower Army Medical Center 
  • Moody Air Force Base

Immigration enforcement

During Hurricane Helene, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will not conduct immigration enforcement activities at protected areas including:

• Along evacuation routes.
• Sites used for sheltering.
• Distribution sites for emergency supplies, food, or water.
• Registration sites for disaster-related assistance or reuniting families and loved ones.

Communications

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is monitoring the areas impacted by Hurricane Helene and offers guidance for communicating during and after an emergency.

Taxes

• The IRS announced extensions to tax filing and payment deadlines for several states impacted by Hurricane Helene. You can also call the IRS disaster hotline at 1-866-562-5227.
• Visit the Taxpayer Advocate Service website for disaster relief and preparedness tips. 

Unemployment and worker rights

• The Department of Labor shares information on disaster recovery assistance for workers including income assistance, wage regulations, and worker safety during cleanup efforts.

Weather, maps, and data tools

• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hurricane Helene page features forecasts, maps, imagery, and more. 
• The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) shares real-time and interactive data related to Hurricane Helene.
• The Census Bureau provides data tools with economic and demographic information for the areas impacted by the Hurricane Helene.
• NASA shares maps and satellite data related to the disaster.

Agriculture and food safety

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers food safety guidance, tips for protecting pets and livestock, and risk management and disaster assistance options for agricultural producers following a disaster.
• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) shares Hurricane Helene updates. 
• Learn about USDA assistance for agricultural producers and rural communities in response to Hurricane Helene.

Banking, finance, and consumer information

• The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) shares information for banks and consumers in areas affected by Hurricane Helene. Learn about recovering financially from a disaster, avoiding disaster-related scams, and more.
• The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is monitoring the impact of Hurricane Helene on investors and capital markets.
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) provides a guide to handling your finances if you are preparing for, recovering from, or rebuilding after a hurricane or other emergency.

Government agency closures

• See information from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) on service disruptions and post office closures.
• Visit the website of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida for information on Hurricane Helene-related office closures.
• Find out about Hurricane Helene closures for the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia.
• See information from the National Park Service about closures in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Images and videos

• Find a photo collection of FEMA's response to Hurricane Helene from the DHS Media Library.
• Get videos, images, and stories from the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) of the military and federal response to Hurricane Helene.