HURRICANE IDA: CALL TO ACTION
by Amari Morrison, Danlyn Sullivan, Alex Adams
Hurricane Ida has already affected a plethora of individuals as it drives through areas such as Louisiana. The hurricane hit Louisiana on the sixteenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. As of August 30th, Hurricane Ida weakened to a tropical storm with deadly flash flooding, leaving 1 million people without power across Louisiana. Vicious hurricane winds and heavy rainfall is expected across multiple states such as Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Many of us are not in these areas so we are not affected by the outcome of what a natural disaster can truly do. What action can we take to support those who are in need of our aid?
Many state and local organizations have pitched in to provide assistance for those affected. FEMA is providing housing through the Emergency Lodging Assistance. This program provides lodging for FEMA qualifying people in designated disaster areas. To find out if you qualify for assistance visit http://ela.corplodging.com/ to enroll in the program. For individuals who may not qualify for FEMA assistance, they advise you to call 1-800-621-3362. Continue to do your research if you decide to use resources such as these.
After the long lasting effects of Hurricane Katrina, it is imperative that we continue to provide assistance to those in need following Hurricane Ida. Utilizing our computers, tablets, and smartphones the right way can keep us informed about what is going on. Major news outlets begin to focus on big stories at first and then tend to dwindle away. Focus on using smaller news outlets as they provide consistent news coverage. Even though disasters happen miles away from us, we should still try our best to get involved. We can get involved by donating through the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana. By staying in the loop even after the hurricane passes, we can be of assistance for many people whose lives have been affected. We encourage you all to check back in later as we will continue to provide updates of what is currently happening, as well as how to be a helping hand!