According to the The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency website, three disaster assistance centers opened Monday in response to the Easter tornadoes. The centers will help individuals apply for assistance from FEMA.
These Disaster Assistance Centers will serve the residents in Jefferson Davis, Covington and Jones counties as they apply for individual assistance from FEMA. The three center locations that opened Monday include:
Jones County
Antioch United Methodist Church
845 Lower Myrick Road, Laurel, MS 39443
662-660-2553
Covington County
Seminary United Methodist Church
208 Pine Street, Seminary, MS 39479
601-577-6049
Jefferson Davis County
LL Roberts United Methodist Church
247 General Robert E Blount Dr., Bassfield, MS 39421
601-317-5960.
Before arriving at the center, residents should have the following ready to present: 1) Social Security number; 2) Contact information (phone number and address); 3) Financial information (annual household income before taxes); 4) Damage information; and 5) Insurance information (type of coverage).
Optional information that can be helpful to present includes Direct Deposit information: Bank name, type of account, routing & account numbers.
“COVID-19 has complicated our disaster assistance response. Typically our federal partners would be on the ground to assist applicants. Because of the pandemic, FEMA is working virtually and encouraging affected residents to apply online or via telephone. However, we know that not all Mississippians have access to Internet, computers or even phones. MEMA is here to bridge the gap to ensure every single eligible storm victim has the chance to apply for valuable assistance to help them rebuild their lives,” said MEMA Executive Director Greg Michel in a news release posted on the MEMA website.
The operating hours of the assistance centers are: Monday – Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. – noon, closed on Sunday.
Mississippi Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) and the United Methodist Community on Relief (UMCOR) opened the assistance centers in Jones, Covington and Jefferson Davis counties, all of which have been declared federal disasters following the April 12, 2020, severe weather and tornadoes.
For more information, go to the MEMA website: https://www.msema.org/.
UPDATE: A fourth center opened Wednesday in Jones County at Gitano United Methodist Church, #4 Sillway Road, Soso, MS. Phone: 601-426-6734.