Sarasota and Manatee county residents impacted by Hurricane Helene may be eligible for Clean and Sanitize Assistance, Serious Needs Assistance, or one-time FEMA payments of $300 and $750, respectively.

Clean and Sanitize Assistance payments of $300 are for homeowners and renters whose homes were damaged but can be lived in safely. Serious Needs Assistance payments of $750 are meant to help survivors pay for critical need expenses, such as food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies.

FEMA may also be able to help residents with funding for home repairs, temporary housing, or property damage (appliances, furniture, vehicle, etc). Applicants may also qualify for help with child care, medical, lodging, moving, and funeral expenses. The quickest way to apply for assistance, go to disasterassistance.gov and click "Let's Get Started." You can also download FEMA's mobile app or call (941) 800-621-3362

Additionally, two Disaster Recovery Centers have opened in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, respectively, to help answer residents' questions about disaster recovery, give referrals to organizations who can provide further disaster recovery assistance, and share information on the status of their applications for aid from FEMA or other agencies. The Lakewood Ranch Disaster Recovery Center is located at 16410 Rangeland Parkway, and the Sarasota Disaster Recovery Center is located at 2923 Ashton Road. Every center is accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs, and each is equipped with assistive technology.