When ‘Hurricane Harvey’ Fund Raises $20M for Flood Relief Fund

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the federal government’s emergency relief fund for flood-affected areas in Texas.
In 2016, Hurricane Harvey ravaged the state and forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.
In 2018, President Donald Trump declared a national disaster and declared a state of emergency in Texas after Harvey made landfall.
The funds are meant to assist in the relief of storm-ravaged areas.
The NFP has raised $20 million from private donors in the wake of Harvey, and is set to continue to provide flood relief for up to two years after Harvey is over.
A flood watch is in effect in many areas.
“We are now at a critical juncture,” NRCC Vice Chair Dan Schnur said in a statement to Business Insider.
“There is no way we can survive another Harvey without making significant investments in our community.”
The NFI is a special fund for those in need of emergency relief.
A disaster declaration requires that the federal emergency relief agency make a specific request for relief.
The National Weather Service’s website provides more information on what a disaster declaration entails.
According to the website, a disaster request can be made in one of three ways: 1) an emergency declaration requires emergency funds be appropriated by Congress.
The fund must then be used to provide the requested amount of funds to the federal and state governments; 2) the National Flooding Insurance Program must establish a FEMA emergency fund, which can be used for assistance to victims and survivors of flood and flood-related property damage; or 3) the fund must be created by the NFI, which is a separate federal agency that oversees flood insurance and is a nonprofit.