Porter County residents with property damage from the severe storms on July 15, including a tornado confirmed in Valparaiso, can apply for financial assistance starting Monday at the Porter County Library in Valparaiso.
That assistance includes low-interest loans and other possible aid, according to a release from Lance Bella, director of the Porter County Emergency Management Agency.
“We are doing everything we can to help citizens in the recovery process. Any assistance we are eligible for is being explored,” Bella said in the release.
PCEMA has worked with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to conduct damage assessments of properties throughout Porter County from the July 15 storm. The purpose was to learn if the amount of damage exceeded thresholds, which would allow assistance to citizens who experienced damage.
The assessments revealed that Porter County did meet some of those thresholds, which allows some citizens access to low-interest loans and other possible aid.
PCEMA and the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience-U.S. Small Business Administration have worked together to establish a Disaster Loan Outreach Center so residents can obtain information on how to get assistance.
The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, starting Monday at the library, 103 Jefferson St., and continuing through Tuesday, Aug. 27.
Citizens can report to the library’s information desk. From there, they will be directed to the appropriate room.