State And Federal Recovery Officials Provide Numerous Resources For Victims Of Hurricane Katrina
Release Date: October 5, 2005
Release Number: 1604-050
» More Information on Mississippi Hurricane Katrina
JACKSON, Miss. -- A wide variety of state and federal agencies and community services are in place, operational and functioning to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina, according to disaster recovery officials with the state and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“The state of Mississippi and FEMA are continuing to coordinate agencies and establish partnerships to identify, and in some cases, initiate programs that can provide help to Mississippians recovering from losses during Hurricane Katrina’s devastating landfall,” said Federal Coordinating Officer William Carwile.
While the first step to disaster recovery is to register for assistance through FEMA, Mississippians are encouraged to seek help to address additional needs through one or more of the following resources:
Toll-free Numbers
- FEMA
To Register
1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
1-800-462-7585 (TTY)
www.fema.gov
- FEMA Fraud Hotline
1-800-323-8603
- Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Hotline - To give or get help
1-866-230-8903 - American Red Cross
Response Center
1-866-GET-INFO (438-4636)
1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) - American Red Cross
Financial Assistance
1-800-975-7585 - American Red Cross
Find Loved Ones
1-877-LOVED-1S (568-3317) - Better Business Bureau
1-800-824-5274 - Blue Roof Information
US Army Corps of Engineers
1-888-ROOFBLU (766-3258) - Consumer Protection Services
1-800-281-4418 - Crisis Counseling Helpline
1-877-210-8513 - Dept. of Environmental Quality (Miss.)
1-888-786-0661 - Dept. of Health Information Hotline (Miss.)
1-866-458-4948
1-800-634-9258 (Immunizations) - Disaster Legal Services (Miss.)
1-866-255-4495 - Disaster Unemployment Assistance
1-888-844-3577
1-800-818-7811 (for Evacuees from Louisiana) - Mississippi Department of Employment
1-888-844-3577 - Donation Referral Line
1-866-230-8903 - Housing Discrimination Hotline
1-800-669-9777 - Human Services Economic Assistance
1-800-948-3050 - IRS Tax Assistance
1-800-829-1040
1-800-829-4059 (TTY) - Mississippi Insurance Commissioner
1-800-562-2957 - Mississippi Board of Animal Health
Pet Rescue 1-888-722-3106
www.petfinder.com/disaster
- National Flood Insurance Program
1-800-638-6620 claims
1-800-427-4661 customer service - Project Recovery Mental Health Assistance Helpline
1-866-856-3227 - Social Security
1-800-772-1213 or
1-800-325-0778 (TTY) - Small Business Administration
For loan information
1-800-659-2955 - State Board of Contractors
1-800-880-6161 or
601-354-6161 - Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)
1-800-961-5294 or 202-305-2346 - US Postal Service
To Change Address
1-800-275-8777 - Veterans Affairs
1-800-827-1000
1-800-829-4833 (TTY) - Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
1-800-545-674
Local Agencies/Services: - American Red Cross
601-353-5444 - Catholic Charities
601-355-8634 - Children’s Defense Fund (Southern Region)
601-321-1966 - Gateway Rescue Mission
601-353-5864 - Good Samaritan Center
601-355-6276 - Henry S. Jacobs Camp
601-885-6042 - Mission Mississippi
601-353-6477 - MS Commission for Volunteer Services
601-432-6779 - MS Development Authority
601-359-6677 - MS Disaster Housing Referrals
www.msdisasterhousing.org - MS Disaster-related Information
www.msema.org and
www.mississippirecovery.com
- MS Traffic/Highway Info.
1-601-359-7017 - MS VOAD/ARC
Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters / ARC
601-506-0699 - Salvation Army
601-969-7560 - United Way-Capital Area 601-352-4357
- UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief)
662-541-5900
UMCOR MS Conference (United Methodist Committee on Relief Conference)
601-502-4584 or
601-354-0515
Web site sources of information regarding government-related assistance and activities:
- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security web site at www.dhs.gov has an Emergencies & Disasters section www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/theme_home2.jsp that links to many U.S. Government Departments and agencies that have programs for organizations and/or individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina. A particularly useful listing of information is provided in the Declared Disasters & Assistance section under Hurricane Katrina: What Government is Doing at www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/katrina.htm
- Government Waivers and Dispensations Authorized for Hurricane Katrina Response are at that site and www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/editorial/editorial_0718.xml
- The U.S. Small Business Administration has a site at www.sba.gov/disaster_recov/ where it has information regarding Disaster Notices, its Disaster Recovery Mission, Disaster Declarations, FAQs about SBA Disaster Loans, Loan Information including Home & Property Loans, Physical Disaster Loans, Economic Injury Loans, Military Reservist Loans, and Disaster Loans Approved.
- GovBenefits.gov at www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits/index.jhtml provides information about various forms of government assistance.
- The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides information including FAQs about your Tax Relief at www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,id=147085,00.html
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been reporting its response activities, results from testing flood water and air screening, and providing warnings regarding potential environmental health hazards when returning to homes or businesses. These are available at www.epa.gov/katrina/
- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Homes and Communities Web site has a Hurricane Katrina Resource Page at www.hud.gov/katrina/index.cfm
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has provided a Web site on how to get help in social and human services. The site is at www.hhs.gov/katrina/benefits.html
- The U.S. Department of Labor has provided a Web site that links to various job training initiatives, grant programs and employee benefits. The site is at www.dol.gov/opa/hurricane-recovery.htm
- The Department of Commerce has a section devoted to Hurricane Katrina at www.commerce.gov/Katrina.htm This Web page offers comprehensive information on how to volunteer, donate or receive assistance. The Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Agency also has a Web site at www.eda.gov/
- The U.S. Government's Web Portal, Firstgov.gov, has a section on Hurricane Recovery that includes information about Shelter and Housing for Survivors, Health and Safety, What the Government is Doing and FAQs. It is at firstgov.gov/Citizen/Topics/PublicSafety/Hurricane_Katrina_Recovery.shtml
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 05-Oct-2005 16:17:18