FEMA’s Waterbury center closes today; application deadline now Oct. 31

October 14, 2023 | By Waterbury Roundabout

Update: Waterbury’s FEMA Disaster Recovery Center closed on Saturday, Oct. 14. The centers in Barre and Ludlow remain open; Ludlow closes Oct. 21. (See below)

Additional announcements regarding state and federal assistance for businesses and forest lands were included in this post on Oct. 18.

*FEMA’s Waterbury Disaster Recovery Center closes on Saturday, Oct. 14, but Vermonters can apply for FEMA assistance through Oct. 31. Photo by Gordon Miller*

At the state’s request, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended the registration deadline for FEMA assistance to Oct. 31 for Vermont residents affected by July’s severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides in one of the nine designated counties including Washington County.

FEMA also has announced that its Waterbury Disaster Recovery Center at 294 Armory Drive will be closing permanently on Saturday.

Two FEMA centers will remain open: Barre Auditorium, 16 Auditorium Hill, Barre, and the Ludlow Community Center, 37 Main St., Ludlow. The Ludlow center will close on Oct. 21.

Hours of operation at all of the centers are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday; closed Sundays.

The nine designated counties in Vermont are: Caledonia, Chittenden, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham and Windsor.

More information is available from the FEMA Helpline by phone at 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) and online at disasterassistance.gov.

FEMA assistance can provide grants and U.S. Small Business Administration loans for temporary housing, home repairs and other disaster-related needs. Apply online, using the FEMA App, the helpline or visit a Disaster Recovery Center in person before Oct. 31.

Details on materials needed to file a FEMA application are available on the Waterbury town website’s resources page here.

FEMA encourages appeals

FEMA officials want Vermonters to know that if they have applied for assistance and have received a letter stating their claim is ineligible, an appeal may be successful in changing that determination.

Often an application is ineligible because FEMA needs additional information. If an applicant disagrees with FEMA’s decision, they have 60 days from their FEMA determination letter to make an appeal. There are tips in this news release regarding how to appeal a FEMA ineligible determination. (Note: the deadline has been changed to Oct. 31 to apply)

Waterbury Help is still helping and needs volunteers on Sunday

Waterbury’s flood response effort continues. Anyone in need of assistance with recovery projects can connect with local coordinator Tom Drake using the waterburyhelp@gmail.com email.

This Sunday, Oct. 15, volunteers are needed to assist Waterbury Help with canvassing outreach in flood-impacted neighborhoods. The goal is to check in where flooding happened to assess needs, offer support, and connect people with resources to complete their recovery.

Anyone with an hour or two who is interested in helping knock on doors for in-person visits should go to the Steele Room at the Municipal Offices starting at 10 a.m. for an assignment.

Do you have borrowed equipment?

Anyone with a dehumidifier or other equipment borrowed from the town offices is asked to contact WaterburyHelp@gmail.com to arrange for a pickup in order to get the units and supplies returned once they are no longer needed.

Grant source for affected homeowners

Some local flood-affected homeowners have had success in applying for financial help from the NAR's Realtors Relief Foundation to Aid Vermonters Impacted by Floods. The charitable, nonprofit arm of the National Association of Realtors has awarded $500,000 to the Vermont Association of Realtors to aid Vermonters impacted by this summer’s floods.

“The recent floods have caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure, and communities across Vermont, leaving many struggling to cope with the aftermath,” said VAR President Sarah Peluso. “Funding from the Realtors Relief Foundation will aid Vermonters with their recovery and rebuilding efforts.”

Funds from the program are available to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis to help with homeownership-related challenges. Successful applicants should receive funding within four weeks.

Details and application are online at vermontrealtors.com/RRF

CReW: New local long-term recovery group forms

A new long-term flood recovery effort has formed to help residents and businesses navigate the ongoing steps toward rebuilding after the summer’s flood. A local group has formed under the name Waterbury CReW, which stands for Community Resilience for the greater Waterbury area. Its aim is to support those impacted by the flood in Waterbury and the surrounding towns.

The group’s goals are to:

help people recover successfully from this event
take mitigating steps to protect against future flooding
build long-term community resilience for dealing with future disasters of all kinds.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency strongly recommends that disaster-impacted communities create long-term recovery groups to help support people through the often long and slow work of rebuilding.

With the nonprofit economic and community development organization Revitalizing Waterbury as its fiscal agent, CReW is now the official LTRG for Waterbury and the surrounding towns. It will work closely with other community groups to help flood-affected residents and businesses get the technical information and financial resources they need. The group also plans to work closely with other similar long-term recovery groups in Barre, Lamoille County, and around the state to share information and ideas.

If you are a flood-impacted person and would like some help – whether by sharing information on how to manage your FEMA or insurance appeal, or how to find the best heating system for your budget, please email WaterburyHelp@gmail.com.

CReW plans to launch its own website and phone number soon. In the meantime, they are working very closely with Tom Drake and the Waterbury Help volunteers. CReW is actively seeking volunteers to help support affected people. Interested volunteers can also step up by sending an email to WaterburyHelp@gmail.com.

