Officials in the Project Recovery Iowa office are trying to ensure that those who were hit by the Missouri River flooding have been able to get all the state and federal recovery aid they’re due. Spokesperson Karen Hyatt says you don’t have to do it all yourself. She says there are staff in Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona and Pottawattamie County to help you out. “Staff can make sure that they have applied for everything that they are eligible for, they can offer resources, referrals, guidance, stress management and emotional support if that’s needed,” Hyatt says. The P-R-I staff have been on the ground since the flooding began, but Hyatt says they still haven’t reached everyone that might need some help.

“We are finding people who didn’t apply for federal funding because they didn’t think they met the requirements,” Hyatt says. “The Missouri River flooding was a little different this time, because a lot of people evacuated, but they didn’t have flooding to their homes. There are resources available to people who fit into that category, and that’s not typical, so we want to be sure that people explore all opportunities while the window is still open.” Anyone who lives or lived in the counties hit by the flooding can check with the Project Recovery Iowa office by calling the Iowa Concerns Hotline. That line is open 24-hours-a-day.She says just call 800-447-1985 and asked to be connected with Project Recovery Iowa staff. You can also go on-line to; www.projectrecoveryiowa.com, or search for the P-R-I page on Facebook. Hyatt says the Missouri River flooding was unlike any other recent disasters because of how long the water remained before the recovery efforts started.

Hyatt says, “It went on for months, and people are still recovering from that, financially, emotionally, physically. And so we certainly want people to realize that it’s normal at this point, even though it’s been months since the flooding started in the summer, there are still reasons that people may need to connect with services.” Hyatt says if you work in Iowa but live in Nebraska, they can direct you to the appropriate help in Nebraska if you call the Iowa Concerns Hotline.

(Dar Danielson/Radio Iowa)