Get Help
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Emergency Needs |
- Red Cross Emergency Assistance
To find a shelter, obtain emergency food, water, hygiene items or for help in finding medical treatments or obtaining medicines, contact your local Red Cross chapter. |
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Find the Red Cross chapter nearest you |
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Sheltering or Housing Assistance
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- FEMA Travel Trailers
To apply for a travel trailer or mobile home: |
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Visit FEMA.gov |
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Call 1-800-621-FEMA (800-621-3362) |
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TTY 1-800-462-7585
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- Dept. of Housing & Urban Development Assistance
- USDA Rural Development
- Other Housing Options
- See also: Insurance & Mortgages
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Food Assistance |
- Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is responsible for providing nutrition assistance for disaster-affected areas requiring a Federal response. In the aftermath of a major disaster or emergency, FNS coordinates with federal, state, local and voluntary organizations to determine potential nutrition assistance needs of disaster victims. |
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Visit FNS online to learn more |
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- Disaster Food Stamp Program
Program for assistance with purchasing food. Must also apply with state and/or local social service agency. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), an agency within the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), oversees the program which is carried out by state and/or local social service agencies to provide disaster food stamps to eligible households. |
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Visit FNS: State Disaster Food Stamp Hotlines |
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Call FNS Disaster Assistance at 1-800-221-5689 |
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- WIC Hurricane Katrina Disaster Response
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The FNS administers the WIC Program at the Federal level; state agencies are responsible for determining participant eligibility and providing benefits and services, and for authorizing vendors. To apply to be a WIC participant, you will need to contact your state or local agency to set up an appointment. |
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Visit FNS: WIC Program/Hurricane Katrina Disaster Response |
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Find Missing Loved Ones |
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Help for Pet Owners |
- Rescue Organizations in Affected Areas
- Locating Missed Pets or Fostering Homeless Animals
Petfinder.com has set up a Web site to help pet owners and their companion animals find each other again. The site also provides information for individuals interested in fostering or adopting animals left homeless by Katrina. |
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Hurricane Katrina @ Petfinder.com |
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To report stranded pets in need of rescue,
call the Humane Society
at 1-800-HUMANE-1 |
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Health, Safety & Preventative Care |
- Red Cross Post-Disaster Safety Info
- Mitigating Related Health and Safety Concern
- Dept. of Health & Human Services and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
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Work, Job or Business Assistance |
- Contact place of employment
If they have not done so, Hurricane Katrina survivors should contact their place of employment to let them know their current location and status. Many larger organizations have arranged a toll free number (listed on the corporate site) for displaced employees to call. |
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Find Your New Orleans Employer or Employee |
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- U.S. Department of Labor
Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available to unemployed individuals beginning after the date the major disaster began and for up to 26 weeks after the major disaster was declared by the President, as long as their unemployment continues to be a result of the major disaster. Before an individual can be determined eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, it must be established that the individual is not eligible for regular unemployment insurance benefits (under any state or federal law). The program is administered by states as agents of the federal government. |
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Visit the U.S. Dept. of Labor site to learn if you are eligible for Unemployment Assistance. |
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Additional unemployment assistance information as well as links to state sites for unemployment assistance and insurance help. |
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Visit the U.S. Dept. of Labor Hurricane Recovery Assistance online |
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Call 1-866-4-USA-DOL ( 1-866-487-2365) |
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Visit U.S. Dept. of Lab Employment and Training Administration online to search for information by any U.S. state |
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- FEMA: Workers & Business Assistance
- Recovery Job Connection
- Job Opportunities for Hurricane Survivors
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Financial, Legal & Tax Assistance |
- Assistance with Financial Issues
- Financial Planning Association (FPA)
Free planning services to people in need; services for qualified survivors may include educational brochures, information sheets, seminars and workshops and one-on-one consultations. |
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Visit FPAProbono.org |
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Call FPA at 1-800-282-PLAN (7526) |
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- Credit Card Companies
- Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS)
Contact savings institutions through this organization. |
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Visit the OTS online |
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Call 1-800-958-0655; available from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
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- Legal Aid for Hurricane Katrina Survivors
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
The IRS has set up a special section to provide information on tax relief and charitable issues related to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. |
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Visit IRS: Help for Hurricane Victims for additional information |
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Call the IRS at 1-866-562-5227 |
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For Instructions on obtaining copies of old tax returns and links to frequently asked tax questions: |
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Visit the FAQ section of the IRS web site
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Call the IRS at 1-800-829-3676 |
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Insurance & Mortgages |
- American Insurance Association
- Hurricane Insurance Information Centers (HIICs)
Provides a list of insurance companies and their phone numbers for fast access to your insurer for questions about coverage or access to policies. |
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Visit the Hurricane Insurance Informatino Center for a List of Insurers |
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- National Flood Insurance Program
FloodSmart.gov, an official site of the National Food Insurance Program, includes a link for Filing a claim. |
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Visit FloodSmart.gov for more information |
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Call 1-800-638-6620. Available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST; Spanish assistance is available. |
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- Mortgages & Mortgage Companies
Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and its members advise survivors to contact their mortgage company directly as soon as possible. Your mortgage banker should be able to tell you about special offers, such as extended grace periods, postponing any foreclosure action, e xtending your due date and waiving late fees, long-term solutions and assistance in contacting flood and hazard insurance companies. Mortgage bankers will re-evaluate their policies periodically; stay aware of changing terms. Most lenders have toll-free phone numbers for consumers to call.