Finally, CReW is looking for donations! The funds raised will be used to help close financial gaps for flood-affected residents and business owners. The 2023 Waterbury Relief Fund launched by Revitalizing Waterbury will collect those donations. Find out more and make a tax-deductible contribution online at revitalizingwaterbury.org/2023-waterbury-relief-fund.

For more information, contact CReW Vice Chair Liz Schlegel at 802-279-4695 or liz.schlegel@gmail.com.

Oct. 23 deadline for state Business Emergency Gap Assistance

The Business Emergency Gas Assistance Program application portal will close at the end of business on Monday, Oct. 23. The Vermont Department of Economic Development created this $20 million grant program for businesses and nonprofits that suffered physical damages from flooding this summer. Grants will go to applicants who plan on restoring, reopening, and bringing employees back to work as soon as possible.

Key criteria for applicants include businesses that:

Were established prior to the July 2023 flood.
Had physical property damages at locations in Vermont including damage to real estate, leasehold improvements, inventory, machinery, and equipment.
Plan to reopen in the same location or elsewhere in Vermont using the grant funds.
Are nonprofit organizations that provide community service (education, utilities, health care facilities, or emergency services) and were denied a Public Assistance Grant from FEMA.

The formula for the grants bases awards on the net physical damage costs not covered by insurance, other grants or donations. It has been revised to eliminate an earlier $20,000 cap for applicants with under $1 million in uncovered damages. For those with more than $1 million uncovered expenses, the formula no longer considers the number of full-time-equivalent employees. Those changes are retroactive. More information including the application portal link and instructions are online at https://accd.vermont.gov/economic-development/flood-emergency-funding.

Federal aid available for private forestlands with flood damage

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency is now accepting applications for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program which provides financial assistance to eligible forest landowners with property damaged by the July floods that contributed to land instability across Vermont.

The program’s main focus is addressing erosion and water quality issues on forest roads and trails resulting from heavy rainfall. The application period runs through Nov. 8.

Eligible nonindustrial private forest landowners with property damage are encouraged to apply for assistance before commencing any reconstruction efforts. However, even if restoration work has already begun, landowners may still be eligible to participate.

The program process includes a site inspection by the Farm Service Agency in collaboration with a state forester to verify the extent of damages and facilitate an environmental review. To be eligible, land must have had existing tree cover before the qualifying natural disaster and it must be sustainable for tree growth. It also must be owned or leased by a nonindustrial private individual, group, association, corporation, or another private legal entity with clear decision-making authority over the land.

For more information on the program and to start an application, contact a Farm Service Agency county office or visit the website at farmers.gov/recover.

Nearby Vermont USDA Service Centers are: Chittenden/Washington, 94 Harvest Lane, Williston, 802-288-8155; and Lamoille, 109 Professional Drive, Morrisville, 802-888-4935.

Mental Health Department launches ‘Starting Over Strong Vermont’

The Vermont Department of Mental Health announced the creation of a new flood recovery outreach program called Starting Over Strong Vermont, developed in response to the July flooding disaster that impacted many Vermonters.

The program aims to help people living in the nine counties approved to receive FEMA Individual Assistance across the state. Created to provide essential support services during times of crisis, Starting Over Strong Vermont operates through trained outreach workers who can provide short-term assistance that is both anonymous and free of charge. The outreach staff work to help individuals find and access existing community support systems and resources.

"Starting Over Strong Vermont embodies our dedication to showing up for our communities when they need it most and serves as a reminder of the resilience that each of us, as Vermonters, possesses,” said Department of Mental Health Commissioner Emily Hawes. “While we can't always predict when these challenges will surface, our goal is to make sure folks have the support they need to prioritize their mental well-being so we can come back stronger together when disasters do occur.”

The program’s efforts include door-to-door visits in targeted areas, staffing information booths at events and high-traffic locations. Outreach workers can also arrange in-person sessions with groups and individuals. These sessions provide supportive environments for those affected by flooding to connect while gaining information on stress management and effective coping strategies.

To reach a Starting Over Strong Vermont outreach worker, individuals in the nine counties impacted by the flood and its aftermath should call Vermont 211 or visit Vermont 211.org online. Another number is 866-652-4636.

For more information on the program’s services and its providers, visit the Department of Mental Health Starting Over Strong Vermont webpage.

Farr’s Field to host Montpelier restaurant Oktoberfest benefit Oct. 28

Downtown Montpelier restaurants are collaborating with Montpelier Alive to present an Oktoberfest benefit with local beer, German food, and music at Farr’s Field in Waterbury on Saturday, Oct. 28.

All of the proceeds will be used to help Montpelier downtown restaurants rebuild, buy equipment, and replace lost summer income due to the July flooding.

Participating restaurants include: Rabble Rouser Chocolate, Hippie Chickpea, Chill Gelato, Langdon Street Tavern, Three Penny Taproom, Positive Pie, Oakes & Evelyn, Julio's Cantina, Enna International Deli, Capitol Grounds, Yellow Mustard Deli, Namaste, Charlie O’s World Famous, and K Sherpa House.

This event will be held rain or shine from noon to 4 p.m.

Tickets are available online at sevendaystickets.com. Prices are $20 for adults; $10 for kids under 18; $35 covers adult admission, a commemorative pint glass, one beer ticket.

Flood Recovery Update: Sat., Oct. 14