President Obama issued a disaster declaration for the Jan. 23 tornadoes in the state, opening up financial assistance for Chilton County residents who suffered property damage.

The federal aid is meant to supplement state and local recovery efforts in Chilton and Jefferson counties, according to a news release. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the disaster.

More than 100 homes in the county were damaged by the storms.

Chilton County Emergency Management Agency Director Bill Collum said Disaster Recovery Centers would be set up in Clanton and Maplesville.

Those seeking help should call a toll-free telephone number and then set up an appointment to visit one of the centers, where they would talk with a representative with the Federal Emergency Management Agency about their situation and what type of assistance would be best.

Look for further information about the program, including the number to call, in future editions of The Clanton Advertiser.

Collum said the centers could be set up within days.

“Everybody that had any kind of damage is encouraged to call that number,” Collum said. Even people that have insurance are encouraged to call because there are several different kinds of help available.”