Seven Agencies Provide Family-By-Family Problem Solving In Texas For Katrina Evacuees 

Release Date: April 13, 2006
Release Number: 1606-189

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AUSTIN, Texas -- Seven nonprofit agencies with expertise in long-term disaster recovery are on the ground in Texas to help the most vulnerable survivors and evacuees recover from the impact of Hurricane Katrina. Working in Texas, under the umbrella "Katrina Aid Today," are:

Funding source for the work is part of a $66 million grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), using aid donated by foreign governments.

UMCOR, in turn, contracted with a number of national nonprofits to carry out the work under the umbrella name Katrina Aid Today. UMCOR is a 65-year-old disaster response and development agency of the United Methodist Church.

All the agencies are providing case management services - a constellation of family-by-family problem-solving methods that result in the restoration of self-sufficiency and long-term recovery. Activities include creating recovery plans, identifying unmet needs, and facilitating access to necessary resources.

Beneficiaries may be elderly, disabled, single head of family households, pre-disaster impoverished, newly impoverished, and persons with health issues. Katrina Aid Today provides funding for case management services only; there is no funding from the program for goods or services.

Caseworkers both coordinate with Long Term Recovery Committees that are being formed in Texas and advocate for survivors in long-term and unmet needs discussion. The program operates in 30 other states using standardized forms and a single point of entry for information provided by the Coordinated Assistance Network (CAN). This secure, web-based database benefits clients because it affords access to services without having to fill out more than a single form, and also helps to prevent agencies from duplicating effort.

The unmet needs and long-term recovery organizations assist survivors to address those serious needs which cannot or have not been met by other disaster organizations. The goal is to strengthen disaster coordination in Texas and other states where Katrina Aid Today is working by sharing information, simplifying client access, and jointly resolving cases with unmet needs.

Coordination by agencies extends to volunteer labor for rebuilding, donated building materials, applications for grant funding and referrals of the survivor to other resources that they may be eligible for, such as employment opportunities, medical assistance and housing assistance.

Information related to these agencies and their activities as well as points of contact are regularly featured on the website, www.KatrinaAidToday.org Agencies seeking to collaborate or coordinate on Katrina-related activities should refer to this page for points of contact in your local area. Katrina evacuees can access local recovery assistance about voluntary agencies by calling 211, the Texas Information and Referral Network.

Based on the international donor nation source of the funding and its special intentions the Katrina Aid Today program is for Katrina survivors only and cannot be accessed for other disasters.  Many of the organizations in the Katrina Aid Today program have in the past and will continue to work with other disaster survivors outside of the parameters of this grant.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 16-May-2006 12:44:49