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HARLINGEN — It took just hours for streets to turn into rivers on March 27.

Months later, many families and businesses in the Rio Grande Valley are still struggling to recover from the damage the flood waters caused that day.

In mid-April, a presidential declaration of disaster was issued for the region. Gov. Greg Abbott had formally requested assistance on April 17 in an 18-page letter addressed to President Donald Trump.

Not too long after the presidential declaration, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) set up shop in the Valley, and thousands of flood victims turned to the organization for help.

Since then, FEMA has approved over $63.5 million in financial assistance for 10,014 households in Cameron, Willacy, Starr and Hidalgo counties.

The first FEMA Disaster Recovery Center was set up in Harlingen on May 27. Today, there are seven centers in the region.

In Cameron County, there are two, the San Benito Parks and Recreation Building and the Harlingen Convention Center.

Hidalgo County has three centers: Las Palmas Community Center, the Pharr Development & Research Center and the Weslaco EDC.

Cameron County centers have seen over 5,800 applicants, and FEMA has approved over $26 million to be distributed.

In Hidalgo, over 5,900 households have applied for assistance, with over $31 million being approved for distribution.

The first thing you will be asked when walking into a FEMA recovery center is: “What is your immediate need?” says Carmen Rodriguez, communications director.

Rodriguez has worked with FEMA since 2006. Previously, she was the emergency coordinator for the Puerto Rico State Fire Department.

“Helping people is my calling,” she says.

Rodriguez stresses that at the FEMA centers, everyone who walks through the doors are met with dignity, and are cared for with grace.

“We treat them with respect, with compassion, and fairness,” said Rodriguez.

According to Rodriguez, FEMA’s first priority after the disaster declaration was to provide support to the state, and to identify which communities were hit the hardest, in order to secure additional funds.

Applicants are offered a handful of different types of aid at the centers. Mainly, FEMA employees are there to assist individuals who might not feel comfortable applying online or over the phone. They guide them through the process, and ensure immediate needs, like food, water and shelter, are met.

“We need to be thankful for what we have,” says Rodriguez. “Some people have lost everything in just one second.”

Additionally, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) is present to assist with legal guidance and other support to households in need.

The TDEM is also joined by the Small Business Administration (SBA), which offers low-interest loans for damage recovery. It is important to note that these loans are not just for business owners, but also any homeowners affected by the flood.

Rodriguez highly encourages anyone affected by the flood to look into these SBA loans, and also to see what all the FEMA center has to offer them in their journey to recovery.

“You never know if you don’t come,” said Rodriguez.

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