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Best Tips for Creating Your Business’s Disaster Plan

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You never want to imagine the worst happening to your business – but what if it does? A natural disaster may seem unthinkable, but as a business owner, thinking about the impacts of one needs to be part of your job. Help secure your company’s future by creating business continuity and disaster recovery plans.

What are business continuity plans and disaster recovery plans?

While there are differences between a business continuity plan (BCP) and a disaster recovery plan (DRP), some companies merge them into one plan.

“A business continuity plan is a defined, documented strategy designed to help business owners and their employees prepare for any event that may disrupt business operations, including natural disasters , single-building fires or floods, supplier outages, and more,” said Mick Whittemore, vice president of IT at Paychex.

A DRP, sometimes referred to as a disaster recovery policy, describes how to resume business operations quickly and is typically applied to details-level planning of an organization’s IT infrastructure and applications. The DRP should allow your IT team to recover enough data and system functionality to operate the business again.

These plans apply to both physical disasters, such as weather events, and virtual ones, like cyberattacks. In either instance, your business needs to be equipped to minimize the consequences.

A professional employer organization (PEO) such as Paychex can help you create your BCP and DRP. Read our Paychex PEO review to learn more about the vendor and check out all of our recommendations for the best PEO service providers as you go about choosing a PEO for your company .

Do you need both a BCP and DRP?

To ensure your business can continue operating after a disaster, you need both a BCP and DRP. Your BCP and DRP work together to make sure all potential vulnerabilities are addressed so you can maintain continuity by keeping unaffected operations going while working on recovering to restore affected ones.

“With the proper planning, the loss can be a bit less devastating, and in some cases, you could even prevent certain damaging situations from happening,” said Jay Shelton, senior vice president of executive risk at Assurance. “A disaster restoration and business continuity plan can significantly reduce the effects of a loss.”

Why are disaster recovery plans important?

You can’t always avoid disasters, but you can prepare for them. Disaster recovery plans help recover what is lost, whether that is data from a cloud data center, physical property (e.g., office space in a hurricane) or something else.

Consider this scenario: A hurricane hits your region, flooding your data center. How will you get operations back up and running in a timely manner? What if you can’t? The longer your business is out of commission, the harder it will be for your company to survive. A thorough disaster recovery plan properly executed can mitigate the damage. Such a plan may not only save you money but also help ensure your company’s reputation emerges from the disaster unscathed.

How do you create a disaster recovery plan?

To create a disaster recovery plan, you first need to decide what approach or strategy will form the framework of your policy.

• Data center disaster recovery: With this approach, your business’s data is stored onsite. Your DRP should specify what the critical assets are and ensure there are redundancies in place (e.g., generators) to protect your company’s data.
• Cloud-based disaster recovery: Here, your company’s data is stored in an offsite location where it is not vulnerable to damage or loss.
• Virtualization disaster recovery: Virtualization creates a virtual version of IT resources (e.g., your servers, applications and networks), which are stored with a host. Virtualization cuts the time in performing a full restoration of your system. In the event of a fire, for example, you wouldn’t need to reconstruct a server.
• Disaster recovery as a service: With this method, providers can host and run a secondary hot site (a type of backup) for your data. In addition, they can rebuild and ship servers to your business.

Please note that due to the complexity of disaster planning, our advice is for small and midsize businesses only. If you work for a big company that has a lot of moving parts, we recommend contacting a disaster recovery specialist.

What’s included in a disaster recovery plan?

Once you’ve decided on your disaster recovery plan’s approach, begin tackling the specific components to build the plan. A good DRP should include the following elements.

A planning team: Establish a planning team of employees or volunteers who are responsible for the development of the plan.

A leadership execution team: Throughout your plan, specify who is responsible for executing the plan and assign a lead. In some cases, the entire company will be accountable, but to keep execution organized, always have a disaster recovery plan lead.

Goals and objectives: Identify goals and objectives for what your plan will accomplish. Establish answers to questions like, “Where do we relocate?” and “Whom should I partner with?” Your primary goal should be to have a solution for the issue.

Capabilities and hazards: Gather information about current capabilities and possible hazards and emergencies. Consider what the worst-case scenario would be. Also, consider something most businesses don’t think about – the recovery point objective, or RPO. RPO is the age of the files that need to be recovered from backup storage so your operations can continue as usual. The age of your files will affect your data backup strategy. Due to the complexity of this subject, consult an IT expert for assistance.

Action plans: Each type of possible disaster (such as fire, flood, earthquake or hacking) should have its own action plan. Each action plan should list the procedures to follow. In addition to an action plan, it’s essential to have a long-term recovery plan in place.

Written documentation: Include backup protocols and systems to ensure everyone on your team knows what needs to be done and can follow the outlined plan. Address the below questions so your plan is simple and easy to follow:

• Who are the team members responsible?
• What is the specific type of threat?
• What is the likelihood of it happening?
• What impact would it have on the business?
• What are the recovery objectives?
• What are the required response steps?
• What recovery and repair might be required?
• What follow-up is required?

Employee training: All staff members, from management to maintenance, should understand your company’s disaster recovery plan. Integrate plans into company operations and employee trainings.

Testing and re-evaluation: Your disaster recovery plan is not complete after you create the initial plan. Testing and re-evaluation are critical parts of ensuring your policy will be effective. See where there is room for improvement, then weigh different plans of action to ensure disasters are handled in the best way possible.

Task certain employees with planning and leading your DRP, with a commitment to regularly test and revise the plan so it remains up to date.

How and when should employees be trained for disaster recovery?

Employee knowledge is integral to creating a successful business continuity plan and disaster recovery plan.

“Employees need to be informed about their roles and responsibilities in support of any recovery effort,” said Whittemore. “They should be trained when the BCP is first developed and then refreshed every year as the document is updated.” 

Many companies use simulation exercises or drills to implement parts of the plan to ensure critical infrastructure is working. E-learning tools can be helpful as well, but the best practice is to simulate the plan at least once a year.

While existing employees benefit from training at the time the plan is created and during regular simulations, incoming employees need to be informed about the process too. New hires should be trained on the plan once they’re onboarded. You can even make it part of your onboarding checklist .

What happens if your disaster recovery plan goes wrong or isn’t followed?

If your disaster recovery efforts don’t go according to plan, your company could immediately lose money. It could keep losing money until the disaster is resolved – or your business is forced into bankruptcy. 

For example, let’s say you haven’t taken advantage of quick cybersecurity tips and fall victim to a cyberattack. This would be a digital and financial disaster: According to IBM , the average cost of a data breach in 2022 is $4.35 million. With a disaster recovery plan in place, you would quickly reactivate your IT systems and avoid or minimize losses. 

But without a disaster recovery plan – or with a team that doesn’t follow it or carry it out correctly – you could be hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in the hole. The longer you remain unable to provide your services, the more your customers will seek them elsewhere. That long-term revenue and customer loyalty loss can be hard to recoup.

Data breaches and property damage are among the biggest business insurance risks . To complement your BCP and DRP, seriously consider taking out business interruption and cyber policies. Learn more in our small business insurance guide .

Creating a DRP and BCP to keep your business stable

A disaster can happen at any time, especially when you’re not expecting it. When you create a disaster recovery plan and business recovery plan and train your team on them, you lessen the chances of disasters sidelining your business. It’s frustrating not to know when these disasters might be coming and how bad they’ll be. Preparing before there’s even a hint of a threat can help you keep the worst outcomes at bay. 

Max Freedman contributed to the writing and reporting in this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article. 

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April 01, 2023

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How to prepare your small business for disaster relief & recovery

April 01, 2023 • Block Advisors

When things are going well for your small business, it may be easy to put the thought of tough times off for another day. After all, there are myriad pressing demands on your resources and time. However, failing to prepare for unexpected economic, climate, and societal events is a recipe for disaster.

DID YOU KNOW? According to FEMA , “25% of businesses do not reopen after disasters. Having an emergency disaster (recovery) plan and a continuity of operations plan in place can reduce that risk and help the business recover faster.”

Unexpected events have a way of popping up at just the wrong time. Whether it’s social turmoil, the next pandemic, a natural disaster such as a flood, wildfire, hurricane, tornado, or earthquake, or another large-scale emergency – you should be ready to seek out disaster relief.

But don’t worry – small business disaster preparedness needn’t keep you up at night. One key step is to have a disaster recovery plan, sometimes also known as a business continuity plan. Keep reading to learn how good planning can help your small business weather the storm and help minimize disruptions to your customers and employees.

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Think about risk and assess your environment

One of the most important steps to prepare for a disaster as a small business owner is to define your risk. Get into the habit of scanning your local and national environments for disasters and thinking about how you’d need to prepare your business in such a situation.

Consider as many facets as possible. What would the impact be on your working location? Would you need to move where you store your product or provide your service? What barriers could arise for your vendors, customers, or employees? Who might need keys, passwords, or important business documents during critical moments, and how would you access those materials? Could any opportunities to serve your community arise because of an unexpected event?

Details matter. A few more steps you could take include:

• Consider using the FEMA risk assessment table to help you outline all of the things to be aware of when you build out your disaster recovery plan (up next!).
• If you have business property insurance, make sure you understand your coverage inside and out. Set up an appointment with your agent to make sure your current coverage is adequate.
• Talk with a Block Advisors tax pro or accounting expert to learn the best way to keep your small business bookkeeping , small business payroll , and small business tax documents in order and available if needed during recovery. A tax pro can also help you stay on top of shifting deadlines for disaster relief tax extensions.

