CalFresh resources after tornado disaster? Family needs emergency help out-of-state

I'm so sorry about your sister's family. CalFresh is California-specific and doesn't transfer to other states. But Tennessee has their own SNAP program (that's what food stamps are called nationally). For immediate disaster assistance, they should: 1. Contact FEMA at 1-800-621-3362 or www.disasterassistance.gov 2. Apply for Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) which provides emergency food benefits 3. Reach out to the American Red Cross for immediate needs 4. Call Tennessee's Department of Human Services for emergency SNAP: 866-311-4287 They'll need to act quickly as disaster programs have specific timeframes after the event. The local office can expedite applications after disasters.

my cousin went thru hurricane damage in florida last yr... tell them to take pics of EVERYTHING for insurance and fema. the red cross shud be in the area already with emergency supplies like food n blankets. churches in the area usually help too. tell them to go to a disaster relief center if ones set up.

The previous advice is good - definitely contact FEMA and Red Cross. I worked in disaster relief before moving to California, and wanted to add a few things: 1. Tennessee's SNAP program can issue emergency benefits in 7 days or less after disasters 2. They should register with FEMA even if they have insurance 3. Local salvation army and churches often provide immediate clothing/supplies 4. If they're renters, they need different FEMA assistance than homeowners 5. School districts often have emergency resources for displaced students And most importantly - document EVERYTHING. Take photos/videos of all damage, keep every receipt, and log all phone calls with agencies. This will be crucial later.

When I was working in social services, I found that 211 is an excellent resource in these situations. Your sister's family should dial 211 from any phone in Tennessee to get connected to all available disaster services in their specific county. They can help navigate the complex system of aid and point them to immediate resources for food, clothing, and housing assistance. Also, tell them to apply for D-SNAP (Disaster SNAP) as soon as their county announces it's available. It provides month-long food benefits for disaster victims, even those who wouldn't normally qualify for SNAP. I've personally seen how overwhelmed people get with the phone systems trying to reach FEMA and other agencies after disasters. If they're struggling to get through to anyone, you might want to check out a service called Claimyr that helps people get through to overwhelmed government phone lines faster. There's a video that explains it: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 and the website is claimyr.com. I've heard of people using it to reach FEMA and benefits offices when lines are jammed after disasters.

DONT COUNT ON FEMA!!! My parents lost everything in a hurricane and FEMA gave them the runaround for WEEKS! They finally got $2000 which was nothing compared to what they lost. Tell them to go to local churches and salvation army FIRST for immediate help. The govt will make them fill out 100 forms and wait forever.

I want to add that Tennessee's Department of Human Services has a Family Assistance Service Center that can help with multiple programs simultaneously. They should call 866-311-4287 and explain they're tornado victims. They may qualify for: - Emergency SNAP (food benefits) - Emergency TANF (cash assistance for families with children) - Emergency housing vouchers - Disaster Unemployment Assistance (if they lost work due to the disaster) Also, the Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990) provides immediate crisis counseling for people experiencing emotional distress related to disasters. This might help them cope with the trauma while they're figuring out practical matters.

So sorry about your family's situation. When we went through the wildfires here, one thing that really helped was creating an Amazon wishlist with immediate needs and sharing it with friends and family who wanted to help. People could directly purchase and ship items to a safe address. It might be an option alongside the official assistance programs, which can take time to process. Also, check if their mortgage company or landlord offers disaster forbearance - many do automatically for federally backed loans in FEMA-declared disaster areas. This can pause housing payments temporarily.

I'm in a disaster recovery group on Facebook where people share resources after tornados, hurricanes, etc. They're called "Tornado Recovery Info" or similar for each state. Tell them to search for Tennessee tornado recovery groups on social media. People post about free clothing donations, volunteers helping clear debris, temporary housing offers, and other resources that don't involve government waitlists. Local groups often mobilize faster than official channels.