BELL COUNTY, Texas — May 26's tornadoes brought in a hefty load of headaches and heartaches for Bell County residents.
That is why the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) on Wednesday, June 12 at Tarver Elementary School in Temple.
FEMA Media Specialist Nikki Gaskins has been in charge of assisting people in Bell County. Since FEMA arrived in Temple, Gaskins says they have helped almost 1,000 families with grant money for food, shelter and more.
"In Bell County alone, FEMA approved about $4.5 million in grant money to help about 1,900 households," Gaskins explained. "This is grant money that can be used for survivors to help in their road to recovery. This is not a loan."
Gaskins added that whether you're a homeowner or not, you can still receive a grant from FEMA. The average amount is usually $750 but could reach up to $5,000.
"Unfortunately, recovery is never a sprint, it is always a marathon," Gaskins explained. "FEMA will be here in the state of Texas for quite some time."
FEMA has helped around 63,000 Texas households with $13.75 million in financial assistance.
One Temple resident, Tammy Lynn, visited FEMA in Bell County and her home was deemed unlivable after experiencing tornado damage.
"My home has holes in the rooms, the front window is gone, my garage was messed up and my home is unsecure," Lynn explained.
Once FEMA did their inspection, Lynn received $2,400 for disaster relief.
"FEMA was great," Lynn said. "Within 24 hours, we were given a telephone number to call, they did an inspection and we received our money."
Problem is, Lynn found a home on social media that was advertised for rent. She gave that alleged homeowner almost her entire FEMA check for the home's down payment. Turns out, that home was not owned by the people who claimed they owned it and she lost all of her money.
"We filed a police report and contacted Governor Abbott about what happened," Lynn continued. "The police are going and seeking felony charges on this individual because it is a first degree felony."
When it comes to scams, Gaskins asks people to never give any sort of money deposit to anyone upfront and shy away from any suspicious phone calls claiming to be FEMA.
"We've seen heavy foot traffic into that disaster recovery center and our goal is to serve as many people as possible." Gaskins said.
Individuals unable to visit the DRC during operational hours can still apply for FEMA assistance through alternative channels such as the FEMA app, website and their phone number, 800-621-3362.
FEMA says you must get your application in by July 16. Once approved, people could receive funding within a matter of days.
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