Now that Red Cross MARCs are closed, here's how you can get flooding assistance

ST. LOUIS — After helping more than 6,000 people through Multi-Agency Resource Centers, the Red Cross hosted its final MARC Thursday.

Appointments for the MARC on Thursday filled up before the doors could open, so demand remains high. Although there are no more one-stop shops, there are still other ways to get help from the Red Cross and other organizations.

Anyone who has flood damage but has not yet made contact with the Red Cross should call 1 (800) 733-2767. The Red Cross requires an assessment of flood damage, but you can set up an appointment for a team to come out by calling that number.

The Red Cross will also connect callers with the local organizations that were at the MARCs, including state government representatives and representatives from non-profit and faith-based disaster relief organizations.

Red Cross assistance is for living quarters only, but FEMA aid can be used more widely.

To apply for FEMA aid, go to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call FEMA’s toll-free application line at 1-800-621-3362 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Central Time, seven days a week.

To speed up the process of getting help, flooding victims are encouraged to document damage and save related receipts. The sooner victims apply for FEMA aid, the sooner they may receive assistance.

The deadline for most individual assistance programs is 60 days following the president’s major disaster declaration. That would be Friday, October 7. Disaster assistance to eligible individuals generally falls into the following categories:

• Housing Assistance may be available for up to 18 months for displaced persons whose residences were heavily damaged or destroyed. Funding also can be provided for housing repairs and replacement of damaged items to make homes habitable.
• Disaster Grants, which are available to help meet other serious disaster-related needs and necessary expenses not covered by insurance and other aid programs. These may include replacement of personal property, and transportation, medical, dental, and funeral expenses.
• Low-Interest Disaster Loans are available after a disaster for homeowners and renters from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to cover uninsured property losses. Loans may be available for repair or replacement of homes, automobiles, clothing, or other damaged personal property. SBA loans are also available to businesses for property loss and economic injury. Businesses can visit sba.gov or call 1-800-569-2955.
• Other Disaster Aid Programs include crisis counseling, disaster-related unemployment assistance, legal aid and assistance with income tax, Social Security, and veterans’ benefits.

Red Cross and FEMA application processes are separate and may require separate assessments. It's possible for applicants to qualify for assistance from the Red Cross, FEMA or both.

The Red Cross overnight shelter remains open at St. Vincent Community Center at 7335 St. Charles Rock Road. Wednesday night into Thursday, more than 30 people stayed at the shelter.

For more ways to stay in touch with the Red Cross, download the Red Cross Emergency app from your app store or by clicking here.

You can also call 211 to get connected with United Way, which can point you in the right direction.

For in-person help, you can go to one of four FEMA disaster recovery centers in the St. Louis area. The centers are currently open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.  After this Sunday, September 4, all six of the FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers will be closed on Sundays.

• St. Louis County
  • Urban League Empowerment Center
    9420 W Florissant Ave.
    Ferguson, MO 63136
  • Hazelwood Civic Center
    8969 Dunn Road
    Hazelwood, MO 63042
  • University City Recreation Center
    Centennial Commons
    7210 Olive Blvd University City, MO 63130
• St. Louis
  • Ranken Technical College
    Mary Ann Lee Technology Center
    1313 N. Newstead Ave.
    St. Louis, MO 63113
    (On the corner of Newstead and Page)
• St. Charles County
  • Developmental Disabilities Resource Board – DDRB Building
    1025 Country Club Road
    St. Charles, MO 63303
    (I-70 near Zumbehl Road Exit)
  • O'Fallon Municipal Centre
    100 N. Main St.
    O'Fallon, MO 63366
    (Southeast Entrance)