Get the Facts: What happens when FEMA does not approve your application for assistance?
Dozens impacted by spring tornadoes in the heartland are looking to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for help. And many people are getting letters saying their requests can't be approved.
So what do you do if that happens? FEMA says don't throw it away and give up just yet.
FEMA spokeswoman Tiana Suber said the reason many Nebraskans hit by the tornado have not gotten federal help yet, is because the agency wants to know what homeowners' insurance will cover first.
"But once they get that insurance claim, and they find out that their insurance doesn't cover everything, they can bring that letter to our disaster recovery center or bring it to FEMA and let us know, and we can take it from there," Suber told KETV Newswatch 7.
If you still need to apply for assistance or get help, go here or call 1-800-621-FEMA.
What's left of Kris Bicking's home stands in the Ramblewood Neighborhood, one of the hardest hit areas by the April 26 tornado.
"The foundation is standing. But everything else is gone," Bicking said. "Now, we're in an apartment, and it just drives us crazy. Because it's not home, it's just a place to go."
When it comes to the damage outside of her home, Bicking said insurance will cover it. But she's waiting on insurance to determine what they'll cover inside her Elkhorn home.
That's part of why Bicking got a letter from FEMA, saying they could not approve her request for assistance. At least, not right now.
"So most people think, 'Oh, that's just the end,' it's not the end," Suber said.
FEMA gives grants for immediate assistance. But if you need long-term help, Suber said you can apply for a short-term loan with the Small Business Administration. And you do not have to be a business owner.
"They also help homeowners and renters as well," Suber said.
In the meantime, Bicking hopes her insurance company can pick up the pace so she gets the help she needs sooner rather than later.
"If they gave me $1, $500, I'd be happy. That's something towards putting the house back together," Bicking said.
If you need to write an appeal, you can do that too. And you can get help with that in-person, but the Disaster Recovery Centers in Nebraska close Friday at 7 p.m.
After that, you can visit the Disaster Recovery Center in Pottawattamie County. You don't have to live in Iowa to go there, either.