Grants awarded to local families affected by flooding

By TONY FYFFE

BSN Editor

Sixty-two families in Lawrence, Johnson, Floyd and Martin counties have benefitted from $1.2 million raised recently to help Eastern Kentuckians affected by devastating flooding earlier this month.

The money raised by Appalachia Rises Flood Relief will be used for grants to help flood victims, with $500 grants totaling more than $100,000 awarded to 200 families and individuals.

Locally, three grants were awarded in Lawrence County, 39 in Johnson County, 11 in Floyd County and nine in Martin County.

The remaining funds will be distributed among small businesses, local farms and nonprofits.

Eligible for-profit businesses can apply for up to $5,000 in grant funds to support operations that were impacted by flooding. To be eligible, a business must be locally owned and located in an Appalachian Kentucky county that was impacted by flooding.

All small businesses are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to restaurants, experience retail (arts, tourism, accommodations, or entertainment) or community services (salons and barbershops, repair shops, local farm/resource stores).

Applications will be reviewed weekly beginning this Friday, March 26. Grants will be made on a rolling basis, once a week, until all funds are exhausted. Businesses will be notified about their application's status on a weekly basis.

Businesses can apply at https://cedik.ca.uky.edu/flood-relief-fund.

A paper version of the application is available online as well. Completed applications can be mailed to CEDIK, 411 C.E. Barnhart Building, Lexington, KY 40546-0276.

The application for local farms opened Monday. Farmers can visit Appalachiarises.org to apply for up to $1500 in flood relief funding.

Nonprofits do not need to apply but do need to request funds based on needs from the flood, including but not limited to damages of their own building/supplies or increased services due to the flooding. For more information. contact Jane Higgins at jhiggins@bgcf.org to learn how you can receive relief funds.