Build a small business disaster recovery plan

After outlining the ways you, your employees, and your customers may be impacted by a disaster, it’s time to make a plan. As a small business owner, you know you are ultimately responsible for the success of your business, so it may be a good idea to construct the plan yourself. At the very least, make sure you have a good deal of oversight in the disaster recovery plan creation if you delegate it to an employee or other group. It’s also a good idea to consult OSHA guidelines to make sure your disaster recovery plan covers all the necessary bases. Local small business associations may also have additional guidelines to consider. Three top priorities in your disaster recovery plan include:

#1 – Ensuring the safety of you, your employees, and your customers

Of course, preserving human life is the first and foremost concern during a disaster. A few things to consider include:

• Workplace evacuation routes and designated meeting points
• Employee and customer emergency communication methods
• Safety and medical supply station locations
• Ways to contact emergency services

#2 – Ensuring the security and stability of your working location

Whether it is a home office, brick-and-mortar shop, a fleet of vehicles, or something else, it’s important to maintain the integrity of the place where you conduct business.

You may want to think about:

• Technology redundancies for key systems or critical documentation
• Lockdown and containment processes
• Backup keys, passwords, and emergency business supplies
• Special actions to secure hazardous waste, dangerous equipment, and key systems
• Data and backup recovery for confidential documents or customer information

#3 – Ensuring business continuity for your customers and employees.

Finally, after securing the safety of your people and your business assets you may want to plan how to minimize the disruption of your business operations to your customers and employees, including having an emergency fund to bridge the gap before disaster relief may be deployed.

Doing so will not only help stabilize the cash flow for your own books but also help provide stability to the community around you. The products and services that you as a small business owner provide are the lifeblood of your community. Furthermore, if you have employees, they will be grateful to know they can still count on their paychecks arriving on time.

Ensuring your business continuity may also afford you the ability to be a leader within your local small business community during your community disaster recovery effort.

Consider how you might need to:

• Address unique customer and community needs after a disaster, by changing business hours, service locations, etc.
• Provide additional flexibility to your employees as they recover themselves
• Outline recovery timelines and any service limitations (or expansions) during the coming days, weeks, and months
• Communicate all the above via email, social media, signage, etc.
• Set aside an emergency fund to make sure your finances are covered while disaster relief is sorted out.

Keep the disaster recovery plan front of mind and up to date

After considering the risks you face as a small business owner during a disaster, and building a plan to address those risks, all that is left to do is wait, right? Wrong. While it may be tempting to let your disaster recovery plan collect dust in a binder on a shelf until you need it, resist! Instead, set a routine cadence for revisiting your plan. Make sure it still fits your small business needs by creating automatic review touchpoints.

These could be calendar milestones such as the beginning of your fiscal year, quarterly to align with a staff meeting, or before a severe weather season, for example. Touchpoints could also occur at key small business growth milestones such as when you hire a new employee, form a new vendor partnership, or expand your service area into a new location.

It is important to make sure you and any employees have the latest version easily available for review and are properly trained on the processes and contingencies. At the end of the day, when disaster strikes your upfront planning is what allows you to be nimble in your response. Every moment matters. The ability to navigate a crisis more confidently could prove the difference between your long-term business success and failure.

Additional small business disaster planning resources

The information above provides you with a good starting place when designing your small business disaster recovery plan. If you want to continue learning about disaster preparedness and how you can make your small business more resilient during emergencies, check out the links below.

• US Chamber of Commerce >> Small Business Preparedness Page
• Ready.gov >> Ready Business Resources and Business Impact Analysis Guide
• IRS >> Preparing for a Disaster (Taxpayers and Businesses) and Tax Relief in Disaster Situations

If you have disaster recovery plan questions related to your small business taxes , payroll , or bookkeeping , reach out to a Block Advisors Certified Small Business expert today to start a conversation. Our professionals are available year-round to help you understand how your small business can prepare for or recover from a disaster.

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Before the IRS can authorize tax relief for disaster victims, the President must sign a major disaster or emergency declaration. When a disaster occurs a preliminary damage assessment is conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at the request of the governor of the affected State, FEMA will issue a disaster declaration identifying the covered areas for relief.

The IRS will automatically provide administrative disaster tax relief and special tax law provisions that grants additional time for individuals and businesses to file returns, pay taxes, and perform certain other time-sensitive acts to taxpayers affected by a federally declared disaster. Some circumstances may apply.

The administrative disaster tax relief includes the postponement of filing and payment deadlines for eligible taxpayers and is based on preliminary damage assessments by FEMA. For current tax relief provisions search Tax relief in disaster situations and visit Around the nation for IRS disaster relief news releases specific to states affected by disasters.

Who are affected taxpayers?

Affected taxpayers are defined as:

• Individuals whose principal residence is located in a covered disaster area and their spouse, if filing jointly.
• Business entities or sole proprietors whose principal place of business is located in a covered disaster area.
• Relief workers affiliated with government or philanthropic organizations assisting in a covered disaster area.
• Taxpayers not located in a disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline to perform certain acts are maintained or located in a covered disaster area.
• Any individual visiting a covered disaster area who was killed or injured as a result of the disaster, or any other person determined by the IRS to be affected by a federally declared disaster.

Types of disaster tax relief

The President can declare a major disaster for any natural event, including any hurricane, tornado, storm, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, or drought, or, regardless of cause, fire, flood, or explosion, that he/she determines has caused damage of such severity that it is beyond the combined capabilities of state and local governments to respond.

There are two types of disaster declarations provided in the Robert T. Stafford Act :

Emergency declarations and major disaster declarations . Both declaration types authorize the President to provide supplemental federal disaster assistance.

• Supplement state and local or Indian tribal government efforts in providing emergency services, such as the protection of lives, property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States.
• Individual assistance declarations provide assistance to individuals and households.
• Public assistance declarations provide assistance to state, tribal and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.

Amended declarations are designation requests from the governor, the governor’s authorized representative, or tribal chief executive can request for additional counties and programs to be added within 30 days of a disaster declaration. To search for declared disasters and emergencies by state go to FEMA.gov .

Disaster relief resources for individuals and businesses

Reconstructing your records after a disaster may be essential for tax purposes, getting federal assistance or insurance reimbursement. After a disaster, taxpayers might need certain records to prove their loss. The more accurately the loss is estimated, the more loan and grant money there may be available.

The IRS provides disaster loss workbooks for individuals ( Publication 584, Casualty, Disaster, and Theft Loss Workbook ) and businesses ( Publication 584-B, Business Casualty, Disaster, and Theft Loss Workbook ) that are designed to help taxpayers compile a room-by-room list of their belongings or business equipment. These publications are a great tool to help individuals and businesses recall and prove the market value of items for insurance and casualty loss claims.

Taxpayers may deduct casualty and theft losses relating to their home, household items, and vehicles on their federal income tax return if the loss is caused by a federally declared disaster. To find out more about causality, disaster and theft losses , and other general individual and business tax information, visit the IRS Tax topics page.

Disaster relief assistance and resources

The primary focus of the IRS is to relieve the federal tax burden of taxpayers who have been impacted by federally declared disasters. The IRS works with various agencies to provide assistance and coordinate disaster relief. Each of the following agencies provide valuable information for assisting taxpayers impacted by disasters.

• Visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency website
• Visit the Federal Disaster Assistance website
• Request IRS tax transcripts online
• Get free tax help using your mobile device with the IRS2Go mobile phone app
• To view tax products on your tablet or mobile device use the IRS eBooks app
• Visit the Small Business Administration website for information on low interest disaster loans
• For unresolved tax problems, call the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS)  at 877-777-4778
• Call the IRS Disaster Hotline at 866-562-5227
• Visit Preparing for disasters to find out how to prepare for disasters
• Visit The Weather Channel and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration websites for all your weather forecast needs
• For helpful disaster and emergency information visit Ready.gov

Forms, instructions and publications

The IRS Forms, instructions and publications page provides resources for disaster victims who need federal income tax forms, publications and charitable organizations information. Just type “ Disaster ” in the search bar. Publication 3067 PDF is one of many disaster-related tax relief products that provides information to help home and business owners prepare and recover in an event of a disaster. It is available in multiple languages and is often provided at FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers where disaster assistance information is distributed.

Additional information

The FAQs for disaster victims page provides guidance and answers to frequently asked questions to those affected by disasters. If you were impacted by a federally declared disaster and received a notice or letter from the IRS; visit the Understanding your CP14 notice page for more information about available tax relief for affected taxpayers.

The IRS also provides a variety of tax relief for those affected by the Coronavirus. For the latest updates, check the Coronavirus tax relief page.

Contact your local IRS office

You can get free telephone assistance and local solutions to tax problems at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center near your area, just call for an in-person appointment. Free tax assistance is also available at the  Let us help you  page.

Disaster planning video presentations

The IRS also offers audio presentations on planning for disasters. These presentations discuss business continuity planning, insurance coverage, recordkeeping, and other tips to stay in business after a major disaster.

• Disaster loss deductions
• IRS disaster assistance
• Planning for business continuity after a disaster
• Reconstructing records after a disaster
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Small Business Recovery

When a disaster occurs, businesses must take care of their employees’ needs, communicate the impact, address financial matters (e.g., insurance, disaster assistance), restore operations, and organize recovery. Below are resources to help reopen your business and make progress through long-term recovery.

Quick Guide: Small Business Recovery

January 01, 2015

Top 10 Tips for Recovery

• Implement your disaster plan. Assess damage and consider if a backup location is needed.
• Shift your team and leadership from preparedness to recovery.
• Implement a communications strategy to ensure that the facts go directly to employees, suppliers, customers, and the media.
• Encourage employees to take appropriate actions and communicate.
• Document damage, file insurance claims, and track recovery.
• Cultivate partnerships in the community with businesses, government, and nonprofits.
• Provide employee support and assistance.
• Connect with chambers of commerce, economic development, and other community support organizations.
• Document lessons learned and update your plan.
• Contact the Disaster Help Desk for support at 1-888-MY-BIZ-HELP (1-888-692-4943).

Checklists and Additional Tips

• Responding to Disaster: Tips from the Frontline  – Helpful info-graphic of key items to consider
• A  checklist  for reopening your business after a disaster
• Or, if you want more details, use the original checklist in this ‘ Recovery Toolkit ’, which includes additional checklists 
• Recovery Resources
• The  U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)  offers low-interest loans and other resources to assist small businesses post disaster. 
• The  Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  provides updates on current disaster events and assistance for employees who have damage at their homes.
• When Disaster Hits Home: A Story of Resilience and Recovery  – How a business responded both in their community and with their employees.

