Dear fellow Vermonter, I know this has been an incredibly challenging week and year as so many were re-traumatized by experiencing catastrophic flooding again this year. I was heartbroken to learn of the two Vermonters we lost in the remnants of Hurricane Beryl, and am keeping their families, as well as the Peacham and Concord communities, in my heart during this incredibly difficult time.   Recovery is certainly ongoing and will continue for months ahead. Please remember, for mental health support, anyone can call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1 (800) 985-5990 or the National Mental Health Crisis Line at 9-8-8.  As we begin to dig out, I wanted to pass along a list of tools, reminders, and resources that could be helpful in these early days (visit my website for a full list): Get in contact with your insurance company immediately. Report all damage by calling 2-1-1 or visiting https://vermont211.org/. Even if you have minimal damage, please report it to 211. To be eligible for federal assistance that will help impacted individuals recover, we must meet a threshold of damages, so it is critical that we capture as much information as possible. You do not need to delay clean up, but be sure to document damage and losses by taking pictures and careful notes.  Learn how to return home safely, including testing water in private wells and flood recovery information in 19 languages: https://www.healthvermont.gov/flood Check for boil water advisories at https://anr.vermont.gov/flood and call 802-828-1138 for fuel spills or basement issues. Get volunteer assistance with the Crisis Cleanup Hotline: 802-242-2054 Monitor New England 511 for road and bridge closures and register for VT-ALERT alerts at http://vem.vermont.gov/vtalert. Stay out of rivers, lakes, and other waterways until they are free of debris and pollutants that have been washed downstream by floodwaters. The Centers for Disease Control created this resource to support children and teens navigating a disaster: Helping Children Cope During and After a Disaster If you get 3SquaresVT benefits and your food was damaged by flooding or power outages, you may be eligible to have some of your benefits restored. You will need to report the loss of food within 10 days of the loss/disaster either by phone, in-person or in writing. Call the Benefits Service Center: 1-800-479-6151. For relay services, dial 7-1-1. For interpretation services, dial 1-855-247-3092 Visit or mail a report to your local district office. For a list of quick links to get help or help others, visit the Vermont Flood Ready website. To volunteer for flood cleanup, visit www.vermont.gov/volunteer.  We will get through this. Stay safe.  In service,