New Website Provides Resources for Heartland Disaster Victims

WASHINGTON—The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) recently launched the Heartland Disaster Help website. This new resource is designed to empower residents across ten states in America's heartland that have faced significant flooding, windstorms, extreme heat and wildfires over the past decade. 

Key features of the website include real-time disaster risk assessment by home address, details on recent disasters, recovery guidance and comprehensive information for each disaster type. Users can instantly check their risk levels for floods, windstorms, extreme heat and wildfires. 

Residents of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota can use the website to locate useful information for disaster preparation and recovery, including a directory of aid organizations that can assist them locally. While tailored information is available to these specific Midwestern states, much of the website content applies nationwide. 

“There are many aspects of disaster recovery that are difficult or impossible for people to navigate on their own—especially in circumstances where they have lost so much,” said LSC President Ron Flagg. “It is our goal to help Americans access the information that they need to pursue support and access the services that will help them on their path to recover from disaster.”

LSC, through its Disaster Task Force and other initiatives, has demonstrated that civil legal services providers are a critical component of a comprehensive approach to disaster recovery. LSC-funded organizations provide critical legal representation, access to resources and information vital for individuals, families and communities to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. 

The website has pages dedicated to recent disasters that provide declaration information, critical aid deadlines, news coverage and recovery recommendations tailored to that specific event. Additionally, for each disaster type—floods, windstorms, extreme heat and wildfires—there are pages with specific guidance. This includes preparation tips, common misconceptions and their corresponding facts, personal accounts and educational content tailored to these four kinds of disasters.