STATE —  Two weeks after President Biden approved the disaster declaration for the severe storm and flooding that occurred on December 17 – 21, 2023, FEMA has approved over $1.7 million in disaster assistance to survivors.

Disaster Assistance funds distributed to survivors include over $1,597,037 for home repair or replacement, emergency lodging and funding to cover basic needs, and nearly $173,198 in Other Needs Assistance, which covers personal property, transportation, moving and storage, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Homeowners and renters from the affected counties of Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset are eligible to apply for disaster assistance. The deadline to apply for disaster assistance is April 1.

There are several ways to apply:

• Visit a Disaster Recover Center. To find a center close to you, go online to DRC Locator, or text DRC along with your zip code to 43362 (Ex: DRC 04074)
• Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages. The Helpline is available daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET.
• Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov (also in Spanish).
• Download the FEMA mobile app (also in Spanish), available at Google Play or the Apple App Store.
• There are four centers currently open. They are located at:

University of Maine – Roberts Learning Center, 224 Main Street, Farmington, ME
65 Central Ave., Lewiston, ME
150 River Street, Rumford, ME
4 County Drive, Skowhegan, ME
Regular hours for the centers are daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To learn more about the disaster response in Maine, please visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4754.