Hidalgo County Opens Disaster Recovery Hotline

From Hidalgo County Public Information Office:

While a presidential declaration will help the Rio Grande Valley get on track to recover after the floods brought on by Hurricane Alex, Hidalgo County Judge Rene A. Ramirez says the county must work with local non-profits and faith-based organizations to fill remaining gaps in service in the community.

“We are grateful for the assistance our federal partners are providing and appreciate the invaluable service our local non-profits provide,” Judge Ramirez said. “The county has chosen to be proactive by working hand-in-hand with these allies to help facilitate the smooth distribution of their goods and services to the residents in the most need.

Hidalgo County’s local Disaster Recovery Hotline goes live Friday to help residents affected by the flood access a wide variety of recovery resources. The bilingual recovery hotline will be open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for at least 30 days. The number is 1-866-613-5277. (Please note: This is NOT the FEMA registration number. This is general disaster recovery helpline. Residents are highly encouraged to register with FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA as soon as possible.)

The hotline’s main purposes will be to refer flood-affected residents to charitable organizations that can assist with whatever needs they may have and field any questions about the FEMA individual assistance application process.

“Our goal is to be a resource for residents who don’t feel comfortable turning anywhere else or they want to talk to people familiar with recovery resources. This is a complimentary service to those already out there—a one-stop shop for all types of disaster recovery questions,” he said.

Because of the heavy load placed on local non-profits and faith-based, Judge Ramirez is also asking individuals who have the means to please donate.