Below is a list of categories for available recovery resources:

• Immediate Needs, Emergency Response & Recovery

Recovery Guidance

• Financial Assistance / Funding / Taxes
• IT Disaster Recovery

Mental Health

Individual, families, employees and community recovery, immediate needs, emergency response & recovery.

• Google Person Finder  – This app helps people connect with family and employees after a disaster.
• Safe and Well   - Register or search the Red Cross’ Safe and Well listing here.
• Google Public Alerts  – This service allows you to go online to search for the latest information during an emergency, and will disseminate relevant emergency alerts to you when/where you need them.
• Disaster Help Desk for Business  – Provides assistance to businesses struck by disasters across the country. Dial 1-888-MY-BIZ-HELP or 1-888-692-4943 to get help navigating the disaster assistance realm.
• FEMA Text Messages is a service that allows you to use your cell phone’s text messaging capability to receive text updates from FEMA (standard message and data rates apply).To sign up for monthly preparedness tips: text PREPARE to 43362 (4FEMA).
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  – Provides updates on current disaster events
• Ready.gov/business (FEMA)  – Has many business-focused tips and resources on what to do during different types of disasters.
• Disaster Recovery and Continuity Guide  – This guide provides worksheets and question matrices on all things recovery. Starts with basic planning tips, hazard assessment, etc., but the bulk of this guide is in recovery, with useful worksheets.
• Tax Relief in Disaster Situations  – Links to disasters across the US and the resources, information, and tools for each region.
• Hurricane Preparedness for Business: What to do Before, During and After a Disaster  – Use the Recovery Checklist “After the Storm” ( pages 3-5 ) for bullet points of different ideas and issues to consider.
• Helping Families Recovery After Disaster: The Family Financial Toolkit  – As small businesses owners need to also take care of disaster impacts at home, this toolkit provides resources  lessons learned, case examples, etc.
• Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Checklist for Small Business Owners  – Eleven simple, great tips for recovery.
• Disaster Cleanup  – Tips and resources from the SBA that includes fact sheets and info from CDC, EPA, FEMA, OSHA.
• Business Continuity Plan: Components and Sequencing Description  – A Recovery Plan template with tables, checklists, Yes/No questions, etc.

Federal Financial Assistance / Funding / Taxes

• SBA online loan application  – You are encouraged to apply BEFORE the deadline. There is no obligation to accept the funds, but keeps your options open if needed. 
• SBA Customer Service Center - Call 1-800-827-5722
• DisasterAssistance.gov  – This FEMA site provides disaster survivors with information and services during times of disaster. Programs to assist individuals and homeowners may be useful to your employees. You can register for assistance even if you are not sure you need or want it.
• Disaster Resource Guide for Individuals and Businesses  – Guide to understanding IRS resources available after a disaster, such as claim unreimbursed casualty losses on damaged property; includes forms and numbers.
• Preparing for a Disaster (Taxpayers and Businesses)  – Encourages planning, tips for safeguarding documents, and tracking valuable IRS resources such as completing the  Loss Workbook  after a disaster. 
• Tax Relief for Disaster Situations  (IRS) – After your area is declared a disaster, this page provides tax relief information from the IRS.
• Disaster Assistance for Business  – Overview of all Federal Assistance and resources (ignore Nevada-specific info).
• Disaster Assistance  – Resources available from SBA to businesses, individuals, and families.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  – FEMA’s main site has information on what to do before, during, and after disaster.
• IRS Videos on Disaster Subjects  – Informative videos to help businesses that have been affected by disasters.
• US Department of Agriculture (USDA)  – Provides disaster assistance information for farmers and ranchers
• Disaster Recovery Small Business Loan or Grant Program  –How to create opportunities for loans or grants for area businesses.

This is a topic no one wants to discuss; yet it is critical to recovery. There are resources to help minor to severe trauma by allowing people to express their experiences. By ignoring the problem, it may only get worse, and your business may lose key people at critical recovery times. It is better to address issues or needs up front and allow staff to debrief.

• Disaster Distress Helpline  - To reach out for free 24/7 counseling or support, contact the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs’ to 66746. TTY for Deaf/Hearing Impaired: 1-800-846-8517. To see the Red Cross page for this resource click  here .
• American Psychological Association  – Works with the Red Cross on crisis counseling.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  – FEMA’s main site has information on what to do before, during, and after disaster. To register for assistance, visit  www.DisasterAssistance.gov
• The American Red Cross  – Assists with finding shelter,  loved ones, or other services.

“Keep detailed records of business activity and the extra expenses of keeping your business operating in a temporary location during the interruption period. If you are forced to close down, include expenses that continue during the time that the business is closed, such as advertising and the cost of utilities” -- The Insurance Information Institute

Insurance Help

• Document damage by taking photos or videos. Review your policy, contact your insurance company to file a claim, and document cleanup or repairs with receipts and photos. Get two or more quotes for repairs, check contractor licenses, and document expenses and losses that can be compared with pre-disaster numbers.
• Per the Insurance Information Institute (iii), “Keep detailed records of business activity and the extra expenses of keeping your business operating in a temporary location during the interruption period. If you are forced to close down, include expenses that continue during the time that the business is closed, such as advertising and the cost of utilities.
• 11 tips  on how to work with the insurance company, file a claim, and other items. 
• How to document and calculate loss.  http://bit.ly/1EVGng1
• In the Wake of the Storm: Five Reminders about Your Insurance Coverage  – Great tips post-Hurricane Sandy on filing different types of claims, potential issues.
• Speak UP: How to communicate with your insurance company  – Simple tips on how to work with your insurance company after a disaster.
• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Summary of Coverage for Commercial Property  – General information about flood insurance coverage, options, and understanding terms.
• Property Insurance and Disaster Recovery  – An interesting article covering insurance coverage, as well as other things to be aware of during recovery.
• Missouri Small Business & Technology Centers: Insurance Claims  – Great information and tips, step-by-step guide for filing claims, available disaster assistance, etc. (ignore Missouri-specific phone numbers).
• Maximizing Insurance Recovery for Loss Resulting from Tornados and Other Natural Disasters  – Helps insurance policy holders or those seeking insurance to navigate potential issues.
• The Basics of Business Interruption Insurance  – Provides a basic understanding of filing a business interruption insurance claim, document preparation, etc.
• Procedures for Filing Major Loss Property Insurance Claims  – Assistance with filing a claim (ignore Hawaii-specific numbers).
• Flood Insurance Claims Handbook  (FEMA) – Assistance with filing a claim on National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) coverage.

Employee Assistance

• If you don’t have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), consider starting one.  An EAP will help your business and your employees cope with the aftermath of a disaster.
• An EAP can further aid employees who have experienced trauma from a disaster and any associated losses. This includes helping executives and other company leadership who may have a difficult time focusing during recovery.
• After a disaster employees may experience increased fear, grief, stress, sadness, and anxiety, often continuing for weeks or months. Point employees to your EAP or crisis counselors for assistance. Address all employees by holding a disaster debrief to discuss what happened and what resources are available to them.
• To alleviate stress and minimize confusion, your leadership should communicate with employees about how the company is addressing recovery and what resources exist for employees.
• Continue to update employees on the business’ ongoing recovery.
• Consider ways that your company can help employees’ and their families access medical care, food, housing, and other essentials.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
• Those hit hardest may not have working phones or the ability to call area resources to find new housing, childcare, animal care facilities, a rental car, or other services necessary to restoring their daily lives. Find or connect employees to needed resources, then share with other employees, customers, and the public.
• Use the human resources (HR) department’s employee hotline, or create one, to take calls regarding employees’ disaster needs. Make sure to keep needs confidential.
• Un-impacted employees are often willing to help fellow employees with caring for pets, carpooling, housing a family, loaning lost equipment like computers or cell phones, and organizing fundraisers to replace lost items.
• Disaster Distress Helpline —To reach out for free 24/7 counseling or support, contact the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs’ to 66746. TTY for Deaf/Hearing Impaired:  1-800-846-8517. Visit  http://rdcrss.org/1hsTafJ .
• A Manager’s Handbook: Handling Traumatic Events  – Discusses Employee Assistance Programs following disaster.  
• IRS: Help During Disasters  – Comprehensive list of resources for employers or employees facing the effects of disaster.

Documentation and Administrative Recovery

• Use photos and videos to document damage to property, inventory, equipment, and other losses. Document all repairs (e.g., boarding up broken windows, holes in a roof). Document the repair and restoration process until normal operation is resumed.
• Make a list of damaged or lost items and, if possible, include date of purchase, value, and receipts.
• Document all extra expenses you incur in the process of resuming operations, including renting equipment (until yours is repaired or replaced), temporarily leasing another location, marketing, and moving expenses.
• File a claim with your insurance company as soon as possible, if needed.
• Ask your insurance agent to review your business to determine what needs to be covered (e.g., loss of net income, operating expenses that need to be paid while closed, or extra expenses incurred afterward) so that you can begin addressing how you will cover it. “How” includes insurance policies, loans, and credit.
• Keep all important documents in one place, backed up, and stored off-site where they are accessible. This will save precious time. Add security (e.g., encrypting) to protect key financial data, bank accounts, etc.
• Copies of documents or information you should have available may vary depending on the type of business, but can include: insurance policies, leases, recent income tax forms, historical sales records, inventory, employees’ computer equipment and software inventory, contracts especially Service-Level Agreements (SLA). You may need to produce copies of some of these documents as part of the recovery. Make sure you do not lose your only hard copies in the process.
• Disaster Relief for Individuals and Small Businesses  – Created after Hurricane Sandy, it provides five steps on how to apply for federal assistance.

