By admin 
MIAMI, AZ (AZFamily) — More than seven months after deadly flooding hit Gila County, FEMA has not made a final decision on a requested major disaster declaration.
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As communities wait to see if they will get more federal help, others are stepping up in the meantime.
A catered lunch sponsored by the Fiesta Sports Foundation during Teacher Appreciation Week provided relief for staff wrapping up a challenging year at Miami Junior-Senior High School
“We were teaching out of closets. We were teaching out of outdoor spaces,” said Richard Ramos, Miami Unified School District superintendent.
Storms caused millions in damage
Storms hit the area over a three-day span in September 2025, causing in flood damage across Miami, Globe and Gila County.
“I’ve never experienced anything like that before. There was so much rain and water coming from the mountains,” Ramos said.
The September storms caused around $3 million worth of damage to the Miami Junior-Senior High campus. It took several months before all students and staff members were able to work and learn there again, and there are still signs of the aftermath lying around.
Foundation delivers donation
“We know that natural disasters like the one that happened back last year, they damage buildings, but they also affect people,” said Sandra Avila, director of community engagement for the Fiesta Sports Foundation.
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The Fiesta Sports Foundation knew they wanted to make the trip to Miami after seeing what happened.
“When we see that things happen in our community, it is important for us to show up,” Avila said.
The foundation showed up with lunch and a $10,000 check for the school.
FEMA has yet to decide on a major disaster declaration for these communities, nearly four months after the state appealed an initial denial.
“A lot of times, one of the things that I recognize about the people here is we don’t wait. Instead, we’re always looking for ways to build back and build better, no matter what is going to happen at a state or federal level. It can be frustrating, but we don’t allow that,” Ramos said.
Congressman Eli Crane’s office tells Arizona’s Family they are still pushing FEMA for assistance, but have not heard of any new developments as of today either.
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