Katrina Efforts

KATRINA RECOVERY EFFORTS

Immediately following Hurricane Katrina hitting the Mississippi Gulf Coast, MS-NAACP received calls alerting us that predominately-low income and Africans American neighborhoods were not receiving aid from the Red Cross and other relief agencies. In response Action Communication and Education Reform, Inc. help organized relief teams in conjunction with the MS NAACP to travel to the coast to provide needed supplies and assistance. In addition, ACTION was one of the first to go into many communities to document and interview the impact the hurricane had on the most vulnerable citizens in the affected areas of the storm. As a result, the footage has been used to promote the NAACP advocacy campaign for those families affected and to further educate the public and foundations about continuing problems confronting the affected families.

ACTION continues to document numerous cases of racism and discriminatory practices by local housing agencies, Hotels, Red Cross, and Local FEMA representatives. There remains too many affected families who do not have sustainable resources for housing, medical/mental health care, educational needs and basic necessities (rent, light water, expenses) in addition to income taxes, caring for extended family members, a surge in uninsured patients, death and burial expenses.

FUNDERS:

Southern Partners Funds

Rockefellers Philanthropy

RESOURCES:

Federal Agency and Other Links

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

http://questions.cms.hhs.gov

Department of Health and Human Services

http://www.os.dhhs.gov/katrina/index.html

Department of Homeland Security

http://www.dhs.gov

Department of Commerce