Connect with Local Chambers of Commerce

• Your local chamber is a great resource and conduit during a recovery process. Because chambers speak for busiesses, they can advocate for additional outside resources that the community might need. Chambers channel resources and funds that can be of great assistance to impacted businesses. They need to hear about your business’s needs.
• Many chambers have relationships or share space with Small Business Development Centers (SBDC). SBDCs offer free business counseling including guidance after disasters.
• The Disaster Help Desk is a resource available to your business. If this is the first time you are thinking about disaster recovery, reach out for help to ask the questions of what you need to think about, do first, who to call, things to consider, etc. Contact the Disaster Help Desk at 1-888-MY BIZ HELP (1-888-692-4943).
• Local chambers have connections within the local community, in the region, and across the country. These connections can be especially useful in providing help after a disaster.

“Monitor progress on your program and find ways to improve it. Reinforce employees’ participation in, and responsibility for, the overall recovery effort.” -- The Hartford

Celebrate Milestones

• The business recovery process is immense, stressful, and labor intensive. When people are already busy and potentially burdened by recovery efforts, celebrating milestones may seem frivolous. But do not overlook the need to address  employees’ mental health and to remind them that their hard work has purpose, progress is being made, and light exists at the end of the tunnel.
• By reopening your doors, it can encourage other businesses and organizations to recover faster, thereby helping the community as a whole.
• Recovery requires interconnectivity between public, private, non-profit, faith-based, and community organizations at all levels. Celebrate and promote recovery events that provide assistance to individuals, families, businesses, and other organizations in a “together we recover” type of approach. It is a great opportunity to keep the focus on recovery over the longer-term, bring resources to those who need it, and put your businesses in a position of information-sharing that will be remembered by your employees and the community for years.
• Celebrate your reopening and highlight your goods and services as an opportunity to market to potential new customers, especially those waiting on other businesses to reopen. Once you have these new customers, they will likely stay.
• Recovering from a disaster is hard work. Praise, recognize, and reward efforts throughout all levels of the business.
• Handling the recovery well and acknowledging employees’ roles increase company loyalty.
• Highlighting the re-openings of hospitals, schools, iconic community locations like restaurants considered “institutions”, civic spots, memorials, businesses or areas that have prevailed in spite of adverse odds, are all opportunities to tell the story of the community working together and building back better and stronger. This is a way to bring visitors into a recovering community.
• Your human resources department is typically the one that recognizes milestones within the company and can play an important role in recovery by being attentive to the needs of employees by celebrating recovery milestones. The events may be organized in a fun and inviting way and can incorporate employees with non-essential recovery roles so they can participate in the restoration of the business.
• Recognize that there may be employees who are still experiencing difficulties, a personal loss, or need help. You can use milestones to also highlight whichever areas still need assistance.

“Also, as the recovery continues, remember that many staff are either displaced themselves or are sharing their space with the staff who are displaced, making working conditions far less than ideal. Stress levels will be unusually high; therefore, setting a positive tone, recognizing staff accomplishments, and celebrating milestones are more important than ever.” -- Comprehensive Guide to Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Recovery

Recommended

• Disasters U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and American Express Open Applications for Grant Program to Support Small Business Owners Impacted by Maui Wildfires
• Disasters Maui Small Business Recovery Grant Program Toolkit
• Disasters Building Resilience Conference Toolkit
• Disasters Maui Small Business Recovery Grant Program: Terms and Conditions
• Disasters Maui Small Business Recovery Grant Program: Frequently Asked Questions

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How to apply for a small business disaster loan

If your business or home suffered damage and is in a presidentially declared disaster area, you may qualify for financial help. Find out how to apply for a small business disaster loan.

Find out what expenses an SBA disaster loan can pay 

The Small Business Administration (SBA) extends low-interest loans after a disaster. The loans can help businesses of all sizes, non-profit organizations, and individual households. The loans can pay for:

• Repair or replacement of physical damages
• Expenses that your business’ or homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover
• Personal expenses

Learn about the types of disaster relief loans

SBA disaster loans cover different types of losses after a disaster. Learn more about each type of loan and if you are eligible:

• Business Physical Disaster Loan - provides for the repair or replacement of buildings, machinery, fixtures, and inventory
• Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) - assists with operational costs whether or not a disaster caused physical damage to a business
• Home and personal property loans - helps homeowners and renters replace or repair damaged homes, cars, appliances, furniture, and clothing
• Military Reservists Economic Injury Loans - helps businesses cover operational expenses if an essential employee is called to duty as a military reservist

How to apply for an SBA disaster loan

Before applying for an SBA disaster loan, you must register with FEMA:

• By calling the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362
• Online at DisasterAssistance.gov 

Check to confirm that you are eligible, then apply with FEMA online.

After receiving a FEMA registration number, you can then apply for an SBA disaster loan in one of three ways:

• Apply for an SBA disaster loan online.
• Apply in person at a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC).
• Apply by mail. Download the paper forms that you will need to complete.

You can also find a Disaster Recovery Center or request paper forms by calling the SBA contact center at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 711).

Documents required to apply for an SBA disaster loan

You will need documentation of the following when you apply for an SBA loan:

• Contact information for all applicants
• Social Security numbers for all applicants
• FEMA registration number
• Deed or lease information
• Insurance information
• Financial information
• Employer Identification Number (EIN)

LAST UPDATED: April 10, 2024

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How the U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loans Work with FEMA Disaster Assistance

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Disasters Declared After March 22, 2024

FEMA partners with other agencies to help meet the needs of disaster survivors. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest disaster loans to homeowners and renters in a declared major disaster area. You don’t need to own a business to apply for SBA assistance.

You may have been referred to SBA after applying for FEMA disaster assistance. If you still have unmet needs, loans may help with home repair or replacement, personal property, vehicles, mitigation, business losses, and working capital for small business and most private nonprofits.

For disasters declared on or after March 22, 2024, you may choose to complete an SBA disaster loan application and it will not impact your eligibility for FEMA assistance.

If you are approved for a loan, you are not obligated to accept it.

Funds you get from SBA must be repaid over time.

For questions about the SBA disaster loan program, please call the SBA at 800-659-2955 (TTY: 800-877-8339). SBA information is also available at www.SBA.gov/disaster or by email at [email protected] .

Survivors who have questions for FEMA or need information can always call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

Disasters Declared Before March 22, 2024

If you were affected by a disaster declared before March 22, 2024, and are referred to the SBA, you must complete an SBA disaster loan application to be eligible for Personal Property Assistance, Transportation Assistance and/or Group Flood Insurance Policy (GFIP).

You can complete an application on the SBA website or at a Disaster Recovery Center .

FEMA is not allowed to provide money for these losses to people who may qualify for an SBA loan. FEMA will automatically refer you to SBA to be considered for a disaster loan if you meet SBA’s income standards. FEMA will use your household annual gross income and number of dependents to determine if it will refer you to SBA.

If you are approved for a loan, you are not obligated to accept it. If you apply and are not eligible for a low-interest disaster loan, this may open the door to an additional grant from FEMA. However, if you are approved and you do not accept it, you will not be referred back to FEMA for additional assistance. If the SBA does not offer you a loan or only offers a partial loan, SBA will notify FEMA. We can review your application to see if you qualify for additional disaster assistance.

FEMA may be able to help with the following even if you don’t apply for a loan from the SBA:

• Home Repair or Replacement
• Rental Assistance
• Serious Needs
• Clean and Sanitize
• Moving and Storage
• Miscellaneous Items

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The American Rescue   Plan

PRESIDENT BIDEN’S PLAN TO PROVIDE DIRECT RELIEF TO AMERICANS, CONTAIN COVID-19, AND RESCUE THE ECONOMY

The American Rescue Plan is delivering direct relief to the American people, rescuing the American economy, and starting to beat the virus. For a full overview of what’s in the plan, click  here .

Help is here with the American Rescue Plan

Learn more about how to access your benefits here:

I need help finding a vaccine.

90% of Americans live within 5 miles of a vaccination site.

Click here to find a vaccination site near you.

You can also text your ZIP code to: GETVAX (438829) / VACUNA (822862)

Message and data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help or STOP to cancel.

I need help getting health care coverage.

Lower your costs and sign up for health care:

Healthcare.gov or call: (800) 318-2596

If you lost your insurance, you may be eligible for assistance with the cost of COBRA coverage.

Learn more about COBRA or call: (866) 487-2365

I need help buying food.

There is extra money available for food. Find your state’s SNAP program.

Sign up for SNAP or call: (800) 221-5689

I have kids.

• Get a $3,000 tax credit per child for children 6 and over
• Get a $3,600 tax credit per child for children under 6 years old

Start accessing this money by filing your taxes with the IRS.*

I need help with rent.

If you are behind on your rent and at risk of losing your home, apply at a state or local level for emergency rental assistance:

Learn more about Emergency Rental Assistance Programs or call: (800) 569-4287

I lost my job.

Get an extra $300 per week and unemployment benefits extended until 9/6/21.

Find your state’s Unemployment Benefits and sign up:

Search Services By Location or call: (866) 487-2365

I need help getting a rescue payment.

A typical family of 4 with a household income of $110,000 is eligible for an average of $5,600 in rescue funds.

Claim your eligible funds.

I want to offer my employees paid time off for vaccines.

Learn more about the Paid Leave Tax Credit.

My small business needs help.

The Treasury Department is providing critical assistance to small businesses across the country.

Learn how to get financial assistance for your small business.

* How to file your taxes with the IRS: Visit IRS.gov for general filing information. Haven’t filed your taxes? Here’s information for non-filers . If your income is less than $72,000 you may be eligible to file your taxes for free , or call (800) 829-1040.

How does direct relief work under the American Rescue Plan?

Here’s what you need to know about the direct relief the American Rescue Plan provides to working families:

$1,400 per-person checks

• Single people making less than $75,000, heads of household making less than $112,500, and married couples filing jointly making less than $150,000 qualify for stimulus checks. People making up to $80,000 will receive partial payments. 
• Those with dependents will receive $1,400 per person, including college students and seniors claimed as dependents. 
• To learn how working Americans will receive their direct payments, read this blog . 
• Track the status of your payment with the Internal Revenue Service’s Get My Payment Tool . 
• Recover direct payments from past stimulus payments you did not receive but qualified for when you file your 2020 taxes with the Internal Revenue Service’s Recovery Rebate Credit form.

