# Disaster aid becomes political lottery

> Libraries and schools step into disaster aid gap as federal help vanishes.
- Title: Disaster aid becomes political lottery · The Conversation
- Summary: Libraries and schools step into disaster aid gap as federal help vanishes. Michigan communities without federal disaster aid use local resources to recover…
- Keywords: michigan, fema, disaster aid, university of northeastern, tornado, librarians, schools, places of worship, disaster response, philanthropy, science, ideas
- Source: The Conversation — https://theconversation.com/disaster-aid-has-become-a-political-lottery-libraries-schools-and-places-of-worship-are-stepping-into-the-breach-292948
- Author: Daniel P. Aldrich
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: michigan, fema, disaster aid, university of northeastern, tornado, librarians, schools, places of worship, disaster response, philanthropy, science, ideas
## Tornado strikes Michigan
Four tornadoes killed four people in southwest Michigan on March 7, 2026.
## FEMA denies disaster aid
Governor Gretchen Whitmer requested federal disaster assistance but FEMA rejected both requests.
## Political denial pattern
Trump administration denied 26% of disaster requests in 2025, double the previous year's rate.
## State-level disparities
All-Republican states received 90% approval while all-Democratic states got only 23% approval for disaster aid.
## Colorado's denied aid
Colorado, an all-Democratic state, had both 2025 disaster appeals rejected after 40 years.
## Florida's aid approval
Florida received $416 million for disasters without specifying which one in June 2025.
## Local response in Michigan
Union City high school became shelter, volunteers arrived with supplies, and United Way opened a relief fund.
## Community resilience
Libraries and places of worship help communities recover after disasters without federal aid.
## Key takeaway

Michigan communities without federal disaster aid use local resources to recover after tornadoes.