1 month later, millions of dollars in relief remain available for Kentucky tornado victims

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- One month after tornadoes shattered communities in western Kentucky, millions of relief dollars are still available to help rebuild.

Gov. Andy Beshear's Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund has raised more than $39 million.

First, it paid for the funerals of those killed. As of Monday, 66 funerals were covered.

At his afternoon briefing Monday, Beshear said the federal government denied a request to extend its one-month 100% expense coverage. The federal government offered to instead allow the state to choose within a 120-day period which 30 days it would like the federal government to pay for.

La-Tanga Hopes with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said there's still representatives in Kentucky to assist with recovery.

"These are your tax dollars at work, and the whole benefit of this program works on the foundation of you submitting the application," she said.

FEMA said there's already $9 million out in people's hands, and no ask is too little if anyone is waiting to apply.

"You may think it may be minor, but if there's something that we can do to help you through that process in the recovery effort, that's exactly what we're here to do," Hopes said.

She said if anyone is having trouble applying, or their application was denied, call the help line 1-800-621-FEMA or show up to one of FEMA's disaster recovery centers for face-to-face help.

"We are dealing with this on a humanistic level in the sense that we're not just saying, 'Oh, here's money to help you with your home,'" Hopes said. "We're saying here's money to help you, with your process, based on your recovery needs."

While FEMA money is rolling out almost already, Kentucky Sports Radio and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce said they partnered up to help fill the gaps.

"We weren't sure how much we would raise. We actually set the first bar at $100,000," said Jacqueline Pitts with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. "And within almost an hour, we had that amount of money."

Now, the GoFundMe Page is past $1.3 million.

"It's been incredible to see this type of outpouring," Pitts said.

The money will be distributed through the Chamber's nonprofit Kentucky Chamber Foundation, and a portal to apply and then receive the funds is expected to come out in a few weeks.

"We lost so many lives that night, but even the people who didn't lose their life lost everything in so many situations," Pitts said. "So we are continually thinking about them, trying to figure out ways to help and our hearts really go out to the people of western Kentucky."

The Kentucky legislature fast tracked a separate $200 million tornado relief bill. It passed unanimously in committee Monday afternoon.

The deadline for applications is Feb. 11, 2022.

The FEMA Disaster Recovery centers are up and running in some of the areas hardest by the storm:

First Baptist Church, 960 Industrial Road, Dawson Springs, Ky. 42408
Dawson Springs Library, 103 W. Ramsey St., Dawson Springs, Ky. 42408
Mayfield Plaza, 1102 Paris Road, Mayfield, Ky. 42066
Butler Gymnasium, 600 W. Main St., Princeton, Ky. 42445
Joe Creason Community Center, 1600 Park Ave., Benton, Ky. 42025
Neal's Chapel General Baptist Church, state Road 81, Sacramento, Ky. 42372
Gibson Electric Membership Corporation, 1702, Moscow Ave., Hickman, Ky. 42050
Floral Hall, Hart County Fairgrounds, 2184 S. Dixie Highway, Munfordville, Ky. 42765

Each mobile unit is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily.

If anyone is unable to visit one of the centers but needs FEMA assistance, click here to apply, use the FEMA mobile app or call 800-621-3362. When you apply, you'll need to provide:

A current phone number where you can be contacted
Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
Your Social Security Number
A general list of damage and losses
Banking information if you choose direct deposit
If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name