Florida Rep. Luna Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Legislation for Additional FEMA Funding

Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to support recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact on Florida and other states across the nation.




“My constituents in Pinellas County depend on Congress to take swift and decisive action in the wake of this unprecedented disaster caused by Hurricane Helene,” said Republican Congresswoman Luna. “I am ready and willing to return to Washington and ensure our communities receive the critical resources necessary for a rapid recovery. Americans are counting on us, and we must take immediate action to address their life-saving needs.”

The bill, introduced by Democratic Florida Congressman Jared Moskowitz, allocates an additional $15 billion in response to Hurricane Helene, including $10 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster relief and emergency assistance and $5 billion in supplemental funding to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.

The office of Representative Anna Paulina Luna is committed to supporting constituents during this challenging time by providing a variety of resources. She provided a list of updated federal and local resources to help with assistance that is needed, and told residents do not hesitate to reach out directly to the Congresswoman’s office.

Here is the list of resources provided by Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna:




Important Steps for Assistance:

1. Contact Your Insurance Provider:
   If you have experienced damage to your home, business, or vehicle, your first step is to file a claim with your insurance company. Be sure to take photographs of all damages and submit them along with your claim.
2. Filing a Claim with FEMA:
   After contacting your insurance company, you can also apply for disaster relief through FEMA. Below are links to the FEMA website and their mobile app, where you can access the application for disaster assistance:

2. FEMA Helpline: 800-621-3362
3. DisasterAssistance.gov (The fastest way to apply)
4. FEMA Mobile App (Available for download on app stores)

Please be aware that after disasters, scammers may take advantage of vulnerable individuals by offering fraudulent assistance or services. It’s essential to protect yourself. Be cautious of anyone who arrives uninvited and offers to perform repairs. Always verify that the contractor provides a valid address, telephone number, and license information. For more details or to file a complaint, you can contact Pinellas County Consumer Services at 727-464-6200.

Federal Resources:

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management)-

Link to Application: DisasterAssistance.gov.

Mobile App: FEMA mobile app.

Helpline: 800-621-3362

SBA (Small Business Administration)-

Small Business Association (SBA)’s Office of Disaster Assistance

provides low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters to repair or replace real estate, personal property, machinery & equipment, inventory, and business assets that have been damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance-

https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/disaster.asp

Veteran Resources:

• If you or a veteran you know needs immediate housing assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (24/7) – 1-800-424-3838
• If you’re unable to receive a benefit payment after a disaster, contact the VA National Call Center at 1-800-827-1000 to request a special one-time payment.
• If you’re a displaced Veteran and receive VA employment services, you may qualify for two additional months of Employee Adjustment Allowance. Contact your local VA regional office to speak with a Veteran Readiness & Employment specialist to learn more.
• American Red Cross Services for Veterans:

https://www.redcross.org/get-help/military-families/services-for-veterans.html

Local & State Resources:

Pinellas County Information Center:

The County Information Center remains open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. until further notice.

Call (727) 464-4333.

Residents who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact the County Information Center via online chat at bit.ly/PinellasChat

Disaster Distress Hotline:

The Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7 toll-free, multilingual disaster crisis counseling for anyone experiencing emotional distress related to disasters. Call or text1-800-985-5990

American Red Cross Tampa Bay Chapter: 

(Can provide emergency medical assistance/medications, disaster recovery planning, meals and water.)

Phone Number: 813-348-4820

Website: https://www.redcross.org/local/florida/central-florida/about-us/locations/tampa-bay.html

Salvation Army Disaster Assistance: 

https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/HeleneServiceLocations

PODS (Points of Distribution): 

Food, water, and tarps are available at three points of distribution on Pinellas barrier islands:

• St. Pete Beach: 4700 Gulf Bvd. Food, water and tarps
• Treasure Island: 10451 Gulf Blvd. Food, water and tarps
• Tierra Verde Fire Station: 540 Sands Point Drive. Water only

Crisis Cleanup 

This is for people who need help cleaning up damage from Hurricane Helene and connects people with volunteers from local relief organizations, community groups, and faith communities who may be able to assist with jobs such as mucking (cleaning up), trees, tarp, and debris. All services are free, but service is not guaranteed. This hotline will remain open through Oct. 11, 2024.