Increase the Child Tax Credit, Earned-Income Tax Credit, and Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit

• For those without children, the American Rescue Plan increased the Earned-Income Tax Credit from $543 to $1,502.
• For those with children, the American Rescue Plan increased the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 per child to $3,000 per child for children over the age of six and $3,600 for children under the age of six – and raised the age limit from 16 to 17.
• The American Rescue Plan also increased and expanded the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, making more people eligible and increasing the total credit to $4,000 for one qualifying individual and $8,000 for two or more.

Extend unemployment insurance

• The American Rescue Plan extended unemployment benefits until September 6 with a weekly supplemental benefit of $300 on top of the regular $400 benefit.
• The first $10,200 of unemployment benefits will be tax-free for people with incomes less than $150,000.
• Learn more about how to file for unemployment insurance at the U.S. Department of Labor’s resource page .

Small business support

• The American Rescue Plan will provide emergency grants, lending, and investment to hard-hit small businesses so they can rehire and retain workers and purchase the health and sanitation equipment they need to keep workers safe. 
• The American Rescue Plan also includes a Small Business Opportunity Fund to provide growth capital to main street small businesses in economically disadvantaged areas, including minority-owned businesses
• For small business guidance and loan resources, visit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s resource page . 

Lower health insurance premiums and provide 100% federal COBRA subsidy

• The American Rescue Plan will lower or eliminate health insurance premiums for millions of lower- and middle-income families enrolled in health insurance marketplaces. This will help well over a million uninsured Americans gain coverage.
• A family of four making $90,000 could see their monthly premium come down by $200 per month. 
• The American Rescue Plan provides a 100% federal continuation health coverage (COBRA) subsidy through September 1, ensuring that those who lose their jobs or lose their health care due to reduced hours don’t lose their health care. 
• President Biden opened a special health care enrollment period through May 15. You can sign up for health insurance at healthcare.gov . 
• Learn more about COBRA at the U.S. Department of Labor’s resource page . 

How is the American Rescue Plan helping people like you?

• Occupation: Part-Time Clerk
• Income: $25,000
• Filing Status: Single
• Dependents: 0

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Avery’s employer transitioned to working from home and reduced her role to part-time. Since then, she has been struggling to pay for usual household expenses like rent and utilities.

Impact of The ARP

• $1,400 stimulus check
• Occupation: Small Restaurant Owner
• Income: $65,000
• Filing Status: Married

For the last year, Chris’ restaurant has been struggling to keep its doors open. They have been left out of previous PPP loans parameters and are now at risk of closing permanently without immediate support.

• Two stimulus checks totaling $2,800
• Access to new grant program for restaurants

Sam & Lee

• Occupation: Bus Driver and Electrician
• Income: $100,000
• Dependents: 2 children under six

Sam and Lee are essential workers who have been struggling to maintain their working hours while managing their children’s schooling from home. They are in need of an emergency financial boost to cover the cost of childcare.

• Four stimulus checks totaling $5,600
• An additional $3,200 in Child Tax Credits
• Occupation: Small Business Owner
• Income: $60,000

Jesse owns a hardware store with ten employees. She was able to hold off on layoffs for the past year, but without urgent financial support, she will need to layoff half of her staff by the end of spring.

• Funding for work sharing programs to avoid business layoffs
• Access to flexible grants to get back on their feet and come back stronger
• Occupation: Teacher
• Income: $55,000
• Filing Status: Head of Household (Single Parent)
• Dependents: 3 children over six

Jamie has been teaching her classes from home while overseeing her three teenage children’s at home schooling and helping care for her elderly parents. She is in need of an emergency financial boost to help cover the cost of rent, utilities, and food.

• Four stimulus checks for a total of $5,600
• An additional $3,000 in Child Tax Credits
• Safely reopen schools
• Occupation: Retired

As their family has struggled through the pandemic, Charlie and his partner have been supporting their grown children financially, and are now struggling to pay ends meet themselves.

• Two stimulus checks for a total of $2,800

Share how the American Rescue Plan helps you and your   family

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U.S. Department of the Treasury

Assistance for small businesses.

The COVID-19 public health crisis and resulting economic crisis have created a variety of challenges for small, micro, and solo businesses in communities across the country. The Treasury Department is providing critical assistance to small businesses across the country, facilitating the urgent deployment of capital and support to help these organizations not just persevere, but recover on solid footing.  

Small Business Tax Credit Programs

The American Rescue Plan extends a number of critical tax benefits, particularly the Employee Retention Credit and Paid Leave Credit, to small businesses.

Emergency Capital Investment Program

The Emergency Capital Investment Programs support the efforts of low- and moderate-income community financial institutions

Paycheck Protection Program

The Paycheck Protection Program is providing small businesses with the resources they need to maintain their payroll, hire back employees who may have been laid off, and cover applicable overhead.

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Disaster Relief

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Need Help Now?

If you are in immediate need of help, please contact your local Red Cross » or find an open shelter » 

We respond to an emergency every 8 minutes.

No one else does this: not the government, not other charities. From small house fires to multi-state natural disasters, the American Red Cross goes wherever we’re needed, so people can have clean water, safe shelter and hot meals when they need them most.

• We respond to an average of about 65,000 disasters every year
• 95% of our disaster relief workers are volunteers
• The vast majority of disasters we respond to are home fires

We're there when people need us most

Home Fire Relief

Hurricane Relief

Wildfire Relief

Flood Relief

Earthquake Relief

Tornado Relief

Learn more about some of our historic disaster responses:.

• Hawaii Wildfires
• Southern & Midwest Tornadoes and Storms
• Hurricane Ian
• Western Wildfires
• Hurricane Ida
• Gulf Coast Hurricanes
• FY19 Disaster Update
• Hurricane Dorian
• 2018 Disaster Response Infograph
• Hurricane Florence
• Hurricane Michael
• 2018 California Wildfires
• Hurricane Harvey
• Hurricane Irma
• Mexico Earthquakes
• Hurricane Maria
• 2017 California Wildfires
• Texas Severe Spring Floods
• West Virginia Floods
• Louisiana Floods
• Hurricane Matthew
• Nepal Earthquake (2015)
• South Carolina Floods (2015)
• Washington Landslide  (2014)
• Typhoon Haiyan (2013)
• Oklahoma & Midwest Tornadoes  (2013)
• Supertorm Sandy  (2012)
• Japan Earthquake (2011)
• Haiti Earthquake (2010)

Here To Help

Overnight Shelter Stays

The Red Cross opens shelters to make sure people have a safe place to stay, a hot meal and access to other support from trained volunteers. Every night a person stays in a shelter counts as one overnight stay; for example, a family of four staying in a shelter for three nights would total 12 overnight stays.

Meals and Snacks

After a disaster, the Red Cross works with community partners to provide hot meals, snacks and water served as shelters or from Red Cross emergency response vehicles in affected neighborhoods.

Distribution of Emergency Supplies

Emergency supplies help people in the immediate aftermath of a disaster and in the days and weeks that follow. Our comfort kits contain basic personal supplies needed in the aftermath of a disaster, such as a toothbrush, deodorant and shampoo. Other emergency supplies could include tarps, rakes, shovels, and trash bags to help people clean up their homes and return to normalcy.

Health Services

Red Cross health volunteers travel to disaster sites to help people cope. Health workers can provide first aid treatment for injuries, monitor the well-being of people staying in Red Cross shelters, and replace prescription medications or eyeglasses. 

Mental Health Services

Red Cross mental health volunteers travel to disaster sites to help people cope. Mental health workers specialize in providing emotional support and helping people to cope after a disaster.

Trained Red Cross volunteers and employees are ready to deploy within hours of a disaster to help. Ninety-five percent of our disaster workers are volunteers from across the country.

Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs)

Mobile Response Vehicles, also known as ERVs, circulate throughout affected communities after disasters to hand out food, relief supplies, information, and comfort to those in need.

Our work doesn't end after disaster strikes. 

After the emergency phase of a response has been completed, we turn to helping people recover and addressing lingering community needs. Working together with community leaders, government and relief agencies, we organize and execute recovery strategies that include:

• Providing emergency financial assistance in the immediate aftermath of a disaster
• Distributing financial assistance for households that need extra help in the long-term
• Providing grants for community-based recovery services

Our Statement on Impartiality

Read the statement

The American Red Cross, as a member of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network, adheres to the network’s fundamental principles. Specifically, the principal of impartiality states: “It makes no discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It endeavors to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.”

During a crisis, people need help to stay safe, no matter their nationality, cultural background or citizenship status. When an emergency strikes, the Red Cross will deliver help to whomever needs it. As part of its humanitarian mission, the American Red Cross will feed, shelter, provide emotional support and other assistance without regard to race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation or citizenship status. The Red Cross is a charity, not a government agency, and individuals who have disaster-caused needs do not need to be American citizens to access our services.

Red Cross workers will not question individuals about their citizenship status, nor will they request birth certificates, immigration papers, passports, social security cards or similar documents that could be interpreted as being used to identify the nationality or immigration status of people seeking assistance. The Red Cross will only request documents to verify an individual’s identity and where they lived before a disaster when providing financial assistance.

If federal, state or local authorities make a request to enter a shelter for the purpose of looking for undocumented shelter residents, the Red Cross will not grant them permission unless provided with a subpoena or court order. The Red Cross may disclose information about shelter residents at the request of law enforcement, if the disclosure is necessary to avert a threat, or protect the health or safety of shelter occupants, another person or the community.

Just as disasters don’t discriminate in terms of whose lives they destroy; the Red Cross doesn’t discriminate in whose lives we help rebuild. The Red Cross is a safe and secure place for everyone in need after a disaster.

