There are a variety of local, regional and federal programs and services to assist our faculty, staff and students through each phase of the disaster recovery process.
For additional resources and programs, see UTMB’s disaster relief web page at hr.utmb.edu/relations/disaster_relief/.
2-1-1 Texas
2-1-1 Texas, sponsored by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, connects Texas citizens with the services they need including housing, child care, crisis counseling, etc. Simply dial 2-1-1 from anywhere
in the state or visit www.211texas.org/ for information about the resources in your community.
American Red Cross Immediate Assistance Program
Texas households that were significantly affected by Hurricane Harvey can receive $400 for emergency needs through the American Red Cross Immediate Assistance Program. To learn
more about this program or to apply for assistance, go to disasterverification.com/. Registration is open until Oct. 10.
Individual Assistance Grant
Disaster survivors may apply for an Individual Assistance Grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within 60 days from the date a federal disaster was declared. There is no income
threshold for this type of assistance, and the grants do not need to be paid back to FEMA. It is important to note, however, that some applicants may not qualify for a grant and may be referred to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for a low-interest
disaster loan. Visit www.disasterassistance.gov/ or call 1-800-621-3362 to apply for assistance.
Transitional Sheltering Assistance
FEMA will pay for the cost to stay in certain hotels and motels for a limited period of time if you are eligible for Transitional Sheltering Assistance. Costs covered include room fees and
taxes; all other expenses are not included. See www.disasterassistance.gov/ for more details and www.femaevachotels.com/ for
the list of FEMA participating hotels and motels.
Texas Rent Assistance
Texas Rent Assistance provides an online directory of rental assistance programs in Texas. To find out what type of assistance is available in your area, go to www.rentassistance.us/st/texas.
University of Texas Employee Assistance Program (UTEAP)
The UTEAP offers free and confidential counseling services for employees and their family members who may be experiencing significant stress as a result of the storm. Call 1-844-872-5986
or complete an online request form at https://www.uth.edu/uteap/about-us/contact-us to request assistance. Experienced counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to discuss
your concerns and appropriate service options. Providers and other solutions will be selected based on your needs and location.
Guidelines for Repairing Your Flooded Home
FEMA and the American Red Cross have teamed up to produce an online booklet for homeowners with flood or water damage to their homes. The booklet is available at utmb.us/25d, and gives advice for cleaning up,rebuilding and protecting your property from future disasters.
Ways to help the UTMB family
Many students and more than 1,100 UTMB employees have self-reported significant personal property losses because of Hurricane Harvey. To ease their recovery, UTMB has established two ways to help:
- Student Recovery Fund. The Student Recovery Fund offers you a way to show your support for UTMB students in this time of need. Your generosity will ensure that students can get back to the business of being students, preparing to
become tomorrow’s health caretakers and biomedical research pioneers. Your contribution can be made through the Student Recovery Fund website at (alumni.utmb.edu/student-recovery)
or can be mailed to: UTMB Development Office, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-0148
- Employee Recovery Fund. Working through a critical community partner, the United Way of Galveston, 100 percent of the funds raised in the Employee Recovery Fund will go directly to UTMB employees in need. The deadline for applying
for assistance through the UTMB Employee Recovery Fund is Friday, October 6; please go to www.utmb.edu/harvey-recovery to apply. This website also includes a link
to the United Way where you can donate to help your UTMB colleagues.