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Hurricane Katrina Info

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Informative LINKS

Red Cross Assistance Disaster Declarations

Fresh Start Credit Clean -Up and

Counseling Services
 

List of African-American Katrina Relief Funds


 

hurricane katrina:

GUIDE FOR
 

 RECEIVING ASSISTANCE
 

 volunteering

And

 donating


 cash and

 services

 

Prepared by the

Homeland Security Committee

September 1, 2005

 

GETTING ASSISTANCE

 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

If you have been affected by Hurricane Katrina, you may be eligible for federal assistance from FEMA, the agency responsible for leading federal response and recover efforts.  FEMA can also provide disaster housing assistance to those whose homes were damaged or destroyed.

 

You will need to register with FEMA for assistance.  Call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) to register. The speech or hearing impaired may call (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. You may also register online at: www.fema.gov/register.shtm.  FEMA has indicated that it will be operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until all have had a chance to register.

 

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross and other volunteer agencies can provide assistance with food, water, and clothing.  It also maintains a database for helping you find your family.  You can call the following numbers to find out more information 1-800-HELP NOW (435-7669) English; 1-800-257-7575 Spanish.

 

Employment-Related Issues

If you have lost your job or can’t work because of the hurricane, you may be able to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), which provides weekly benefits to individuals who are unemployed or not eligible for regular unemployment insurance compensation.  You can call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

 

Legal Assistance

The American Bar Association(ABA) is working with FEMA to provide legal assistance to those affected by the hurricane. A complete listing of the FEMA hotline for legal assistance will be provided by ABA on its website at http://www.abanet.org/katrina/#res

 

Prescription Medicine

Those in need of refilling prescription drugs should contact the American Red Cross at 1(866) 438-4636.  Veterans can also call the Veteran Affairs Office in Washington, DC at (202) 273-5400 to get information on fulfilling prescriptions.

 

In addition, many pharmacies have nationwide service and are assisting individuals who have filled prescriptions with them in the past.  Walgreens, for example, has this service and individuals who have used the store to fill prescriptions can walk into any Walgreens nationwide and ask a pharmacist to access their prescription records and get their emergencies solved. Express Scripts is assisting its patients through the toll-free number at 1 (800) 993-5060.  Medco asks that patients call the number on the back of their Medco identification cards. RiteAid is assisting those with prescription needs and is accepting American Red Cross vouchers in many areas.

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List of African-American Katrina Relief Funds

Donations

Many of us have watched the traditional systems fail to serve our communities, and have asked where to send our donations to insure they are being put to good use.  For those who wish to make monetary donations, please send funds to the following outlets. These have been confirmed and are REALLY delivering services to folks in need right now:

 BlackAmericaWeb.com Relief Fund

PO Box 803209, Dallas, TX 75240

www.blackamericaweb.com/relief

This fund has been set up by nationally syndicated radio personality TOM JOYNER.  The fund will go to individual families who have opened their homes to families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, to supplement their personal households as the recovery efforts continue. 

 The NAACP is setting up command centers in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama as part of its disaster relief efforts. Also, the NAACP has established a disaster relief fund to accept monetary donations to aid in the relief effort.

 Checks can be sent to the NAACP payable to:

NAACP Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund

4805 Mt. Hope Drive, Baltimore, MD 21215

Donations can also be made online at www.naacp.org/disaster/contribute.php

The National Black Caucus of State Legislators is requesting help with relief efforts by sending funds to the NBCSL national office to assist Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Send checks to

National Black Caucus of State Legislators
 Attn: Relief Funds 444 N. Capitol Street, Suite #622
Washington, DC 20001.

Send supplies to
Hurricane Katrina Relief
C/O Fields Firm (Senator Cleo Fields)
2147
Government Street Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Associated Black Charities will be conducting an effort to target African-American victims of the hurricane through a disaster relief fund at the Harbor Bank of Maryland. Please make checks payable to ABC Disaster Relief Fund and mail to the attention of:
Disaster Relief Fund
Harbor Bank of Maryland
3240 Bel Air Rd
Baltimore, MD 21213
For more information, please contact Donna Fisher-Lewis at: 410-659-0000 ext. 210
www.abc-md.or

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  • Summaries of disaster declarations for
     

    Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama

    Designated Counties for Mississippi Hurricane Katrina

    Disaster Summary For FEMA-1604-DR, Mississippi

    Declaration Date: August 29 2005

    Incident Type: Hurricane Katrina

    Incident Period: August 29, 2005, and Continuing

                               

    Individual Assistance
    (Assistance to individuals and households):

    Amite, Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Lamar, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Stone, Walthall, and Wilkinson Counties.

     

    Public Assistance
    (Assistance to State and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities):

    Adams, Amite, Attala, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Claiborne, Clarke, Clay, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Itawamba, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lee, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Walthall, Warren, Wayne, Webster, Wilkinson, and Winston Counties for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance. For a period of up to 72 hours, assistance for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent of the total eligible costs. The period of up to 72 hours at 100 percent excludes debris removal.

     

    Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
    (Assistance to State and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long term risk to life and property from natural hazards):

    All counties in the State of Mississippi are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

     

    Other:

    Additional designations may be made at a later date after further evaluation.

     Designated Counties for Louisiana Hurricane Katrina

    Disaster Summary For FEMA-1603-DR, Louisiana

    Declaration Date: August 29 2005

    Incident Type: Hurricane Katrina

    Incident Period: August 29, 2005, and Continuing

     

    Individual Assistance
    (Assistance to individuals and households):

    The parishes of Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Pointe Coupee, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana.

     

    Public Assistance
    (Assistance to State and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities):

    The parishes of Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Pointe Coupee, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance. For a period of up to 72 hours, assistance for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent of the total eligible costs. The period of up to 72 hours at 100 percent excludes debris removal.

    The parishes of Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, Desoto, East Carroll, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, and Winn for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent of the total eligible costs.

    Consistent with the requirement that Federal assistance be supplemental, any Federal funds provided under the Stafford Act for Public Assistance will be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible costs.

     

    Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
    (Assistance to State and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long term risk to life and property from natural hazards):

    St. Mary, St. Tammany and Ouachita Parishes in the State of Louisiana are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

     

    Other:

    Additional designations may be made at a later date after further evaluation.

    Designated Counties for Alabama Hurricane Katrina

    Disaster Summary For FEMA-1605-DR, Alabama

    Declaration Date: August 29 2005

    Incident Type: Hurricane Katrina

    Incident Period: August 29, 2005, and Continuing

     

    Individual Assistance
    (Assistance to individuals and households):

    Baldwin, Mobile, and Washington Counties.

     

    Public Assistance
    (Assistance to State and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities):

    Baldwin, Clarke, Choctaw, Mobile, Sumter, and Washington Counties for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance. For a period of up to 72 hours, assistance for emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent of the total eligible costs. The period of up to 72 hours at 100 percent excludes debris removal.

     

    Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
    (Assistance to State and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long term risk to life and property from natural hazards):

    All counties in the State of Alabama are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

    Other:

    Additional designations may be made at a later date after further evaluation.

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