Our Other Services

Lifesaving Blood

Training Services

Military Families

International Services

Support Disaster Relief Efforts

The Red Cross honors donor intent and all donations earmarked for Disaster Relief will be used to help people affected by disasters, big and small. Americans work hard for their money, and we’re committed to being the very best stewards of our donors’ dollar. The Red Cross keeps our expenses low and an average of 90 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in delivering care and comfort to those in need.

Help people affected by disasters big and small.

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Disaster Preparedness & Response

Our aspiration.

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GRI: 3-3, 201-2 UN SDG: 11 S G | Published: May 31, 2023

We aim to effectively prepare for and respond to disasters, with a focus on associate well-being, serving customer needs through the swift and safe recovery of business operations, and supporting impacted communities.

Key Goals & Metrics

Disasters and business disruptions can happen at any time. In any given year, communities face risks related to natural and weather-related disasters, including storms, wildfires, and tornadoes, whether as a result of climate change or otherwise. 3  Our stores and clubs may also be affected by geopolitical events, pandemics or other contagious outbreaks, or other events such as civil unrest or acts of violence.

Disasters have a direct impact on Walmart’s business and stakeholders. They can put associates and customers in harm’s way, interfere with our operations, disrupt product supplies, compromise communications and information security, damage property and infrastructure, and result in high recovery costs. These events can also disrupt the communities around our stores and clubs. Effective preparation and response to disasters helps Walmart continue to serve the basic needs of associates, customers, and communities and builds trust in our company. Conversely, failure to prepare for and respond to a business disruption in a timely and effective manner may have a direct impact on Walmart’s ability to perform critical business functions, negatively impacting Walmart in the eyes of customers, associates, investors, media, and the communities in which we operate.

Walmart’s Approach

To enhance the resilience of our business in the face of disaster and disruption and help mitigate the impact of disaster on the communities where we operate, we focus on the following:

• Effective governance, including policies, procedures, and executive oversight
• Disaster planning and preparation through risk assessment, business continuity planning, training, and supporting the resilience of communities around our clubs and stores
• Disaster response, including ensuring associate safety and well-being, swift and safe recovery of business operations for the benefit of our customers, and collaboration with community leaders to support local relief and recovery.

Ensuring the well-being of our associates and their families

Customers and Members

Maintaining and restoring our operations to serve customers and members swiftly and safely

Communities

Helping vulnerable communities build resilience before disasters and supporting impacted communities after disasters

Effective Governance & Oversight  |  Advance Planning & Preparation  |  Disaster Response & Recovery

Effective Governance & Oversight

Walmart’s disaster preparedness and management efforts are part of the company’s Global Security Program, a risk-based approach to protecting our people, facilities, information, supply chain, and inventory.

Walmart’s Global Emergency Management team oversees disaster preparation and recovery efforts. The team takes a full lifecycle approach and is responsible for preparedness, business continuity and crisis planning, emergency operations, and recovery from events such as natural disasters, infrastructure failures, man-made hazards and events, and other crises. Key functions include:

• Enterprise Resilience Planning Team:  This team is responsible for the company’s business resiliency efforts, working with the company's global business partners to identify and implement response and recovery strategies for Walmart's most critical business functions through continuous assessment of resource capabilities and risk mitigation.
• Emergency Operation Center (EOC):  The EOC serves as the central command center for preparation and response activities, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year. The EOC provides continuous monitoring and coordination of response for natural disasters and human-caused events that could affect Walmart associates, operations, and communities. The EOC provides a scalable and flexible response to events and can assemble its support teams either virtually or physically 24/7.

Senior executives oversee our disaster preparation and response efforts, including through the following:

• Corporate Crisis Management Team:  Advisory body comprising senior leadership and corporate functional officers for enterprise-wide emergency planning and response policy efforts.
• Emergency Support Functions (ESF):  Adapted from FEMA’s National Response Framework, Walmart groups decision-makers, responders, and resources into Emergency Support Functions. These ESFs, which include associates from our People, Operations, and Walmart.org 4   teams, work together to ensure an effective and consistent response from the company.
• Joint Business Continuity and IT/Disaster Recovery Resilience Council:  This cross-functional team of corporate officers is tasked with providing thought leadership, guidance, and support on matters related to the Enterprise Business Continuity and IT Resilience programs. The Council is comprised of corporate officers from relevant segments of the company, including Audit, Global People, Legal, Compliance, and Security.

When the EOC is activated, management monitors the matter and Walmart’s corresponding response. In some instances, based upon the surrounding facts and circumstances, executive management may inform the Board of Directors about a particular matter and Walmart’s response.

Advance Planning & Preparation

Recognizing that disasters could adversely affect our business performance 5 , Walmart invests in disaster planning and preparedness, including risk assessments, business continuity and crisis management planning, and training. We also provide support to communities to build disaster preparedness and resilience programs ahead of disaster events, with a particular focus on communities that are prone to natural disasters and that have been historically underserved.

Risk Assessment

Walmart's Global Emergency Management team, staffed by Walmart associates with experience in law enforcement, meteorology, emergency management, and resilience planning, uses data to identify, assess, and help manage risks related to weather, environmental, public health, and security events. For example:

• We gather information from government authorities regarding emergency declarations at the federal, state, county, and city levels that may impact our operations, supply chain, or associates. This information is made available to our business to evaluate whether action is necessary to mitigate the impact of a disaster or assist with our response.
• We use data from previous events to anticipate customer and community needs following storms, help us determine where we may need to direct necessary supplies and personnel for potential disasters, preemptively prepare associates in the field with knowledge about available resources, and help us develop plans to maintain or quickly restore operations if similar situations arise in the future.
• Using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Hurricane Center and Weather Prediction Center, we assess risks from developing events, such as hurricanes and ice storms, several days in advance of impact, so that we can start moving resources and building and implementing plans for the areas we anticipate will be most impacted.

Public-Private Collaboration

A key aspect of disaster planning and preparation is knowing the community: community and business leaders who will likely be the main points of contact and communication; local businesses and organizations that may be vulnerable and need assistance following a disaster; and the government agencies and offices that will activate during a crisis event. Establishing relationships with these stakeholders before a crisis event and including them in disaster planning efforts promotes coordinated disaster response efforts, drives information sharing, helps us to direct resources where they are most needed, and can lead to more targeted support for communities in need after a disaster. In 2022, Walmart convened its first Preparedness Summit, bringing more than 100 representatives from corporations, governmental agencies, NGOs, and local nonprofits to Walmart's Home Office campus for working sessions on topics including disaster preparedness and technology, strengthening partnerships, the role of supply chains in disaster relief, and improving and increasing coordination and innovation in the disaster preparedness space.

Building Enterprise Resilience

Our enterprise resilience process is aligned with Disaster Recovery Institute International and Business Continuity Institute recommendations and aims to equip Walmart's business units to respond to business disruptions and crises in an efficient and cohesive manner. Our Enterprise Resilience Planning team, part of the Global Emergency Management team, facilitates this process by engaging with and training business units to implement and update business continuity and crisis plans.

The Enterprise Resilience Planning team works with company leaders to identify critical business functions that could impact Walmart's ability to operate and serve customers and develops plans designed to recover those business units and critical business functions within designated timeframes.

We regularly test our crisis/incident management plans through mock scenarios and tabletop exercises, with at least half of our plans tested each year. These exercises help us learn and identify improvements that we integrate into our plans. Walmart's Joint Business Continuity and IT/Disaster Recovery Resilience Council reviews the overall performance and provides feedback on our Business Continuity program on a quarterly basis.

Disaster Preparation for Associates

Our associates play a critical role in disaster planning and preparation, and they receive role-specific training in crisis management and business continuity planning, processes, response, and recovery procedures, including participating in hands-on preparedness exercises.

Walmart also offers training and resources to help associates prepare themselves and their families for emergency or crisis situations:

• Walmart offers online training and resources to associates on how to create a personal emergency plan, which guides associates through exercises including how to set up communication plans, build an emergency supplies kit, and set a family meeting place.
• Walmart has developed multiple methods of alerting associates who work in Walmart facilities to emergency situations at or near their work location so that associates can receive alerts via Walmart-issued mobile devices, text, email, or phone. In addition, corporate and field management associates can sign up for location-based severe weather alerts.
• All associates are assigned training on Workplace Violence Awareness on an annual basis and receive quarterly refresher training. Skills taught include identifying and reporting concerning behaviors and protocols to be utilized in the event of an active shooter or active attack scenario. This program is designed as an awareness tool that will empower and instill confidence in associates, helping them understand “What You Do Matters” in an active shooter event.

Disaster Preparation for Customers

Because millions of customers rely on Walmart for essential products and services, we take action in our stores and clubs to keep customers informed of events that could impact their area and stock the products they may need before, during, and after an event. We also prepare our physical facilities to help lessen the impact of disaster events on our physical facilities so that we can maintain or resume operations for our customers swiftly and safely in the event of a disaster.

Examples of Walmart's disaster preparation activities include:

• Pre-shipping truckloads of water and other needed products to stores and clubs
• Changing TV broadcasts within stores in impact zones to show weather forecasts or disaster preparedness videos
• Conducting roof checks and facility walks to identify and address potential damage points
• Pre-staging refrigerated trailers and mobile generators at locations that are at risk of losing power

Disaster Preparation for Communities

While responding in the moment is important, we also aim to help communities build resilience before disasters. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation help support organizations working to build disaster preparedness and community resilience, particularly for those at risk of being disproportionately impacted. 6

Example philanthropic investments in FY2023 to help organizations prepare to support communities after disasters include:

• Expanding access to hygiene and communication services.  Addressing the immediate hygiene and communications needs of affected communities helps people with critical needs in the first days following a disaster. A grant awarded to  Matthew 25: Ministries  will support the construction of additional mobile laundry and shower trailers that can be deployed to Walmart parking lots following disasters. With Walmart's grant support, the  Information Technology Disaster Resource Center  (ITDRC) is developing five new hotspot and device charging trailers that will deploy to Walmart parking lots during and after disasters to help communities and first responders connect to emergency alerts, check in with loved ones, and find recovery services.
• Building capability of response organizations to deliver disaster resources more quickly.  A Walmart Foundation grant to  American Logistics Aid Network  (ALAN) will help disaster-focused nonprofits build their logistics and supply chain capabilities to ensure that humanitarian aid and resources reach communities affected by crisis rapidly and at a reasonable cost.
• Building frameworks for more equitable disaster benefit access and distribution.  The Walmart Foundation awarded grants to The Brookings Institution and the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) focusing on increasing access to and equity in disaster recovery benefits. The Brookings Institution grant will support research to inform how survivors access benefit resources after a disaster and to adjust the emergency management framework to better support vulnerable individuals and populations, including renters. BPC's  Disaster Response Reform Task Force —a group of emergency management experts with diverse experiences from prior roles across government—will champion targeted reforms to federal disaster assistance programs to improve the delivery of critical aid to communities in crisis and foster quicker and more equitable disaster recovery.

