Oregon Department of Human Services gets federal grant to help wildfire survivors
Scorched wall sections are all that remains of the Oak Park Motel in Gates on Saturday, Sept. 19. (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)
With thousands of Oregonians still trying to put their lives back together after historic wildfires, the state agency has landed a federal grant to help.
The Oregon Department of Human Services has been awarded a $6.3 million grant by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to set up a disaster case management program, according to a press release.
The program seeks to provide a one-stop-shop to direct services to Oregonians affected by September’s fires. In the first month following the fire, 1,185 Marion County residents registered with FEMA for disaster assistance in the month following the fires.
Case managers will work with survivors to identify their needs and coordinate services with federal, state and local programs, including charities and long-term recovery groups.
The department will contract with a non-profit to carry out the program and expects to put out a request for proposals this month.
-Jake Thomas
