CaliforniaVolunteers’ Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Relief & Recovery Resource Directory
The hearts of Californians are with the victims of Hurricane Katrina and we are reaching out to support the recovery effort in every way imaginable.
– Maria Shriver, First Lady and CaliforniaVolunteers Honorary Chair
As the response phase wraps up in the Gulf Coast region, a new phase begins. The Relief and Recovery phase. The victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita need our help now and there are many ways we can offer assistance. We hope that this website will give you a number of meaningful ways that you make in a difference in the relief effort.
Donations
CASH
The fastest and most effective impact you can make on the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, is to make a cash donation. For information on disaster relief funds that have been established, or Humanitarian Organizations accepting donations, please visit the USA Freedom Corps website. Here are some other organizations who are accepting cash donations:
MATERIALS & OTHER RESOURCES
At this time, Officials managing the response ask that you please do not send materials, clothes etc... they are not utilized and create organizational and storage challenges. However, there are many grass roots donation efforts taking place through out California which are accepting material donations. For instance, there are hundreds of humanitarian organizations and faith based organizations through out California, some of which may be in your own community, who are accepting both cash and material donations toward the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief efforts. You can find contact information for many of these organizations through the following links:
Volunteer
Many individuals, as a result of the Hurricane Katrina media coverage, have reported directly to the Gulf Coast as spontaneous volunteers. Officials managing the response effort request that these well-meaning volunteers NOT report directly to the affected areas unless directed by a volunteer agency or the National Citizen Corps office. Please be patient and allow the professional first-responders and aid workers to do their job.
There are currently a number of volunteer organizations actively recruiting volunteers to assist in the relief effort. Many of these opportunities are within the Gulf coast, however there may be a number of volunteer opportunities within California. To find one of these volunteer opportunities, please visit the following websites:
For Medical Health Professionals:
We ask that you please be patient in your quest to find a opportunity. Many volunteer agencies are receiving a record number of phone calls, and are doing there best to return those calls in a timely manner.
Disaster Assistance Resources For Victims And Families
Benefits and Aid for Evacuees:
Register for aid with FEMA using the zip code where you are staying by going online here or by phone at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Multilingual operators are available. For the speech or hearing-impaired, call 1-800-462-7585 (TTY). You can also register with the local chapter of your American Red Cross. To find your local chapter visit www.redcross.org.
Job Opportunities for Evacuees:
Counseling for Evacuees:
The US Department of Health & Human Services has installed a toll-free hotline for crisis counseling and assistance. 1 (800) 273-8255.
Locate Missing Family Members:
To Find a Lost Pet:
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