They have activated the Hurricane Helene Cleanup Hotline: (844) 965-1386.

Website: https://crisiscleanup.org/disasters/171

Temporary Place to Live / Shelter:

• https://hurricanehomes.org

Help with food/groceries:

-Feeding Tampa Bay’s food distribution Disaster Relief

–St. Pete Free Clinic:

• We Help Free Pantry at 863 Third Ave. N (8:30am-3pm)
• Deuces Drive-Thru at 2198 15th Ave. S (2pm-6pm).

–3 Daughters Brewing– 222 22nd Street S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712

-Fresh Meals from various local restaurants:

• 4-6pm Monday, 340 E Davis Blvd.
• 8-10am Tuesday, 2219 S Dale Mabry Highway
• 4-6pm Wednesday, 3644 S West Shore Blvd.
• 8-10am Thursday, 1700 W Fig Street and 340 E Davis Blvd
• 4-6pm Friday, 340 E Davis Blvd.

Fare Free Bus Services: 




To assist residents affected by Hurricane Helene, the City of St. Petersburg and PSTA are offering a two-week period of fare-free bus service within St. Pete city limits, starting Monday, September 30 through Sunday, October 13.

• Applies to: Regular bus trips that begin and end within St. Pete city limits
• Exclusions: Does not apply to Access, MOD, or other mobility services
• SunRunner Update: SunRunner is turning around at Pasadena due to westbound access limitations
• Fares Resume: Monday, Oct. 14, 2024

For more information on routes and schedules, visit psta.net.

Free Laundry Services: 

• Parking lot across from Allendale United Methodist Church (3803 Haines Rd. N) – 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Easy Kleen Laundromat (2970 54th Ave. S) – 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. (last wash at 8:30 p.m.)

Cooling Stations

These will provide a place for residents to cool off and charge their phones.

Clearwater:

Recreation Centers – Open Monday, Sept. 30, to Friday, Oct. 4:

• Morningside Recreation Center, 2400 Harn Blvd, Clearwater – 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Long Center, 1501 N Belcher Road, Clearwater – 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Countryside Rec Center, 2640 Sabal Springs Drive, Clearwater – 5 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• McMullen Tennis Complex, 1000 Edenville Ave., Clearwater – 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Moccasin Lake Nature Park, 2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater – CLOSED MONDAY; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday
• North Greenwood Recreation and Aquatic Center, 900 N Martin Luther King Jr Ave., Clearwater – 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Libraries:

• Clearwater Countryside Library, 2642 Sabal Springs Dr, Clearwater – Monday-Thursday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Friday-Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
• Clearwater East Community Library at St Petersburg College, 2465 Drew St, Clearwater, FL 33765, Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., closed Sunday
• Clearwater Main Library, 100 N. Osceola Ave, Clearwater, FL 33755, Monday-Wednesday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., closed Sunday
• Clearwater North Greenwood Library, 905 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., Clearwater, FL 33755, Monday-Thursday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Friday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., closed Sunday.

St. Petersburg: 

• St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 4444 5th Ave N, St. Petersburg – Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Lakewood United Methodist Church, 5995 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. St. S., St. Petersburg – Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Pets welcome)

St. Pete Beach:

• St. Pete Beach Community Center, 7701 Boca Ciega Dr., St. Pete Beach – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Madeira Beach:

• Madeira Beach City Hall, 14225 Gulf Blvd, Madeira Beach, Open daily 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. until further notice.

Seminole: 

• Seminole Recreation Center, 9100 113th St, Seminole, – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Largo: 

• Largo Public Library, 120 Central Park Dr, Largo – Monday – Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Gulfport: 

• Gulfport Senior Center, located at 5501 27th Ave. S., Gulfport – open through Oct. 4, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Dunedin: 

• First United Methodist Church of Dunedin, 421 Main St., Dunedin – Monday, Sept. 30, through Thursday, Oct. 10, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lost Pets:

• If you have lost or found a pet, visit pinellas.gov/lost-and-found.
• You can visit the Pinellas County Animal Services’ Found Center to check for your lost pet or drop off a found pet at 12450 Ulmerton Road, Largo. Found Center hours are Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. You can check other local animal shelters as well.