Information for Food and Housing Assistance, Disaster Cleanup, Agency Resources, Recovery, and Consumers , and for USDA Personnel In the Affected Areas

The Hurricane Contracting and Information Center provides a central point of reference for businesses, especially Minority-owned businesses and Small- and Medium-sized enterprises, to register for and become aware of federal contracting opportunities in the Gulf Coast. While the HCIC does not award contracts, their mission is to ensure that businesses understand the process and are aware when opportunities become available.

Register for Disaster Assistance by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech and hearing impaired.

Provides information on Food Stamps, the Child Nutrition Program, Emergency Feeding of School Children,Emergency Feeding in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Emergency Feeding in the Summer Food Service Program and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program

Provides information for Home Repair Loan (Section 504) Borrowers, For Homeownership or Repair Loan (Section 502) Borrowers, For Apartment Residents, For Multi-Family Property Managers and Owners, For Community Facility Property Owners, For Intermediary Relending Program Participants, For Water and Waste Disposal Program Participants, For Employees

Provides information about Emergency Loan Assistance, Emergency Conservation Program, and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program,Debt Set-Aside (DSA) Program and Marketing Assistance Loans and "On-Farm" Grain Storage.

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854); for the hearing-impaired (TTY) 1-800-256-7072.

• Available for consumers questions and concerns about food safety.

Ask Karen can answer inquiries from the public about the prevention of foodborne illness, as well as the safe handling, preparation, and storage of meat, poultry, and egg products, from an extensive database of food safety information.

Information on finding loved ones, what to do if you are a victim, how to help victims and various disaster cleanup and agency resources.

Information on how you can get help with resources and emergency office contacts; how to apply for assistance; how you can get help with donations; and aftermath safety such as food safety in a power outage, drinking water safety, power status and how to stay safe.

Information on USDA personnel in the affected areas, the National Finance Center (NFC), Employee Personal Page (EPP), Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) and Graduate School Training Class modifications.