Walmart's Multi-Year Disaster Preparedness Grants in the Gulf Region

In FY2022, the Walmart Foundation made a multi-year $3 million investment in the Gulf region in areas prone to disasters with higher numbers of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities. Concentrating these investments in the Gulf Coast allows us to test solutions and learn how we can use philanthropy to help communities build the capacity to respond to disasters more effectively and equitably. We supported two-year grants for projects including The Nature Conservancy's  SUNS project  (Scaling-up Nature-based Solutions), focused on building nature-based solutions to disaster preparedness; the Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Disaster Management's Bridging Support for Underserved and Indigenous Communities in Landfall Disasters ( BUILD ) program, which arms community leaders with skills to combat systemic exclusionary practices and cultivate communities that are stewards of resilience and sustainability; The St. Bernard Project's  Leader Practitioner Course , which helps government leaders more effectively deliver disaster resources to low-income, high-population communities of color; and the  Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy  at the Tulane University School of Social Work, which will work with 10 grassroots community organizations to help create equitable disaster response and funding plans. These projects, which are currently in their second year of the grant commitment, will provide valuable insight into community resilience that will help inform future resilience-building programs in the Gulf Coast and beyond.

Walmart also takes steps to ensure that our local store and club operators are ready to support their surrounding communities when disasters or crises occur. Each disaster response is different, and each community may not present the same needs, but Walmart is often one of the first places that community members go after a disaster. Our Disaster Response Guide for store and club operators includes information and guidance on how to prepare before a disaster event.

The Guide encourages store and club operators to build relationships with local emergency managers, public officials, and community nonprofits so that the relationships and lines of communication are already established when disaster strikes and those organizations can relay their needs quickly.The Guide also provides information on Walmart's post-disaster support resources, including activating community response tools like gift cards for nonprofits supporting recovery, planning disaster response activities in Walmart parking lots, enabling product donations to community organizations and municipal governments, and activating associate and customer support and giving campaigns.

Disaster Response & Recovery

When disasters occur, Walmart focuses on (1) the well-being of associates and their families; (2) recovering store and club operations swiftly and safely for the benefit of our customers; and (3) supporting impacted communities. Our response is coordinated centrally through our EOC but includes associates from a broad array of teams and on-the-ground associates in impacted areas.

Activating Walmart's EOC

Every day, our EOC fields calls and reports of incidents at Walmart's stores, clubs, and facilities around the world. In FY2023, the EOC logged more than 118,000 phone calls and recorded more than 11,000 incidents reported via Walmart's Emergency App. EOC team members assess and triage each situation, provide guidance, and coordinate support from the EOC facility at Walmart's Home Office.

When a disaster is larger in scale, we activate an expanded team of decision makers, responders, and resources in our Emergency Support Functions (ESFs). 7  Associates from teams including People, Supply Chain, Operations, Facilities, and Walmart.org convene with the EOC team and work together to ensure open communications and a comprehensive and consistent response from the company.

In addition to activating Walmart's EOC at our home office in northwest Arkansas, Walmart EOC team members are often deployed to local and state EOC locations when disasters strike. The team embeds onsite with local emergency managers, government responders, and other organizations to facilitate communication between the Walmart EOC and local entities on the latest forecast and event impact information, coordination of response and recovery efforts, priorities, and support needs. Walmart first deployed one of its EOC team members into a state EOC during Hurricane Ike in 2008, and that practice continues—as it did when Walmart EOC responders embedded with the Florida EOC for more than a week when Hurricane Ian struck Florida and the Carolinas in September 2022.

After each event, the Global Emergency Management team conducts after-action reviews to identify lessons for continuous improvement. Valuable information and recommendations from after-action reviews are incorporated into our future disaster preparedness and response plans.

Establishing the Well-Being of Our Associates

Our Global Emergency Management team works with our Facilities and People teams to check on the well-being of our associates and their families and to connect them to resources they may need in the wake of a disaster.

Through OneWalmart.com, our associate-facing website, we provide recommendations and best practices for what to do before, during, and after a natural disaster or when a store experiences a security threat or other business disruption. Resources and personal and work preparedness plans and kits are available for download. Walmart provides evacuation assistance for those forced to leave their homes due to mandatory evacuation, as well as opportunities to work in nearby stores and clubs should their location temporarily close.

Real-time updates on weather and other potential business disruptions are shared with associates by email, OneWalmart.com, and through an associate hotline. The Associate Emergency Information Line provides return-to-work information and the ability for associates to request assistance. Information on this line is automatically updated and tailored to the caller’s work location.

Following a disaster, we also conduct associate wellness checks, directly reaching out to associates in the most impacted areas to assess their well-being and connect them to resources. In situations where multiple Walmart locations are impacted, this outreach could include thousands of associates, as it did following Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Maintaining & Resuming Operations for the Customer

In the case that one of our stores, clubs, or other facilities is impacted by a disaster situation, we aim to restore our facility operations swiftly and safely for the benefit of the customers who rely on Walmart for products and services.

Once we identify stores or clubs that are at risk of being impacted by a disaster, Walmart deploys teams and supplies ahead of the event to prepare for potential impacts. For example, ahead of storms, we prepare for potential power outages by staging mobile generators near facilities in the path of the storm so that we can restore power as soon as it is safe to do so. Mobile generators kept stores, clubs, and distribution centers powered for more than 8,300 hours while grid electricity was unavailable in 2022, helping to make our facilities available to customers when they needed food, pharmaceuticals, and other necessary items.

Other recovery activities include:

• Publishing on Walmart's website which stores are open, closed, or have modified hours or services
• Assessing properties and buildings for water damage, flooding, roof damage, or other issues, and deploying restoration technicians and experts who aim to restore our facilities to operational status
• Assessing the safety and viability of transportation routes to facilities in the impacted area so that we can resume deliveries of products to stores and clubs, and rerouting if necessary
• Connecting facilities to generator power
• Designating fuel lines for associates and first responders to be able to fuel vehicles and generators

Technology & Disaster Response

Walmart has developed supply chain tools with fast simulation capabilities that enable us to model and implement rapid supply chain network changes in the event of disasters that impact our facilities. In 2022, after Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida, several distribution centers (DCs) and the roads connecting them to stores were severely impacted. This resulted in the disruption of food and water replenishment. Our network strategy team quickly collaborated with operations to develop a new alignment of DCs and stores for more than a dozen affected stores. They evaluated the feasibility of the plan using the simulator and implemented the new configuration within a day, successfully re-enabling the delivery of supplies to impacted areas.

Supporting Impacted Communities

We draw on our strengths as a retailer to support relief efforts. As noted above, the primary way we support communities in times of disaster is by operating our business. We work to reopen stores as quickly and safely as possible so that people can access pharmacy, grocery, and other essential products and services.

But often, communities need more than an open store or club, and we are committed to helping meet those needs. Since FY2019, Walmart, Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation have provided more than $105 million for disaster preparedness, response and relief efforts supporting communities around the globe. Because each disaster is unique, our Walmart.org and emergency management teams coordinate with response organizations on the ground and relay real-time information back to our EOC. We use this information to determine the level and nature of support needed, which can range from product donations (such as food and water) to fast and flexible-use gift cards to local nonprofits to enable them to immediately procure critical supplies, to major grants to relief organizations and community foundations.

For example, our support in FY2023 included using our space to coordinate services, in-kind donations to shelters and nonprofits, and cash grants to emergency response organizations.

• Hurricane Ian.  After Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm in September 2022, hundreds of Walmart stores, clubs, and distribution centers in its path were affected—losing power and suffering damage from wind and water. Many of our customers, members, and associates saw significant damage to their homes and were left without utilities and water. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation donated more than $6 million in disaster relief funding and in-kind support and used our store and parking lot spaces to stage water and meal distributions, host laundry and shower trailers, and offer free wellness and injury exams. As part of our $6 million commitment, the Walmart Foundation granted funds to CORE Community Organized Relief Effort and The Smile Trust, who used the investments to ensure disaster resources reached the most marginalized and vulnerable communities in the impacted region.

20 EOC coordination calls

Nearly 13,000 associates accounted for through wellness checks  

3,800 loads of additional water sent into impacted areas

>1 million additional miles driven by delivery teams to supply stores and clubs outside of their normal service area after a Walmart distribution center suffered storm damage

>$6 million in funding from Walmart, Sam's Club, and the Walmart Foundation for recovery and relief efforts

Hurricane Ian Response Advance through the gallery to learn more about Walmart's efforts in service of associates, customers, and communities during and after Hurricane Ian.

Before Landfall

Landfall & after, days following.

