Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina came ashore in Florida on August 27, 2005 and then moved eastward into the Gulf of Mexico. Two days later, on August 29, Katrina slammed into the coastal areas of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi as a Category Four hurricane. With winds over 130 mph and a major ocean storm surge, Katrina caused extensive damage. Most critical was the failure of levees at New Orleans - a city which is reportedly over 10 feet below sea level.

When the levees broke, much of the New Orleans and its suburbs were covered in water that was, in some areas, as much as 20' deep. Local emergency crews and law enforcement were hand-cuffed due to either loss of vehicles and equipment, or the impassible streets on which they would normally travel.

While thousands were moved to the Superdome in New Orleans, many others were either not able to comply with evacuation orders, or neglected to heed them. As a result, thousands of people lost their life, or became stranded on highway overpasses, roof-tops, or multiple-story buildings until rescuers could locate and retrieve them.

There are many national charitable organizations such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army that are accepting monetary donations and durable goods. Also, local churches, clubs and organizations are accepting monetary contributions, or collecting food, blankets, clothing and other household goods. Check with your local newspaper, church or organization to find out who in your community is working on a relief effort.

The following links, phone numbers and organizations are provided so that citizens can help with the recovery and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Links

Agriculture | Contributing to Charities | Family & Youth | General

Agriculture

Links for farmers in Michigan and other midwestern states who may be dealing with harvest and grain storage issues

Contributing to Charities

Information to help donors make informed decisions to help Katrina victims

  • State of Michigan Hurricane Hotline:
    1-888-535-6136 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm EST) -

    This toll-free hotline will accept your time, talent, skills, or durable goods. It is also taking names of those would be willing to serve as a host family for Katrina evacuees. You can also volunteer to staff the hotline (located in Lansing) by calling 517-335-8150. There is no guarantee that you will be contacted. The hotline is hosted by the Michigan Department of Community Health.
  • Humane Society of the United States - To help displaced, injured, or homeless pets and other animals contact the Humane Society of the United States through their web site or call 1-888-259-5431. Also the American Veterinary Medical Foundation is participating in this effort. Their website is http://www.avmf.org/ or call 1-800-248-2862, ext. 6689.
  • American Red Cross - The ARC accepts monetary donations for the disaster relief fund and seeks volunteers. Individuals should contact their local chapter to contribute or ask questions. The Red Cross website has a clear link to Katrina efforts, how to volunteer, directory of local ARC chapters, making on-line donations, etc.
  • The Salvation Army - The Salvation Army accepts both durable goods and monetary donations. Durable goods should be dropped off at local centers. Monetary donations can be made on line, by phone, or at Sam's Club or Wal-Mart stores. The website allows for on-line donations. The toll-free number for monetary donations is 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
  • Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund - Information about the fund, how to volunteer and how to donate can be found here.
  • Operation: Share Your Home - A website allowing you to offer your home, sign up if in need of a home, donate and volunteer.

Family & Youth

Resources for families and children related to dealing with disaster issues and helping victims

  • Youth Service America - For youth who wish to be involved, YSA is an organization which helps youth get involved in supporting groups and organizations they care about. A section on the YSA website is devoted to Katrina relief efforts.
  • Hurricane Relief Resources for Children - Information on children as victims of Hurricane Katrina and how to talk with children about the disaster. Provided by Family & Consumer Sciences, a part of MSU Extension.
  • Katrina Relief Ideas for Youth - A list of resources provided by Youth Service America concerning Katrina relief opportunities.
  • 4-H Joins in to Aid Survivors of Hurricane Katrina - Ideas for 4-H club involvement in the Katrina relief effort.
  • Talking With Children When the Talking Gets Tough - A document from Purdue University outlining how to talk with children about tragic occurences, such as hurricane Katrina.
  • Hurricane Katrina - Stress and Coping, Disaster Resources - A large set of resources regarding youth and disasters provided by the Children, Youth and Families Education and Research Network.
  • Hurricane Relief Resources - The National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention site includes many resources for educators, family members and others in responding to the short term and long term impacts of Hurricane Katrina on children, youth, families and communities.
  • Hurricanes 2005: Resources - Connect for Kids offers timely information for parents, grandparents, guardians, advocates, educators, policymakers, elected officials and others. This link takes you to information and resources related to providing assistance including emergency guidelines for helping victims of the hurricane, information about giving and getting help, and resources for healing from disaster and trauma.
  • In the Wake of Disaster: How to Cope, Help After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita - An article from family-info.info providing tips on how families can deal with hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

General

Links to FEMA and other governmental agencies dealing with hurricane relief