<prompt> Human: Hi everyone, a majority of friends and family live in Denham Springs and East Baton Rouge and 75 of us have lost everything. We are in the 500 year flood zones, so i would say only 10 of us have flood insurance. I know that FEMA will come in and issue grants of up to 32,000, but what else is there to do to recover financially from this?It has never quite hit me that something like this has the potential to wipe out not only our homes, but our lively hood. How do we afford to erect another house? Do we have to get a second mortgage? We have so many questions this early on and are still wading though the waters and waiting for them to recede to even start accessing damage and do clean up. What are the most important steps we need to take early on to start the rebuilding and recover process for both our home and our community? Thanks for any help and recommendations. Edit: Thanks for the overwhelming responses from well wishers and informative posters. I am going to share this information with as many as i can in the coming weeks. Just a side note of something we have observed through this time is how essential taking care of your neighbors has been. 90 of the recovery in my part of East Baton Rouge was done by volunteers in private boats, jetskis, canoes and kayaks. Huge financial losses incurred by everyone, but such a minimal loss of life is something to always be thankful for. Stay safe out there!Edit 2: This post is not just for my own personal knowledge. I placed it up for others in my area and future flood victims to see. There are always going to be events and challenges in life that will extend beyond your scope of knowledge and level of preparedness. Note that I firmly believe in having FLOOD INSURANCE, no matter where you live. However, know that most people like many of my family and neighbors were told as they were building or bought there house that they did not need it. 95 of these houses are no where near the rivers that are flooding. They are over a mile away. Its a tough sell on a lot of people to have the foresight for this type of event. It not just the obvious larger rivers, or small ones that are causing the floods.Its the innocuous little lakes in neighborhoods,creeks backing up and ditches overflowing. It is a hard lesson for many people to learn. As you see future events and tragedies unfold, always maintain a healthy layer of optimism and dont be quick to make sweeping generalizations. So much time and energy is wasted in negativity when so many people are without a bed to sleep tonight and have lost everything. Note again, I FIRMLY believe in FLOOD INSURANCE and all of the other things that shield you from a catastrophic financial hit like this...I visit this sub quite often.It just so happens i dont make all of the financial decisions for my parents,relatives, and neighbors. I hope this post will serve as a tool for those who need it during a time of need and as an informative warning for those who think they are immune to natural disasters. No matter how off the possibility, you should always be prepared and protect yourself physically and financially to the best of your ability. Peace of mind is a hell of a thing when you are being airboated out of your home.P.S. This is an informative post and a vital resource. Lets keep it that way. Think a little longer before you post something like Dont live in a flood plain. You dont know the area,you dont know the people, you dont know their situation or why they are there. All that should matter is providing support and relevant information to people who need it. Thank you a million times to everyone who has given their time,expertise, and opinion. Shining a little light on how to navigate the recovery process has been a relief in so many ways.  <response>: SBP St. Bernard Project. Here are some guides theyve come up with : You definitely want to apply to FEMA to see how much money you can get, and SBP may be able to help with the rest. Theyve been in the area for 10 years - theyre also rebuilding in Texas, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, and West Virginia. 