The American Red Cross has announced it will open a short window during which residents impacted by the flood may enroll in an Expanded Recovery Assistance program. This program provides a third round of Red Cross financial assistance to individuals and households continuing to experience significant challenges to their recovery. The timeline published by ARC suggests registration for the program may close in early November 2025. This program is independent of previous distribution programs offered by the American Red Cross. ARC currently requests program registration run through the disaster case management teams to help with the vetting of qualified survivors.
To be eligible for the Expanded Recovery Assistance program, individuals and households must meet all the following requirements:
1. Applicant’s pre-disaster primary residence is in a confirmed disaster-impacted geographic area.
2. Applicant is the head of household and is not listed as a household member on any other American Red Cross Expanded Recovery Assistance application.
3. Applicant is displaced or living in housing made unsafe or uninhabitable due to Hurricane Helene.
4. Applicant’s yearly income is at or below 80% of the current Area Median Income (AMI), based on household size and their pre-disaster county of residence.
5. The applicant needs financial assistance to meet ongoing recovery challenges caused by Hurricane Helene.
6. Primary applicant’s identity and proof of residence details are confirmed.
The application process requires an initial registration and a second application to confirm the eligibility criteria. Washington County Long Term Recovery Group encourages residents who meet these criteria to contact their ARC Community Recovery Manager, WCLTRG navigator, or contact the group directly to inquire about assistance with registration.