State expands $2.5M disaster assistance to Lewis and Pierce counties
OLYMPIA – Disaster assistance through the state’s Individual Assistance program is now available to qualifying residents who suffered storm and flood damage in Lewis and Pierce counties.
The funding is part of the $3.5 million unlocked with Governor Bob Ferguson’s disaster declaration. The first $1 million was distributed in Disaster Cash Assistance by the Department of Social and Health Services to those most in need. The funding was distributed over five days to more than 2,600 households. More information about recovery assistance, including how to replace food lost in the flooding that was purchased using food benefits, is available at floodrecovery.wa.gov.
To support this expansion and ongoing recovery efforts, the Disaster Recovery Hotline has updated its hours of operation. The hotline is now open seven days a week, including weekends, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The hotline will be closed on Jan. 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The state’s Emergency Management Division continues to partner with The Salvation Army to assist eligible households through the IA program. Those who experienced flood damage may qualify for a Household Needs Grant, which provides disaster cash assistance to help address immediate recovery needs.
Those who may be eligible for a Household Needs Grants must:
- Live in an eligible county – King, Lewis, Pierce, Snohomish, Skagit or Whatcom;
- Earn 80 percent or less of the area median gross income, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and
- Show that their primary residence was destroyed or seriously damaged (water has reached the electrical outlets on the home’s first floor) by flooding events between Dec. 5-22, 2025.
A housing unit is defined as a house, apartment, manufactured home, recreational vehicle, readily-fabricated dwelling, houseboat or any other distinctly-separated living space. A living space may qualify as a housing unit if it includes facilities for cooking, eating and sanitation.
Grant amounts are based on household size.
Residents may contact the hotline for help completing an unmet needs assessment, to ask questions about available assistance, or to get connected to local, state and volunteer recovery resources.
Important Information About Applying:
Unmet Needs Assessment Forms are submitted through SAHelp.org, by phone or in person at Disaster Assistance Centers (DACs) in local areas. Submitting the form does not automatically mean an individual or household will receive state funding. Additional verification will be required.
After the form is submitted, a Salvation Army Disaster Case Manager will contact the resident to review their situation and identify available recovery assistance. This support may include local, state, federal, nonprofit and donated resources.
How to Apply:
- Online: Salvation Army website at sahelp.org
- By phone: 833-719-4981
- In person: visit a Disaster Assistance Center in the county in which a resident lives
Those who submit the form will be asked to provide supporting documents to complete their application. Click here to see a list of acceptable documentation.
At the same time, local and state officials are working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to complete a Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment for Individual and Public Assistance. This process will verify damages and determine whether the state has met various indicators required for FEMA’s Individual and Public Assistance programs. If indicators are met, the governor could request a federal Major Disaster Declaration, which would open the door to additional help for both individual households and public agencies and infrastructure.
Disaster Assistance Center Locations:
Whatcom County
- Nooksack Valley Middle School (404 W Columbia St, Nooksack) – Saturday, January 10 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Thursday, January 15 (6 p.m. to 9 p.m.)
Snohomish County
- Volunteers of America Western Washington Sky Valley Center (617 1st St, Sultan) – Sunday, January 11 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.); Tuesday, January 13 (2 p.m. to 8 p.m.); Wednesday, January 14 (2 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Skagit County
- 1011 Greenleaf Avenue, Burlington – Thursday, January 8 (4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
- 45705 Main St, Concrete – Thursday, January 8 (4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.)
Additional recovery information and updates will be shared as they become available.
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