Residents of Whatcom County who suffered property damage or displacement in last December's flooding have one more day to access in-person federal disaster assistance. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Assistance Center in Sumas closes after Friday, July 10, ending nearly three months of face-to-face help at a site that has become a critical resource for flood-affected families in the county's north end.
The center has been operating since late April at the Sumas Advent Christian Church at 125 Front Street, providing guidance with federal aid applications, Small Business Administration loan processing, and questions about ongoing recovery. Staff have served both English-speaking and non-English-speaking community members, an important function in Sumas and surrounding areas where a significant portion of residents and agricultural workers are Spanish speakers.
What the Center Offers Through Friday
The Disaster Assistance Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through July 10. Staff can help complete and submit FEMA applications, upload required documentation such as proof of residence, damage photographs, or insurance records, check on the status of a pending application, and answer questions about how to appeal a decision if assistance was denied or reduced.
The center also helps navigate SBA disaster loan applications. The Small Business Administration offers low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, and small businesses to cover losses not fully compensated by insurance. These loans can fund home repairs, replacement of personal property, and business recovery costs, but the application process requires specific financial and ownership documentation that can be difficult to assemble and submit without guidance.
FEMA aid programs available for Whatcom County's December disaster declaration can cover temporary housing while a home is repaired, displacement costs, home repair expenses not covered by insurance, personal property loss including furniture and appliances, and other disaster-related expenses such as medical bills or childcare disruption caused by the flooding.
Applications Still Accepted After the Center Closes
The original FEMA application deadline was June 10, 2026. However, the agency continues to accept late applications for up to 60 days past that date, meaning residents can still file through approximately early August. The key difference after Friday is that in-person assistance will no longer be available. Phone help is available seven days a week at 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362), and applications can be submitted online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
For residents who have started an application but not completed it, or who have received correspondence requesting additional documents, the last two days at the Sumas center represent the clearest path to getting the paperwork across the finish line with knowledgeable staff in the room to help.
December Flooding in Context
Last December's flooding struck the Nooksack River valley with familiar force, inundating portions of Sumas and Everson in patterns the region has experienced before. Sumas, a small city of roughly 1,700 people on the Canadian border, sits at low elevation on the Sumas Prairie, an area that has flooded repeatedly during major storm events. The November 2021 flooding caused more than a billion dollars in damage across Whatcom County and became one of the costliest natural disasters in Washington State history. The December 2025 event, while less catastrophic, nonetheless damaged homes, agricultural operations, and small businesses in the affected communities, and prompted the federal disaster declaration that made FEMA assistance available.
The Whatcom County emergency management office has been coordinating recovery efforts throughout the spring and summer. The center's closure marks a transition from active crisis response to longer-term reconstruction and resiliency work, but it also raises the stakes for anyone who has not yet accessed available aid. The practical help that in-person staff provide is difficult to replicate through phone and online systems alone, particularly for residents dealing with language barriers, limited digital access, or the cognitive load of managing a lengthy recovery process.
Act Before Friday
Anyone who suffered losses from December's flooding and has not yet accessed FEMA assistance should visit the Sumas Advent Christian Church at 125 Front Street today or Friday, July 10, before 5 p.m. Bring identification, proof of residence at the time of the disaster, and any documentation of losses such as insurance correspondence, contractor estimates, or damage photographs. Staff will guide applicants through what is needed and what next steps to take. After Friday, the physical center closes and in-person support ends. The window for face-to-face federal help will not reopen.
