Governor Andy Beshear recently announced seven communities in the Commonwealth will receive over $10 million in aid from the State Aid Funding for Emergencies. The SAFE funds awards were signed into legislation last March in the wake of the Commonwealth being hit with a flurry of natural disasters starting in February. Governor Beshear said the impact these disasters have on Kentuckians are tragic in many cases.
“We’ve been hit be 14 federally declared disasters just over and over. Especially the people of eastern Kentucky who’ve suffered such loss losing 45 children of God in 2022 including four children,” he said. “I stood at the foundation of what used to be their home, everything gone except the little plastic swing hanging from a tree.”
Beshear said it’s important that the state provides relief for the counties and cities hit the hardest by the natural disasters. He added it shouldn’t be solely up to the affected communities to rebuild themselves from nothing.
“I know you’ve been punched in the gut but we’re going to lift you up and we are not going to let this set you back. We’re not going to let this bankrupt you,” said Beshear. “We’re not going to let this cause you to cut your police or services you are otherwise providing for your people. You deserve the very best from us.”
Five counties and two cities were awarded funds from the SAFE program. The cities of Coal Run Village and Hindman in eastern Kentucky received $600,000 and $80,000 respectively. Clay, Floyd, Letcher, Magoffin, and Union counties were awarded over $9 million in total.