Lutherans helpafterKatrina
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ELCA and LCMS recovery workers are up to the challenge in the Gulf Coast and Florida. Most organizations are still in need of monetary donations to help rebuild communities, and spending that money in the disaster area helps to stimulate the local economy.
If you'd like to help, gifts - designated for "hurricane relief 2005"- may be sent to:
LCMS World Relief and Human Care, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-9810; Credit Card Gift Line, 1-888-930-4438, or click the "Give Now" button on this webpage.
ELCA Disaster Response, PO Box 71764 Chicago, IL 60694-1764; By phone (with a major credit card 800.638.3522 or on the web.
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Assistance in New York City
CASE MANAGEMENT
The following agencies provide case management to Hurricane Katrina evacuees living in New York State. If you are seeking a case manager to assist with recovery needs and services, please contact one of these agencies below. As they are in communication with each other, when you
contact any one agency, they are then all notified.
Agency: Lutheran Social Services
Contact: Elba Felix
Telephone: 212-265-1826
Email: EFelix@lssny.org
Capacity: Serving all of New York City
Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Agency: The Salvation Army of Greater New York - Katrina Aid Today
Contact: Diana Do Santos
Telephone: 646-210-2449
Email: diana.dosantos@use.salvationarmy.org
Website: http://katrinaaidtoday.org/
Capacity: Serving New York City, Long Island, Sullivan, Ulster,
Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, Nassau, Suffolk.
Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Agency: Society of St. Vincent De Paul - Katrina Aid Today
Contact: Ed Lynch or Joanna Samuels
Telephone: 212-722-5545 or 917-509-7962
Email: leftylynch@aol.com
Website: http://katrinaaidtoday.org/
Capacity: Serving all of New York State
Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Agency: Catholic Charities Diocese of Paterson NJ
Contact: Sister Mary Farrell (ext 15 ) or Rita Kelly (ext 33)
Telephone: 973-279-7100
Email: mfarrell@catholicharities.org or chm@catholicharities.org
Address: 24 De Grasse Street Paterson, NJ 07505
For more about Katrina case management, click here.
Access 2 Care Program
The Access to Care program is designed to help cover the cost of emotional support service to Katrina/Rita/Wilma clients. It is an American Red Cross program administered through the Link2Help Solutions organization. Clients can call 1-866-794-HOPE, or visit www.a2care.org
to enroll or obtain more information.
HOUSING
Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco's Road Home Program developed to help Louisiana residents get back into their homes as quickly and as fairly as possible. Through the Road Home, homeowners affected by Katrina or Rita may be eligible to receive up to $150,000 in compensation for their losses to get them back into their homes.
To qualify for assistance, residents must meet these eligibility requirements:
1. Owned and occupied the home as their main residence at the time of the hurricane
2. Lived in a single- or double-unit structure
3. The home sustained "major" or "severe" damage or was destroyed
4. Uninsured but should have had insurance (i.e., lived in a flood plain but did not have insurance) you can still be eligible for the program, but will sustain a 30% penalty.
* WEBSITE: www.road2LA.org
* PHONE: 1-888-762-3252 or TTY: use 7-1-1 relay or 800-846-5277
(TTY) / 800-947-5277
* EMAIL: inquiry@road2LA.org
* MAIL:: The Road Home Program * PO Box 4549 * Baton Rouge, LA 70821
There are many reasonable housing listings here: Disaster Housing Resources Online – www.DHROnline.org
The Mayor's Office has information on a dozen city agencies assisting with housing issues, including advice on buying and renting in New York. Go to www.nyc.gov/housing for more.
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How to Volunteer
Groups should watch www.elca.org/disaster or http://www.ldr.org/volunteers.html for volunteer opportunities, or send their contact information to ddr@elca.org with "volunteer" in the subject line. You may also call the volunteer hotline at 800/638-3522 x2298.
Temporary Housing for Disaster Victims
Thousands of families are in immediate need of housing because of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Homes For Katrina is helping to facilitate the connection between those displaced by Hurricane Katrina in need of safe temporary housing and those
offering housing in a way that ensures the safety and privacy of both parties and the involvement of a reputable relief organization. For more information or to list your home, check out the website at www.homesforkatrina.org.
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More Information about Recovery Efforts
The Federal Department of Education has established two programs in response to the Gulf Coast disasters. Tips for Helping Students Recovering From Traumatic Events is a new brochure that offers advice to parents, teachers, principals, coaches and others for dealing with students' disaster-related trauma. For a copy, click above or call (877) 4ED-PUBS, while supplies last.
For information about mental health roundtables and other Department hurricane relief efforts, visit
hurricanehelpforschools.gov, which by late October had enabled nearly 500 schools to receive assistance from companies, organizations and private individuals.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides information on Hurricane Katrina, including evacuees and disaster victims, emergency personnel, volunteers, and federal resources. Grants and low-interest loans are available on a case-by-case basis. Individuals who already have registered with the Red Cross also should register with FEMA. The toll-free registration number is 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585. To see the most recent FEMA state-by-state data on hotel rooms participating in the FEMA hotel/motel direct bill program, go to www.fema.gov/katrina.
Always ask to see the ID of anyone claiming to be a post-disaster official. Insurance adjusters should be able to provide some form of proof, as should FEMA and SBA staff-- even over the phone. Protect yourself from fraud!
Hurricane Katrina, Rita, and Wilma victims and evacuees may be eligible for a special tax credit. Be sure to ask your accountant, check www.irs.gov or call 866-562-5227 about Publication 4492, which describes the EITC and ACTC rules.
NYCOSH has just published "How to Use a Respirator: A Factsheet for Katrina and Rita Cleanup Workers." Another factsheet on mold was published last month for Gulf Coast cleanup workers. You can download them here.
Read more about what ELCA and LDR are doing across the country
List of Louisiana Lutheran churches affected that need your prayers
More ways to take action
Visit the Top News Index for stories about New York and Gulf Coast churches!
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