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will update this chart as new information becomes available. Please
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To find information on any of the government offices
listed below please call 311 or access the Self-Sufficiency Calculator's
borough contact pages.
To expedite benefits and other services, it is
best that evacuees visit the Disaster
Assistance Center (listed below). If they apply anywhere
else make sure evacuees let offices know they are Katrina Evacuees
and are in need of emergency assistance.
Documentation:
For most government programs it is sufficient to "self-declare"
as an evacuee to apply for benefits. Normal rules for proving
income, resource and immigration status have also been waived
for most programs. (For Food Stamps, relaxed application and eligibility
rules ended on Oct. 31. However, self-attestations of income,
citizenship, assets, etc. will be accepted through December if
documentation is not available.) Evacuees may have to call SSA
(listed below) to apply for new social security cards, but not
having one will not slow down the application process.
| Register
with FEMA for Disaster Assistance |
1-800-621-FEMA
(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) to be placed on the Disaster
registry. Go to http://www.fema.gov/press/2005/katrinagovbenefits.shtm
for information on benefits available to Katrina evacuees. |
| NYC
Disaster Assistance Center |
To
help evacuees apply for public benefits and receive other
assistance New York has opened a Welcome Center in Lower Manhattan,
near City Hall, at 80 Center Street (Monday-Saturday, 8:30am-7pm;
Sunday, 10am-5pm.) |
| Housing |
Evacuees
looking for housing and NYC residents offering housing can
call 1-888-7-NYS-AID (888-769-7243) for the national FEMA
registry on housing (Mon.-Fri., 9am-9pm; Sat-Sun 10am-4pm.) |
| Food
Stamps*(cash assistance for food purchases) |
Prior
Recipients: Evacuees with EBT cards can
continue to use them here in NYC. If the EBT card is lost
or they want to move their Food Stamp grant to NY, they can
go to a local Food Stamp Office. Information on their cases
can be found by calling:
Alabama: 1-866-465-2285
Louisiana: 1-888-524-3578
Mississippi: status 1-800-948-4060, replacement EBT 1-866-449-9488
New Applicants:
Evacuees who applied before October 31st received
the maximum Food Stamp benefit amount for their household
size for the first month regardless of income, resources,
immigration status or other "non-financial" requirements.
They continue to be eligible for benefits under relaxed eligibility
rules through December 2005. Evacuees who apply after October
31st must meet all regular eligibility requirements. Evacuees
are considered their own household even if they are living
with NYC residents. Evacuees do not need to disclose information
about student or immigration status, even if asked. |
| Public
Assistance (Welfare: cash assistance for basic needs) |
Prior
Recipients and New Applicants:
Evacuees can go to a local "job center"
to apply for Public Assistance, Food Stamps, and Medicaid
combined. Public assistance applications for evacuees will
be processed even without full documentation of income, resources
and other eligibility requirements until this documentation
becomes available. Work requirements are waived for evacuees
receiving short-term benefits, and they will be considered
as their own household even if they are living with NYC residents.
Evacuees do not need to disclose information about student
or immigration status, even if asked. |
| Medicaid*(free
health insurance) |
Prior
Recipients: Evacuees
enrolled in Medicaid in their home state should receive service
in NY without applying for NY Medicaid.
New Applicants:
Complete documentation is not required for children
under 19, parents with children and SSI-related individuals.
However these applicants must provide ID, a Social Security
Number, and full address of their last residence before the
hurricane. Single people, childless couples, 19 and 20
year olds, and people with certain immigration status
must provide full documentation. Applicants should go to the
Medicaid office to apply (not a local community enroller). |
| Social
Security Benefits (assistance for the elderly, disabled or
widowed) |
Prior
Recipients: To change the address for payments
call 1-800-772-1213/1-800-325-0778 (TTY).
New Applicants:Survivors
of people who died during Hurricane Katrina and people injured
during the hurricane may be eligible for Social Security Benefits.
Visit a local Social Security Office or contact 1-800-772-1213/1-800-325-0778
(TTY). |
| Unemployment
Insurance(cash assistance while searching for employment) |
New
Applicants: If an evacuee worked at any time between
now and April 2004 and is now unable to work, they may qualify
for Unemployment Insurance or Disaster Unemployment Insurance.
Immigrants will have to prove they had authorization to work.
Louisiana call: 1-800-818-7811 (3:00 pm - 7:00 pm) or 1-866-783-5567
Mississippi call: 1-888-844-3577 (7:00 am - 6:30 pm) Alabama
call: 1-866-234-5382 (8:00 am - 4:30 pm)
For helping finding a job: http://www.jobsearch.org/katrinajobs |
| Education(school-aged
children PK-12) Higher Education |
Parents
with children PK through 12th Grade can call NY-TEACHS 1-800-388-2014
(toll free) or 631-232-4064.
Parents with children with special needs can call 1-518-402-3353.
Legal Services for Children will also provide aid to families
with special education needs. Call (212)683-7999.
City University of New York Hotline for Students Displaced
by Hurricane Katrina: 1-800-CUNY-YES. |
| Veteran's
Administration |
Prior
Recipients and New Applicants: can contact 1-800-827-1000
or visit any VA center for information about VA benefits or
payments. |
| WIC*(supplemental
food for low-income pregnant women and children under 5) |
Prior
Recipients and New Applicants: Evacuees can continue
receiving WIC benefits in New York by calling 1-800-522-5006
to find their local WIC office. It is sufficient to state
their income and residency to continue receiving benefits. |
| Services
for the Aging |
Senior
Citizen's Hotline (800) 342-9871
Information and Referral (212) 442-1000
Bilingual Helpline assists Spanish-speaking elderly (212)
442-3010 |
| Red
Cross |
212.875-2000
or 800.975-7585 |
*For more detailed information about these benefits and Hurricane
Katrina Evacuees please visit the Children's Defense Fund's website
at: http://www.cdfny.org/katrinarelief.htm
November 8th, 2005
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