Cape Girardeau, MO - A joint Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) opens Tuesday morning in Dexter, Missouri to give storm survivors an opportunity to talk face-to-face with disaster recovery specialists.

The center is located at the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission Building, 105 E. North Main St. in Dexter, and will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until further notice. The center will be closed on Sundays.

DRCs are a one-stop shop for disaster survivors who have applied with FEMA and need to present additional documentation or just have questions about the status of their cases. In addition to FEMA staff, representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be on hand to help survivors apply for low-interest disaster loans to help fund recovery efforts.

Survivors are encouraged to apply with FEMA before visiting a DRC to get the process going as quickly as possible. For those who need help to apply, DRC staff can assist survivors on the spot. For those who are blind or low-vision, or Deaf or hard-of-hearing, assistive devices are available at the centers as well.

Here are the 3 best ways to apply:

• Online: www.disasterassistance.gov
• Phone: 800-621-FEMA (3362)
• Download and use the FEMA app

Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. FEMA also can connect survivors by phone with language interpreters who can help complete their application or answer questions.

Dexter is the second location to host a DRC in recent days. A center was opened Aug. 1 in Sikeston at the YMCA, 511 Taylor St. with the same hours of operation: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays until further notice, and closed Sundays.

Disaster survivors can go to any DRC for assistance, even if it is not in the county in which they live. DRC services are FREE.

Federal assistance to individuals and households can be in the form of grants to: find a temporary place to live, make minimal home repairs and/or to replace certain personal property. Eligible survivors who need accessibility equipment also may benefit from these grants.

The FEMA assistance, granted July 23 by President Biden, helps eligible homeowners, renters and self-employed business owners in 10 Missouri counties who were impacted by the May 19-27 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding.

The 10 counties are: Barry, Butler, Carter, Howell, New Madrid, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard and Texas.

For more disaster-related information, visit the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency online at www.sema.dps.mo.gov or FEMA at www.fema.gov and www.fema.gov/disaster/4803.

FEMA is committed to ensuring disaster assistance is accomplished equitably, without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status.

Any disaster survivor or member of the public may contact the FEMA Office of Civil Rights if they feel that they have a complaint of discrimination. FEMA's Office of Civil Rights can be contacted at [email protected] or toll-free at 833-285-7448. Multilingual operators are available.

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