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Sales tax holiday is Aug. 6-8

The State of Tennessee's Annual Sales Tax Holiday
 is held every year on the first Friday in August
 and ends the following Sunday night.
 This year's tax-free holiday weekend
 begins at 12:01 a.m on Friday, August 6
and ends Sunday, August 8 at 11:59 p.m.
For more information, click here.

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DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS EXTENDED TO AUGUST 5

NASHVILLE – Governor Phil Bredesen has announced Tennessee has requested and received a 30-day extension of deadlines for FEMA assistance programs that will assist individuals in Sumner County and other counties eligible for Individual Assistance as a result of the extreme weather and flooding that struck the state April 30 – May 2.

FEMA has approved the state’s request to extend the registration deadline for Individual Assistance to August 5, 2010. Disaster survivors in the counties designated for Individual Assistance may apply online anytime at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA HelpLine at 800-621-3362 (FEMA) or (TTY) 800-462-7585 for those with speech and hearing disabilities. Assistance is available in all languages.

Two other deadlines have also been extended:

§      The deadline for filing a proof-of-loss statement under the standard flood insurance policy from FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has been extended for an additional 30 days. Proof-of-loss is usually required within 60 days from the date of loss. This extension provides policy owners an additional 30 days to file.

§      The deadline to submit a loan application to the U.S. Small Business Administration has been extended to August 5, 2010.

Filing an SBA loan application is a key part of the FEMA registration process. While no one is required to take out an SBA loan, a loan denial may open up other opportunities for assistance to an applicant. To date the SBA has approved nearly $89 million in low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations.

Affected individuals must register with FEMA to receive federal disaster assistance. Filing damage reports with state or local county emergency managers or voluntary agencies will not start the process.

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Volunteer Assistance Available
 to Flood Victims

 

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, in cooperation with 2-1-1 Tennessee and Tennessee Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, announces the opening of the Tennessee Recovery Coordination Center.  The Tennessee Recovery Coordination Center will serve as a clearinghouse for matching needs of flooding victims with volunteer groups that can meet those needs.
By calling 2-1-1, Tennessee residents impacted by the May flooding may request volunteer assistance with debris removal, gutting and mucking out, mold remediation, demolition, relocation/moving, rebuilding, dry wall installation, painting, carpentry and other home repair needs.

 

Residents in the affected counties who would like to request volunteer assistance through the Tennessee Recovery Coordination Center should dial 2-1-1.  If callers get a busy signal when dialing 2-1-1, they may call 1-866-588-4211 but should try 211 first.

 

Residents affected by the flood can call 2-1-1 to get relief information in their area in addition to requesting volunteer assistance. Callers will connect directly with a call specialist who can start the process for volunteer services. All services are free of charge.

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Federal Aid Programs
 
For Tennessee Disaster Recovery 

» More Information on Tennessee Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama’s major disaster declaration issued for Tennessee.

Assistance for Affected Individuals and Families Can Include as Required:

• Rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable. Initial assistance may be provided for up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters. Assistance may be extended if requested after the initial period based on a review of individual applicant requirements. (Source: FEMA funded and administered.)
• Grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance to make damaged dwellings safe, sanitary and functional. (Source: FEMA funded and administered.)
• Grants to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable aid programs. (Source: FEMA funded at 75 percent of total eligible costs; 25 percent funded by the state.)
• Unemployment payments up to 26 weeks for workers who temporarily lost jobs because of the disaster and who do not qualify for state benefits, such as self-employed individuals. (Source: FEMA funded; state administered.)
• Low-interest loans to cover residential losses not fully compensated by insurance. Loans available up to $200,000 for primary residence; $40,000 for personal property, including renter losses. Loans available up to $2 million for business property losses not fully compensated by insurance. (Source: U.S. Small Business Administration.)
• Loans up to $2 million for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes that have suffered disaster-related cash flow problems and need funds for working capital to recover from the disaster's adverse economic impact. This loan in combination with a property loss loan cannot exceed a total of $2 million. (Source: U.S. Small Business Administration.)
• Loans up to $500,000 for farmers, ranchers and aquaculture operators to cover production and property losses, excluding primary residence. (Source: Farm Service Agency, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.)
• Other relief programs: Crisis counseling for those traumatized by the disaster; income tax assistance for filing casualty losses; advisory assistance for legal, veterans benefits and social security matters.

How to Apply for Assistance:

Those in the counties designated for assistance to affected residents and business owners can begin the disaster application process by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time). Applicants registering for aid should be prepared to provide basic information about themselves (name, permanent address, phone number), insurance coverage and any other information to help substantiate losses.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.