Our Disaster Recovery Resources guide and the resources below can help you find the help you need to recover after surviving a disaster:
FEMA
Housing assistance, home repair or home replacement, and other assistance needs, such as disaster-caused childcare needs, disaster medical expenses, or necessary clean-up items. (To apply, you, another adult, or child in your household must have a Social Security number. You or they must also be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.)
800-621-3362 Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
ASL video on how to apply youtu.be/WZGpWI2RCNw
Red Cross
Emergency food, shelter, and disaster health and mental health services to individuals and families
800-RED-CROSS (733-2767)
Salvation Army
Food, household needs, clothing and personal needs
800-SALARMY (725-2769)
California DMV
Replace or re-apply for driver’s licenses, identification cards, vehicle registration and titles, disabled person parking placards, and license plates and stickers free of charge
1-800-777-0133
TTY 1-800-735-2929
dmv.ca.gov/portal/customer-service/natural-disaster-assistance/
California Department of Public Health
Replace lost vital records like birth, death, and marriage certificates at the county recorder’s office in the county where the event occurred
916-445-2684
cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Vital-Records.aspx
cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/County-Registrars-and-Recorders.aspx
California Department of Managed Health Care
Help with approvals for care, replacing lost prescription and ID cards, or arranging health care at other facilities if a hospital or doctor’s office is not available due to a disaster
1-888-466-2219
California Department of Health Care Services
Find short-term counseling for emotional or mental health problems caused by the impacts of a disaster through your county mental health department
SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline
24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support
800-985-5990
CalHOPE Warm Line
Friendship Line California
Crisis intervention hotline and a warmline for non-emergency emotional support calls for older adults
888-670-1360
California Department of Public Health
Information on health concerns related to a disaster
916-650-6416
cdph.ca.gov/Programs/EPO/Pages/BI_Natural-Disaster_Know-and-Understand.aspx
California Employment Development Department
If you lost your job or cannot work because of a disaster or emergency, you may be eligible for benefits from Unemployment Insurance (UI), Disability Insurance (DI), or Paid Family Leave (PFL)
UI English and Spanish: 800-300-5616
UI Armenian: 855-528-1518
UI Cantonese: 800-547-3506
UI Korean: 844-660-0877
UI Mandarin: 866-303-0706
UI Tagalog: 866-395-1513
UI Vietnamese: 800-547-2058
UI California Relay Service (711): Provide the UI number (800-300-5616) to the operator
UI TTY: 800-815-9387
CalJOBS
CalFresh
You can sign up for CalFresh or if you already get CalFresh benefits, you can ask for benefits to replace food you lost in a disaster
877-847-3663 (FOOD)
California Department of Social Services
Find food assistance in your county
California Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
Good, healthy food for eligible low-income pregnant women, babies, and young children through the WIC program
888-942-9675
California Department of Insurance
Assistance on insurance issues, such as claim handling delays, additional living expenses, underinsurance disputes, availability and more
800-927-4357
TTY 800-482-4833
Contractors State License Board
Information about hiring a licensed contractor, verification of contractor licenses, avoiding fraud and filing complaints
800-321-2752
California Department of Housing and Community Development
Manufactured housing questions including repairs, installations and/or registration and titling
800-952-8356
California Department of Veterans Affairs
If you have a home loan with CalVet and your home has suffered structural damage caused by a disaster, contact a CalVet Claims adjuster
866-421-697
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
Questions about extension of tax return due dates, emergency tax or fee relief. relief of penalty and interest, or replacement copies of records lost due to disasters
800-400-7115
TTY: 800-735-2929
California Employment Development Department
Information on employer extensions to file state payroll reports and to deposit state payroll taxes
888-745-3886
TTY 800-547-9565
edd.ca.gov/en/payroll_taxes/emergency_and_disaster_assistance_for_employers
Franchise Tax Board
California Department of Social Services
Information about the types of federal, state, and local disaster assistance services available for immigrants in California
cdss.ca.gov/Portals/13/DisasterAssistanceGuideforImmigrantCaliforniansFinal.pdf
cdss.ca.gov/Portals/13/DisasterAssistanceGuideforImmigrantCaliforniansSpanishFinal.pdf
California Department of Community Services and Development
Help with energy bill assistance, temporary heating and cooling devices, and other supportive services.
866-675-6623
DisasterAssistance.gov
Get a personalized list of possible assistance and where to apply
Disaster Legal Assistance Collaborative
Free legal help for survivors of California disasters
BenefitsCal
Food assistance (CalFresh), cash aid (CalWORKs, General Assistance, Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants), and affordable health insurance (Medi-Cal)