WEEK BEFORE LANDFALL

1 DAY BEFORE LANDFALL

• EOC begins daily situation calls and reports, including weather forecasts and actions to prepare facilities for the storm
• More than 400 facilities are under hurricane or tropical storm warnings/watches
• Walmart associates arrive to Florida's state EOC and stay embedded through the course of the storm

Ensure associate well-being

• Facilities Maintenance teams conduct roof checks and facility walks in areas most likely to see wind and rain impacts from this storm

Customers & Members

Restore operations swiftly and safely

• Walmart begins airing hurricane preparedness videos and weather channels on screens and TVs in stores and clubs
• Facilities Services pre-stages resources and mobile generators to deploy post-storm
• 600+ additional truckloads of water and 20+ truckloads of disaster merchandise are delivered to stores and clubs in the expected impact area
• Facilities Maintenance and Energy teams pre-stage refrigerator trailers at facilities near the landfall area in case of power outages

Support impacted communities

• Disaster Response Guide distributed to store operators in expected impact area
• Corporate donation dashboard launches that allows teams to request and coordinate donations for nonprofits and local organizations

1 DAY AFTER LANDFALL

• Landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 155 mph; more than 200 facilities in the path of Hurricane Ian close
• Hurricane Ian re-strengthens to a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to make landfall the following day in South Carolina
• Preparations made for associate wellness checks
• Associate wellness checks begin and Evacuation Assistance activates for associates based at more than 50 facilities in mandatory evacuation zones
• Transportation team positions 400 drivers in Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia to support recovery efforts, while transportation safety teams assess routes to facilities to restart deliveries in the impacted area
• Walmart posts a public-facing map showing store and club closures, which updates in real-time
• 34 facilities operating on generator power

• Walmart U.S. CEO John Furner announces commitment of $6M to support relief efforts at governor's briefing in Florida

2 DAYS AFTER LANDFALL

WEEK AFTER LANDFALL

• Hurricane Ian makes landfall near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with winds near 85 mph
• Dozens of facilities in Florida and southern Georgia are closed, and more facilities in South Carolina close ahead of the storm's second landfall

• Evacuation Assistance activates for associates based at additional facilities now in mandatory evacuation zones
• Walmart's People Team continue wellness checks on nearly 13,000 associates in the most impacted areas
• An Associate Resource Center opens at a Florida Walmart supercenter to assist impacted associates
• Designated vehicle fuel lines created for associates and first responders at Sam's Club facilities in Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Naples, Florida
• Walmart offers complimentary wellness and injury exams at several Walmart Health Centers
• 33 facilities operating on generator power
• Walmart deploys an additional 30 trailer loads of disaster merchandise and more than 100 additional trailer loads of water to impacted areas
• With a distribution center temporarily closed due to damage, Supply Chain and Merchandise teams realign merchandise and deliveries to continue supporting stores
• Walmart activates matching campaign in-store and online for customers, members, and associates to give to the American Red Cross in support of hurricane relief efforts
• Walmart.org partners with Cajun Navy, World Central Kitchen, Tide Loads of Hope, Salvation Army and others to provide community support at Walmart and Sam's Club locations across impacted areas
• Water giveaway events continue at local community organization sites and Walmart facilities
• The Walmart Transportation Mobile Relief Kitchen arrives on site, and transportation team members serve more than 84,000 hot meals to Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian
• Walmart deploys 15 shower and restroom trailers and 10 laundry trailers to store parking lots in Florida
• Hurricane Fiona.  Hurricane Fiona left much of Puerto Rico without electrical power in September 2022, creating a need for mobile generators to power critical services. Walmart sourced generators and partnered with UPS to ship them to the Hispanic Federation's team on the ground in Puerto Rico. The donated generators were distributed to individuals and families with medical needs and were used to power community-based relief kitchens. Walmart also worked to get stores and clubs operating and the Walmart Foundation provided $850,000 in support to organizations helping with the Hurricane Fiona recovery in Puerto Rico and Canada.

• Uvalde school shooting.  In the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas in May 2022, Walmart mobilized to help support the community's immediate and longer-term recovery. Working with nonprofit Family Services, which has provided human services in Uvalde for more than 20 years, we donated space inside our Uvalde Supercenter for a new Family Services clinic. In this space, individuals and families in Uvalde and the surrounding area could receive crisis support, mental health services, or other human services needs. Walmart also provided Family Services with a $250,000 grant supporting comprehensive mental health services for the Uvalde community.
• Flooding in Kentucky.  Heavy rain, flash flooding, and rising river floodwaters overwhelmed communities in eastern Kentucky in July 2022, affecting hundreds of Walmart associates and thousands of community members. Walmart, Sam’s Club, and the Walmart Foundation committed $750,000 in water, food, and funding to organizations providing relief, while simultaneously working to make essential resources like water, food, vaccinations, showers, and laundry available in our parking lots. Walmart drivers deployed our Mobile Relief Kitchen to provide hot meals to the community. Mobile showers were made available, and community members could do their laundry thanks to Procter & Gamble’s Tide Loads of Hope. Walmart also offered vaccination events in four locations, as floods can increase risks of tetanus and hepatitis.
• Flooding in India.  When flooding devastated communities in Assam, India in the summer of 2022, the Walmart Foundation (through the Walmart Foundation Disaster Relief Fund, a donor advised fund) and the Flipkart Foundation together allocated $250,000 toward Doctors For You to supply relief kits with essential food items, medicines, and hygiene-care products and offer healthcare and psychological support to the affected population. As floods continued in several parts of India, under the initiative of the Flipkart Foundation, Flipkart also activated customer and associate giving campaigns to raise funds to provide additional critical medical supplies and essential relief materials for flood relief efforts in the country.

Read more:  Serving Communities

• While we use available data to prepare for and anticipate storms and other disruptions, these events are inherently unpredictable. Moreover, storm intensity, frequency, and unpredictability are expected to increase with climate change.
• The primary way we serve communities is by operating our business; our success in serving communities in times of disaster and disruption is, therefore, dependent on our ability to keep operating and/or resume operations.
• Stakeholders and communities have more needs than Walmart can meet alone, creating the need to focus on our core capabilities and collaborate to extend impact.
• Successfully serving communities and recovering from disasters and disruptions are dependent on the engagement of associates, suppliers, and customers. Associates serve our customers, suppliers produce and distribute products, and customers contribute to relief efforts.
• Disasters disproportionately impact marginalized communities and communities of color that tend to be both the most exposed to damages from an event and the least able to recover financially.
• Navigating the federal emergency assistance grants process is challenging for households already struggling with limited time, resources, and access to technology.
• National and global catastrophic events, including pandemics, can exacerbate many of the above factors.

About our Reporting

• Corporate Policies website
• Walmart.org
• Walmart.org's Disaster Relief & Preparedness
• Disaster Relief Timeline
• Serving Communities

1. Walmart's donations toward disaster recovery and relief efforts fluctuate from year to year in response to the needs of our communities and the frequency and severity of disaster events. For example, FY2021 and FY2022 numbers were substantially elevated due to Walmart's contributions to COVID-19 response causes.

2. We activate the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) beyond normal operations to respond to specific situations or events, such as a tornado, civil unrest, or a public health issue. In FY2021, this metric included increased activations due to COVID-19. In FY2022 and FY2023, the EOC did not activate beyond normal operations for COVID-19.

3. Some of the most impactful disasters—those related to weather and climate—are on the rise: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tracks that between 1980 and 2019, the U.S. averaged  seven billion-dollar climate and weather disasters per year ; for the time period from 2020 through 2022, the average jumped to  20 per year .

4. Walmart.org represents the combined philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation.

5. As stated in Walmart’s annual report on Form 10-K.

6. Walmart's analysis suggests that approximately 50% of communities currently served by Walmart U.S. facilities may face significant, long-term disruption from climate-related factors by 2050. Our analysis also suggests that climate change has the potential to disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, including communities of color. Read more:  Climate Change

7. Adapted from FEMA’s  National Response Framework

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Disaster Relief Information for Employers and Advisers

The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) protects more than 722,000 private retirement plans, 2.5 million health plans, and similar numbers of other welfare benefit plans. To assist and provide relief to employers/plan sponsors and their employees/plan participants affected by national disasters, EBSA has taken the following actions. Disaster Relief Information for Workers and Families is also available.

In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has temporarily moved to telephone and website contact only.

Through this period of nationwide challenge, we remain fully operational and committed to our mission to assure the security of the retirement, health, and other workplace related benefits of America’s workers and their families. The agency is prioritizing getting your questions answered.

To contact EBSA, you may call our toll-free help line at 1-866-444-3272 .

Alternatively, you can contact us through our website .

• EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2021-01
• News Release
• Extension of Certain Timeframes for Employee Benefit Plans, Participants, and Beneficiaries Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic
• EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2020-01
• COVID-19 FAQS for Participants and Beneficiaries
• Interim Final Rule
• Part 42 This document was updated on April 15, 2020, to correct an error in footnote 10 regarding the end date of the current public health emergency related to COVID-19.
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The IRS, DOL, and PBGC may announce special extensions of time to file Form 5500 series returns/reports for filers affected by Presidentially-declared disasters or who are serving the Armed Forces of the United States in a combat zone. These special extensions are announced on the IRS’s website .

Reference to the Form 5500 can be found in the announcement under the bold caption “Grant of Relief.” Whatever special extension of filing Form 5500 granted by the IRS will also be automatically permitted by the DOL and PBGC (see Section 8 of Internal Revenue Bulletin 2007-56). Therefore, whether or not DOL or PBGC announce a special extension, Form 5500 series filers to whom the IRS has granted a special extension may file their annual returns/reports by the extended due date stated in the IRS’s announcement.

Filers should follow the instructions to Form 5500 series under the section “Extension of Time To File” regarding how to file the forms when special extensions are granted.

Filers affected by Presidentially-declared disasters are plan administrators, employers, and other entities who file Form 5500 series that are located in the areas designated as federal disaster areas (as listed in IRS’s announcements). These special extensions also apply to filers located outside the designated disaster areas who are unable to obtain the information necessary for filing from service providers, banks or insurance companies whose operations are directly affected by the disasters.

The IRS will announce the particular military operations (i.e., “combat zones”) for which special extensions are granted for filers serving in the Armed Forces of the United States (e.g., Notice 2003–21, 2003–1 C.B. 817 provides that all of the acts listed in Rev. Proc. 2002–71 are applicable for those taxpayers who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom).

If you have questions about your retirement or health benefits plans, contact us electronically or call one of our Benefits Advisors toll-free at 866-444-3272.