Disaster recovery centers are now open to support central Ohio residents impacted by the flooding that occurred in the region between Aug. 10-22.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster assistance funding is available to affected individuals in Clermont, Franklin, Hamilton, Licking, Morgan, Muskingum and Perry counties after flooding from Aug. 10-22.
Read more: Federal disaster declarations could provide financial relief to Licking County flood victims
Now in Licking County, FEMA is operating out of Reynoldsburg Community Church at 1636 Graham Road to offer one-on-one support for residents looking to apply for the recently approved federal disaster assistance applications.
There is an additional location focused on serving Perry, Muskingum and Morgan counties, operating out of William H. Barker Community Center in Roseville, about 10 miles south of Zanesville.
The centers are open six days a week, Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the City of Reynoldsburg.
Among other programs, assistance can include temporary housing grants, repairs and low-cost loans to cover property losses from flood damage.
Power was cut to Greenbriar Village mobile homes, leaving residents without power in addition to flooding. 
Hebron Village Administrator Brittany Misner said about 30 residents evacuated from the Greenbriar Village mobile home park in Hebron, bringing clothes, emergency supplies and pets. 
Ben Peek moved to Pataskala 48 hours before floodwater swept through his new neighborhood. His home was not affected, so he went out to help his neighbors whose mobile-home park was flooded. 
Pataskala residents survey the damage in a mobile-home park along the South Fork of the Licking River just north of downtown. 
A sign warned motorists that Creek Road east of Pataskala was closed, and drivers of at least two vehicles quickly learned why. 
A motorist travels westbound through high water on Raccoon Valley Road near Alexandria on the morning Thursday, Aug. 20. 
Bridge Park in Alexandria was under water after heavy rains overnight Aug. 19-20. 
Flooding covered roads in the KOA campground in Buckeye Lake, one of the lowest-lying spots in the area.
“Ohio families and businesses are finally getting the help they need to begin the recovery process,” said Rep. Troy Balderson, who represents District 12 covering Licking, Fairfield, Knox, Muskingum, Coshocton, Guernsey, Morgan, Perry and Athens counties. “Since the storms hit in August, the strength and resilience of our communities has been on full display, with neighbors helping neighbors every step of the way. Now that federal assistance is available, our communities can start rebuilding and come back stronger than before.”
Reynoldsburg Community Church is offering the space for FEMA to conduct the center operations.
Pastor John Pierce, a pastor at Reynoldsburg Community Church and the community center director, said the church has taken the opportunity to open up their doors, provide a warm, welcoming space and help out in any ways they can.
“We’ve just kind of opened up our doors for them to be able to do the job that they see fit,” Pierce said.
“It’s really important for us as a church because when we see people that are hurting, that are in need, we feel like it’s an obligation as believers for us to reach out and help them,” Pierce said. “When we found out that FEMA, the county, the federal government and the city were going to be doing things, it just seemed natural for us to go shoulder to shoulder with them to support our community, to support those families that are in need. It really is just as simple as the fact that when we see a need, as a church, we try to meet it and that’s what we’ve done.”
According to the announcement from FEMA, residents who suffered losses and live in either Clermont, Franklin, Hamilton, Licking, Morgan, Muskingum or Perry counties can also apply for assistance online through disasterassistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or by using the FEMA app.
Ohio businesses, private nonprofit organizations and residents can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the Small Business Administration at sba.gov/disaster.
Pierce said they have agreed to host FEMA until Nov. 1, but all dates and times are subject to change.
Ella Diehl writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.