Rep. Terri Sewell to host disaster assistance resource fair in Selma

Residents impacted by the January tornadoes in Selma will have another opportunity to meet with disaster relief officials this week.

On Thursday, February 23, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell will host a disaster assistance resource fair at the Edmundite Missions Community Center in Selma. The resource fair will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. No RSVP is necessary to attend.

Individuals impacted by the storms will have the chance to meet with representatives from a variety of agencies, organizations, nonprofits, and insurance companies to learn about available resources and get questions answered, according to a statement from Sewell’s office.

Representatives from a number of organizations and agencies will be in attendance, including:

FEMA
Small Business Administration
Dallas County EMA
State of Alabama Volunteer Services
USDA Rural Development
United Way
American Red Cross
Samaritan’s Purse
Black Belt Community Foundation
Legal Services of Alabama
Selma Housing Authority
ALFA Insurance
State Farm

On Tuesday morning, Sewell visited Hale and Greene Counties where she toured the damage from the January storms and hosted two disaster relief roundtables with representatives from FEMA, Alabama EMA Director Jeff Smitherman, and local Hale Greene, and Sumter County officials. Later that afternoon, Sewell traveled to Greene County and met with State Representative Curtis Travis and Eutaw Mayor Latasha Johnson for a driving tour of the storm damage.

Following the tour, Sewell hosted a Disaster Relief Roundtable at Eutaw City Hall with local officials from Greene and Sumter Counties, including Sumter County Commission Chairman Marcus Campbell and Sumter County Emergency Management Director Margaret Gulley.

“As your representative, I have made it my mission to ensure that our communities get the resources they need to rebuild better and stronger than before,” Rep. Sewell said in a statement. “To that end, strengthening our lines of communication and forging partnerships between every level of government are paramount. That’s why I spent the day surveying the damage and hosting disaster relief roundtables here in Hale and Greene Counties.”

“Thanks to our tireless advocacy, additional federal assistance has been granted and is on its way to those who need it,” continued Sewell. “To those affected, know that you are not alone. So long as there is a need, our federal, state, and local officials will continue to band together to offer relief.”

Earlier this month, Thomas and Annie Curry– a couple who lost their home of 50 years when the storm stuck Selma, joined Sewell as guests at this year’s State of the Union address.

An EF-2 tornado stuck Selma on Jan. 12, leaving a large swath of damage in its path. The tornado had a path width of 800 yards and an estimated peak wind speed of 130 mph, according to a storm survey conducted by the National Weather Service forecast office in Birmingham.

On January 25, the Alabama Congressional Delegation issued a letter urging President Biden to increase the amount of disaster relief from the FEMA Public Assistance program for debris removal and emergency protective measures in Alabama. Biden granted the request on Feb. 9.