Hurricane Katrina: A Guide to Resources
In the weeks following Hurricane Katrina, the J. D. Williams Library compiled a resource guide to help individuals who had been affected by the Hurricane. This resource guide is presented below and has been updated to remove resources that are now unavailable and to inlcude resources that may be of benefit at this present time.
University of Mississippi Information
Resources for Finding Loved Ones/Missing Persons
Disaster Relief Information
Disaster Relief--To make Donations
Financial information/Relief
Employment: Finding a Job
Education resources
Legal Aid
Post-Katrina Research, News and Resources
University of Mississippi Information
The Daily Mississippian
http://www.thedmonline.com
The Daily Mississippian has many articles pertaining to Hurricane Katrina in its database including student accounts of the event and aftermath and the repurcussions on the State of Mississippi
University Counseling Center
915-7705. Counseling services are available to UM students.
Resources for Finding Loved Ones/Missing Persons
The Red Cross
https://disastersafe.redcross.org/safeandWellSearch.aspx
The Red Cross' Safe and Well List allows individuals to search for missing persons and also to register themselves as "safe and well"
Disaster Relief Information
The Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/
Information on disaster relief, how to find your local Salvation Army office, and how to volunteer.
FEMA: The Federal Emergency Management Agency
http://www.fema.gov/
Includes a disaster assistance web page for individuals: http://www.fema.gov/about/process/
Disaster Relief--To make Donations
Unfortunately in the wake of disaster, there are frauds and scams that may appear to be bonafide charities. For example, the Red Cross DOES NOT solicit funds by going door to door, by phone or via email spam (but they will contact you via email if you have given the your email address in the past). Individuals should be wary of these sorts of solicitations. The agency contact information below is intended as a starting point for charitable giving. The web sites will also allow users to locate local agency offices. Individuals may also want to work with their churches, local community organizations and familiar charities at this time.
The Red Cross
http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main
The Red Cross web site offers a number of ways in which individuals and businesses can make donations to their disaster relief fund.
The Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf
Features information on how to make financial donations and how to locate your local Salvation Army office for further information on how to assist disaster victims in your area.
The Network For Good
http://www.networkforgood.org/topics/animal_environ/hurricanes/
The Network For Good lists a number of charities that offer aid to individuals affected by Katrina.
Financial Information/Relief
Small Business Administration: Hurricane Katrina Information
http://www.sba.gov/disaster_recov/index.html
Includes information on disaster recovery and application tools to apply for a disaster loan.
Mississippi State Homeowner Grant
http://www.mshomehelp.gov
The Hurricane Katrina Homeowner's Grant Program is designed to provide
financial assistance to those homeowners outside the flood plain whose
homeowner's insurance did not cover structural flood damage
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)
Hurricane Katrina/Rita Resource Page
http://www.nasfaa.org/linklists/katrina.html
Information on Financial Aid available to Students affected by Katrina
Hurricane Insurance Information Center
http://www.disasterinformation.org/about.htm
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. insurance industry has established the Hurricane Insurance Information Center (HIIC). The HIIC provides on-the-spot information on the insurance industry’s response, supplying claim filing tips and maintaining a dialogue with the public through an active consumer outreach program
Bureau of Economic Analysis Hurricane Katrina FAQ
http://www.bea.gov/katrina/index.htm
Overview of the economic effects of Hurricane Katrina will be reflected in future BEA economic data.
Employment: Finding a Job after Katrina
U.S. Dept. of Labor Natural Disaster Assistance Programs
http://www.doleta.gov/Katrina/
Information on assistance available to victims of Hurricane Katrina including unemployment insurance, disaster unemployment assistance and national emergency grants. Includes information on how to file claims in states affected by Katrina and links to news releases on how the Dept. of Labor has responded in the aftermath of Katrina.More employment information is available at: http://www.dol.gov/opa/hurricane-recovery.htm
Education: Resources Relating to Education and School-aged Children
Kids Click Hurricane Katrina Page:
http://kidsclick.org/katrina.html
Web links and web searching designed for kids and teens by librarians, this page provides links to information on areas affected by Katrina, weather and hurricanes, community information such as animal welfare and being a good neighbor, dealing with feelings, expressing yourself creatively, family issues including death and being homeless, and the economic impacts of Hurricane Katrina.
Education Rights of Displaced and Homeless Children:
http://www.copaa.org/news/hurricane.html
Summarizes basic education rights of all "homeless" children, and also reviews rights of children with disabilities. Web sites at the end of the memo offer more detailed information.
Hurricane Help For Schools:
http://www.ed.gov/news/hurricane/index.html
From the U.S. Department of Education, users can post information on what their school or organization needs or what they can donate.
Learning Disabilities Association Updates:
http://wwww.ldaamerica.org/legislative/nfw/05september.asp
Includes links to news items with information for students K-12 and post-secondary who are from areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.
ALA Adopt-A-Library Program:
http://www.ala.org/template.cfm?section=cro&template=/cfapps/katrina/request.cfm
To help the libraries in the Gulf region that were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, the American Library Association has set up an ‘Adopt a Library Program.’ The program provides an opportunity for libraries of all types in the US to provide assistance to the libraries in need. Support may come in many ways (books, computers, fundraising, volunteers, etc.). If your library is interested in adopting a library in the Gulf region please fill out the online form.
Legal aid
American Bar Association Hurricane Resources
http://www.abanet.org/katrina/
Find Information on the ABA's disaster legal services, lawyer and firm relocation, donations and Pro Bono Lawyers.
Post-Katrina Research, News and Resources
University of Southern Mississippi Katrina Research Center
http://www.usm.edu/katrina/contacts.php
The Katrina Resource Center contains a wealth of resources including galleries, special collections and digital archives.
Hurricane Wiki Page
http://katrinahelp.info/wiki/Main_Page
A good resource page offering media coverage, blogs, donators, maps and traffic links. The wiki also contains information on the recent Ike and Gustav Hurricanes.
Health and Human Services Katrina Page
http://www.hhs.gov/disasters/emergency/naturaldisasters/hurricanes/katrina/index.html
The Government Health and Human Services Department looks at the aftermath of Katrina and offers resources to assist those who have been affected.
CNN Katrina Special Report
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/katrina/
Peabody Award winning CNN report on the events leading up to Katrina, the aftermath and recovery.
Wikipedia Page on Hurricane Katrina
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina
Extensive essay on Hurricane Katrina including overall descriptions of damage by state, and descriptions of its effects on the oil industry, casino industry, and other areas of the economy. Includes numerous links to disaster recovery, live local coverage, blogs, and photo galleries. Note that Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia whose content can be submitted by anyone.