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Visit MBA Online for more information and resources |
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For evacuees, MBA provides a list of top mortgage servicers |
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Consumer Protection Resources |
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
If you believe you are the victim of identity theft, contact the FTC. |
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Visit to Consumer.gov/idtheft |
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Call 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); the hotline is available 9am-8pm Eastern Time. |
Also, contact each of the three credit reporting agencies listed below and your credit card issuer(s): |
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Visit Equifax.com or call 1-888-766-0008 |
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Visit Experian.com or call 1-888-397-3742 |
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Visit Transunion.com or call 1-800-680-7289 |
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- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Report information or complaints of public corruption and/or government fraud - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: |
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Call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) |
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- National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
Provides information and links to additional flood insurance information. |
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Visit on to Floodsmart.gov |
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Call 1-800-638-6620 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
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Protect Yourself from Fraud |
- Survivors, Don't Become Victims, Too
- Advice Regarding Charitable Giving
- Avoid E-mail or Mail Scams
While e-mail solicitation is a tool used by the Red Cross in its fundraising efforts, the Red Cross DOES NOT send unsolicited e-mail (or "spam"). The Red Cross will only send e-mail to individuals who have previously signed up to receive e-mail updates or who have previously made a contribution online. |
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- Donate using Secure Web Sites - Avoiding Fraud
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Education, School or Student Assistance |
- School Programs or Registering Displaced Students for School
Contact the local school district to register children from impacted zones of Hurricane Katrina in your current school district.
Search the Dept. of Education web site for specific information on student loan programs. |
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Visit Dept. of Education |
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Call 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327). Available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST; Spanish assistance is available. |
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TTY 1-800-437-0833 |
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- Supplies for Schools
- Dept. of Health and Human Services
Provides search engines and additional inks to locate public schools (K-12), Head Start, colleges and universities, various state departments of education, financial aid, and foreign student information and resources. |
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Visit HHS: Katrina/Education to learn more |
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- KatrinaCollegeStudents.org
- Sloan Foundation
The Southern Regional Board of Education, in conjunction with the Sloan Foundation, has announced the creation of the Sloan Semester, which is a catalog of free electronic courses available for Katrina-displaced students. Search the website for available courses, participating colleges and universities, and to start the enrollment process. |
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Visit Sloansemester.org for more information |
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- Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
International students impacted by Hurricane Katrina will find information about the 30-day reporting requirement, temporary housing, and transferring to another SEVIS-certified school. |
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Visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement web site |
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Beginning on the Road to Recovery |
- Red Cross Disaster Recovery
- Vital Documents and Whom to Contact About Replacement
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Birth Certificate: |
Bureau of Records in the appropriate state(s) |
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Citizenship Papers: |
Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services
1-800-375-5283 |
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Credit Cards: |
Issuing companies as soon as possible |
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Death Certificate: |
Bureau of Records in the appropriate state |
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Driver's Licenses: |
Local Department of Motor Vehicles |
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Government Issued ID: |
Contact the issuing authority |
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Income Tax Record: |
Your accountant
or the IRS 1-800-829-1040 |
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Insurance Policies: |
Contact your insurance agent or company |
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Marriage Certificates: |
Bureau of Records in the appropriate state |
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Medicare Cards: |
Local Social Security office
1-800-772-1213
TTD/TTY: 1-800-325-0778 |
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Military Discharge:
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Department of Veterans Affairs, papers
1-800-827-1000 or
TDD/TTY: 1-800-829-4833 |
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Mortgage Papers: |
Your lending institution |
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Social Security: |
Local Social Security office
1-800-772-1213 or
TTD/TTY: 1-800-325-0778 |
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Stocks and Bonds: |
Issuing company or your broker |
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Titles to Deeds: |
Records Department of the area
in which the property is located |
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Wills/POAs |
Your attorney |
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Tax Records: |
Your accountant
or the IRS 1-800-829-1040 |
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Coping with Disaster & Helping Children Cope |
- Coping with Disasters
- Suicide Prevention
- Helping Children Cope with Disasters
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| PLEASE NOTE: The inclusion of organizations or agencies within this section does not constitute an endorsement from the American Red Cross. |
