Southwest Virginia
Flood Relief/Recovery
Compiled by John Moorehouse, RegionAHEAD and BRIDGE staff | Thanks to Cardinal News for Southwest Virginia information
Updated 12:00pm, Tues. Nov. 5
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This is a living document. Due to changing conditions, some information may go out of date quickly. This site will be updated frequently, but please contact providers directly at the numbers or email addresses provided before driving to remote locations.
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Looking for the Northeast TN Flood Relief/Recovery Directory? Click here.
Have a good/service available to those affected that you would like included in this list? Fill out this form. ​​​
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HOTLINES AND LINKS
NATIONAL​
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FEMA ASSISTANCE
The portal for applying for FEMA aid for damage from Hurricane Helene has been opened on the FEMA website. Go to the site and scroll down to Declared Disasters. Then click Apply - it is a red button. Please be aware that accepting other funds, such as GoFundMe campaigns, could make you ineligible to receive FEMA funds later.
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​​HOTLINE: FEMA EMERGENCY LODGING
FEMA is offering motel rooms for you and your animals through the Emergency Lodging Assistance Program. FEMA will pay for animal fees taxes and the cost of rooms. Call 1-800-621-3362 or go online at FEMA.gov and fill out the application to receive your lodging voucher.
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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION​
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened a Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Jonesborough to assist businesses and residents in the region who were affected by Hurricane Helene. More centers are planned to open in the region in the future.
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SBA’s Customer Service Representatives are available at the Centers to answer questions, assist business
owners complete their disaster loan application, accept documents, and provide updates on an
application’s status. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment at an SBA
Business Recovery Center in advance. The Center will operate as listed below:
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Business Recovery Center (BRC) Washington County
Old Jonesborough Elementary Library
306 Forrest Drive
Jonesborough, TN 37659
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Hours: Mon.-Sun. 7am-7pm
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The disaster declaration covers Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and
Washington counties, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the
SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are
eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Grainger, Hancock, Jefferson, Sevier
and Sullivan in Tennessee; Ashe, Avery, Haywood, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga and Yancey in North
Carolina; Grayson, Scott and Washington in Virginia.
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With the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply
for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover. FEMA grants are
intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA
disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to
your pre-disaster condition. Do not wait on the decision for a FEMA grant; apply online and receive
additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.
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Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to
disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are
deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay
services.
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The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Dec. 2, 2024. The deadline to
return economic injury applications is July 2, 2025.​
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The Cora Brown Fund, administered through the Department of Homeland Security, supports disaster recovery for those survivors with unmet needs that cannot be addressed through other forms of assistance. Contact your local FEMA Regional Director to receive a recommendation for assistance. Call 770-220-5200 or email FEMA-R4-Info@fema.dhs.gov.
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AMERICAN RED CROSS
The American Red Cross provides immediate resources - please visit their website here.
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STATEWIDE - VA​
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Virginia Department of Emergency Management
Call 804-267-7600 for their Emergency Support Team or visit their website here.​
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STARLINK INTERNET CONNECTIVITY
Those impacted by Hurricane Helene and the flooding aftermath can receive 30 days of internet access for free via Starlink. For more info and instructions on how to sign up, click here.
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FOR EMERGENCY HOLDING OF FINISHED GOODS
Refrigerated or temperature controlled:
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Covenant Transport, Chattanooga, TN – 888-763-5352
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Landstar Systems, Jacksonville, FL – 877-696-4507
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CR England Trucking – 800-453-8826
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Portable bathroom options for businesses without water:
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Potty Box Portables, Johnson City, TN 423-979-0384
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Don & Davis Sanitation, Johnson City, TN, 423-753-9011
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Rhoton’s Septic Tank Service, Rogersville, TN, 423-480-8156
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DONATE AND SUPPORT
RegionAHEAD.com (in partnership with First Tennessee Development District) is accepting donations to provide economic relief to local small businesses. You can visit their website here.
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The Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center, located at Bristol Motor Speedway, desperately needs the following (as of 10/8): charcoal grills + charcoal, propane tanks (regular and small size), propane grills, tents, sleeping bags, kerosene pumps/heaters + kerosene, Hot Hands, generators, and new blankets.
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The United Way of Southwest Virginia directly assists our neighbors impacted by the storm. You can donate via their website here to help them continue delivering critical supplies and aid.
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​Operation BBQ Relief provides hot meals to communities after natural disasters. You can support their efforts (in our region and beyond) here.
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Helicopters are delivering supplies to remote areas and cost approximately $1,200 per hour to fly each helicopter. You can support by donating towards fuel and supplies here. ​​
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First Bank and Trust has an account dedicated to collecting funds from the public for relief efforts, which will be made payable to United Way of East Tennessee Highlands Disaster Relief Fund. Donations can be made in the drive-through or inside any First Bank and Trust location in Virginia, Tennessee or North Carolina. First Bank and Trust will issue checks every Friday for as long as donations are received. First Bank and Trust has also pledged $100,000 in donations to the affected areas of western North Carolina, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.
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Donate to Holston Habitat for Humanity's fund here.
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Appalachia Service Project, an organization that is already highly active in our region and that will become even more utilized in the rebuilding process, can be supported via their website here.
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Birthplace of Country Music Museum will serve as a drop-off site in Bristol for hurricane relief donations, which will then be distributed to vetted local agencies who are working to get supplies to neighbors in need in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. Drop off is Tues.-Sun. during regular business hours (closed Mondays). The following donations will be accepted:
Water, tarps, non-perishable food items, can openers, batteries, first aid kits, hand sanitizers, baby diapers and wipes, baby formula, heavy duty trash bags, kitchen dishwashing gloves or nitrile gloves, utility gloves, N95/KN95 face masks, pet food, cleaning supplies, paper products, toiletries including menstrual care items, box fans, new blankets (still in packaging), new bath towels, new bedding.​​
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Animal shelters across our region were already full before the flooding - now some are even more overwhelmed after taking in animals from compromised facilities. Please click the following to see how you can support our local shelters, whether that is monetarily, donating food/supplies, or by volunteering your time: Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society, Washington County TN Animal Shelter, Sullivan County Animal Shelter, Unicoi County Animal Shelter, Appalachian Highlands Humane Society, Smyth County Animal Shelter, Washington County VA Animal Shelter.