ATLANTA, GEORGIA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Friday that it will send $350 million to Georgia localities and electric cooperatives to support recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby. The move comes two months after Senator Raphael Warnock highlighted that nearly $500 million in Hurricane Helene relief had yet to be distributed.
Hurricane Helene struck the Southeast in September 2024, causing widespread damage in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and neighboring states through high winds and heavy rainfall. Warnock noted on social media that the amount of withheld relief funds had grown to $600 million. The funds are intended to cover debris removal, road repairs, and utility restoration. “Hurricanes and natural disasters are not political; they do not care if you voted red or blue, and Georgia counties and cities went right to work recovering from Helene’s destruction with the understanding the federal government would fulfill its promises,” Warnock said, adding that he will continue pressuring FEMA to release additional funds.
Earlier, Warnock led a bipartisan effort with Georgia congressional members requesting at least $12 billion in federal supplemental disaster funding for Hurricane Helene. Governor Brian Kemp also requested aid shortly after the storm. Meanwhile, Georgia farmers are awaiting $531 million in assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Officials said the program will begin once the USDA approves the state’s plan for disbursing the block grant.