How much of FEMA direct aid has gone to Georgians
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FEMA has sent more than $46 million to Georgia for individual disaster assistance since 2015, with more coming to the state by the day as residents grapple with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Why it matters: FEMA checks are a top talking point as the agency faces a funding shortfall while dealing with dueling disasters: the devastation of Helene and the destruction Hurricane Milton left in Florida.
The big picture: The numbers illustrate Americans' urgent financial needs immediately after a disaster — a painfully obvious point in Georgia and throughout the Southeast.
The latest: More than $344 million in federal support has been doled out for Helene recovery across the region as of Wednesday.
- Close to 67,000 Georgia households have received over $59 million in Helene-related disaster assistance, according to FEMA.
Driving the news: The map above shows the total amount given to recipients in each state as part of FEMA's Individuals and Households Program (IHP) between January 2015 and April 2024.
- It's based on data collected by Sarah Labowitz of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace through Freedom of Information Act requests and assembled into the "Disaster Dollar Database."
- The database covers 170 incidents for which IHP was activated, including hurricanes, floods and fires.
Zoom in: Georgians received aid for seven events in that timeframe, including Hurricanes Matthew, Irma, Michael and Idalia, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.
Zoom out: Florida, Louisiana and Texas residents have received the lion's share of FEMA direct assistance since 2015, per newly gathered data.
- The tally reflects the toll of storms like 2017's Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and 2021's Ida. But the full impact of Helene and the looming Hurricane Milton remains to be seen.
How it works: IHP is meant as an immediate financial lifeline — not an insurance replacement — for people whose lives have been upended by natural disasters.
- The average IHP award between January 2015 and April 2024 was about $5,700 nationally, and around 40% of applicants were deemed eligible.
Context: The IHP amounts to just a portion of FEMA's post-disaster relief spending.
- FEMA spent about $12.7 billion nationally on IHP over the covered period, compared to about $52.3 billion on public assistance, which helps fund community rebuilding.
Reality check: "Helene is going to change the map," Labowitz tells Axios.
- Expect big jumps in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Apply for assistance: Residents in around 60 counties in Georgia can apply for individual federal aid tied to Helene. Disaster recovery centers across the state can also connect residents to resources.