Cook County Receives $10.3 Million to Support Residents Affected By 2008 Floods

Posted on 01. Jun, 2010 by admin in Community Focus

By Shanita Bigelow

The Illinois Disaster Assistance Program awarded Cook County a $10.3 million grant to aid individuals, families and business impacted by the severe weather and floods of fall 2008. These funds are available for property repairs and mold remediation, but will more directly provide support for health and social services.

From September 13 to October 5, 2008, severe weather conditions stemming from Hurricane Ike dropped over 10 inches of rain, causing major flooding throughout Cook County and other parts of Illinois. Then, Governor Rod Blagojevich declared six other counties, DuPage, DeKalb, Kane, Will, Grundy and LaSalle, as state disaster areas. Despite inclusion in the Presidential Federal Disaster Declarations, prompting assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), those programs didn’t deal with many of the health and social service needs of the residents of Cook County, according the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. As such, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provided this additional funding via the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) program.

“We are pleased to announce this additional funding, which will help thousands of Cook County residents recover from devastating storms and flooding of 2008, especially in the midst of the current economic and housing crises that many of our residents are also facing,” Cook County Board President Todd Stroger said in a press release.

The Cook County Disaster Grant (CCDG) is being handled by the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Only Cook County residents (homeowners, families, businesses, non-profits, health and emergency service providers, etc.) can apply for assistance. Grants will not be allocated to residents as a means of reimbursement for expenses incurred and paid for home repairs or health care.

Awards will not be granted through FEMA, but for those who previously applied for assistance through FEMA, the FEMA ID will aid in processing the application. The Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management insist that previously applying through FEMA is not required and will not guarantee an award or disqualify applicants.

Information sessions, where residents can learn more about the grant, how to qualify and apply, will be held throughout Cook County.

Affected residents can obtain the application and more information on the CCDG website (www.cookcountydisastergrant.org). To apply, download and print the application and submit it by fax to 312-603-9883, or call the CCDG hotline (312-603-7600).

Upcoming Information Sessions:

Saturday, April 24 at 9:30 am in the Harwood Heights Village Hall (7300 W. Wilson Ave.)

Monday, May 3 at 6 pm in the Des Plaines Public Library (1501 Ellinwood Street)

Saturday, May 8 at 9:30 am in Park Ridge City Hall (505 Butler Place)

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