Disaster Relief Resources

Legal Aid providers may be able to help you after a severe storm, tornado, flood, hail or other disasters.

Find your Legal Aid provider in Arkansas where you live on this map.

If you think you have a civil legal problem, please apply for our services by calling:

• Center for Arkansas Legal Services at 1-800-950-5817
• Legal Aid of Arkansas at 1-800-952-9243

If you were impacted by the 2019 Flood in Arkansas, please call the Center for Arkansas Legal Services for direct services.

Attorneys interested in volunteering should contact the Arkansas Bar Association.

COMMON LEGAL NEEDS AFTER A DISASTER

• Problems with contractors when trying to rebuild
• Difficulty filing insurance claims 
• Replacing IDs and important documents
  • Driver’s license
  • Social security card
  • Birth certificate
  • Court documents
• Understanding your rights as a renter
  • Can you get out of a lease if your home is damaged?
  • What if you lost your job and can’t pay rent?
  • Can your landlord make you move to make repairs?
  • What if you’re evicted?
• Preparing new wills, powers of attorney, and guardianship documents
• Filing for FEMA appeals

Call the Center for Arkansas Legal Services (1-800-950-5817) or Legal Aid of Arkansas (1-800-952-9243) if you have a question or think you have a legal issue after experiencing a disaster.

Contact FEMA at 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. 

TIPS TO HELP AVOID LEGAL ISSUES AFTER A DISASTER

• 10 Tips to Hire a Contractor After a Disaster
• Tips to Help with Insurance Claims
• Read about your rights after a disaster if you rent a home
• 5 Tips to Prepare for Fast Approaching Bad Weather

FACT SHEETS AND WEBSITES

• Arkansas Disaster Assistance Manual
  • This manual will help individuals, families, and attorneys find answers to common questions and navigate the legal process after a disaster.
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)
  • This provides unemployment benefits to individuals who have become unemployed due to a Presidentially declared disaster. Check the eligibility requirements to see if should apply.
• Citizenship Status and Eligibility for Disaster Assistance FAQ- FEMA Fact Sheet
• Heartland Flood Help
  • Find tips to help you prepare for flooding—before it occurs—to lessen or prevent flood damage and recover more quickly.
• Legal Aid of Arkansas Brochure: Prepare & Recover: Legal Help Through Disasters (Spanish)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Emergency Food Resources in Arkansas
• FEMA Helps You Stay Safe During Disasters
  • How to Stay Safe when a Tornado Threatens (Spanish)
  • Preparing for a Thunderstorm, Lightning, or Hail (Spanish)
  • Be Prepared for a Flood
  • Protect Yourself During a Power Outage (Spanish)
• Arkansas Division of Emergency Management
• Arkansas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (Arkansas VOAD)
• Legal Services Corporation – Disaster Task Force
• Legal Aid Disaster Resoure Center 

Find Resources to Help Through COVID-19

Disclaimer:  

We cannot promise that the information is always up-to-date and correct. We do not intend this information to be legal advice. We do not intend it as advertising or solicitation. By providing this information, we are not acting as your lawyer. Always talk to a competent lawyer, if you can, before taking legal action. Some of the items listed here have not been prepared by us, but rather are links to information prepared and posted by others. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of information posted on these sites.