FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers & Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program Help
FEMA has opened two regional Disaster Recovery Centers in our listening area.
The Plainfield FEMA office is at the Goddard campus off Route 214. It is located in the location of the old Goddard Cafe. Walk-in hours are 8am-5pm, seven days a week. No appointments are needed.
The Barre City office is at the Barre Auditorium at 16 Auditorium Hill. It is also open seven days a week, 8am-7pm, no appointments are needed, you can walk in.
Lyndon has opened at Recovery Center at the Lyndonville Public Safety Facility at 316 Main St. from 8am-7pm, seven days a week.
And Waterbury now has a Recovery Center at the Waterbury Armory at 294 Aromry Blvd. open 8am-7pm, seven days a week.
You are welcome to make new claims, amend a claim already made, provide additional documentation, or dispute any finding that you may have received. Please remember to bring insurance documents (including coverage refusal letters) and an ID that shows your place of residence. The Small Business Association will also be at these offices with info about low-interest disaster loans. Both locations are open until further notice.
You do not need to go to a FEMA office in person to file a claim. Any Vermonter affected by the July 9-11 flooding, can apply online for individual assistance funds if you are in one of the seven counties affected. Those counties are Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Lamoille, Orleans, and Washington. Register at DisasterAsstiance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362. You can call seven days a week, 7am-10pm.
Even if you have already reported damage to VT-211, you must register with FEMA in person, by phone, or online to apply for support.
Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation will be helping flood-impacted business owners and farm owners statewide with the BEGAP application (Business Emergency Gap Assitance Program).
The BEGAP program can be applied for at https://accd.vermont.gov/BEGAP. You can apply if your farm or business was flooded out and had physical damage, equipment loss, or inventory loss. Lost revenue or wages are not included. This is for flooding from 2023 and 2024. You need proof of damage and some other documentation. Deadlines are Sept. 30 for 2023 and November 15 for 2024 flooding.
There are also drop-in clinics statewide where applicants may receive in person support on BEGAP without an appointment. They are as follows:
Thurs. Sept. 5 - NVDA offices 36 Eastern Ave. Suit1, St. Johnsbury
Mon. Sept. 9 - Do North Coworking - 3rd Floor Classroom, 930 Broad St., Lyndonville
Fri. Sept 13 - Many sites in the NEK, contact CVEDC to make an appointment at 802.595.3175.
Tues. Sept. 17 - Mad River Planning District Offices, 4061 Main St., Waitsfield, VT 05673
Wed. Sept. 18 - Lamoille Count (location TBD)
Mon. Sept. 23 - drop in hours at CVEDC office at 41 State St. 2nd Floor Montpelier, for as long as there is demand.
If applicants wish to make an appointment for BEGAP help, they may do that here: https://www.centralvermont.org/begap-support
