Dear Friends:

On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike hit the Texas coastline, and we are still experiencing the horror of that natural disaster.  

At all levels of federal, state, and local government, we are working as fast as possible to return to normalcy.  As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I am working with a bipartisan group of Texas leaders who are making sure Texans receive relief resources as soon as possible. 

Below, I have compiled a selection of resources I hope will help storm victims and their family members.

Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones and homes to the storm.  Fort Worth and I will keep you in our prayers. 

Sincerely,

Kay Granger

Locating Family Members

 To contact the  National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System (NEFRLS) or the National Emergency Child Locator Center (NECLC), go to www.fema.gov, or call 1-800-588-9822 (24 hours a day).
  

Finding Help in Texas

 Free information on services in your area providing food, shelter, rent assistance, utility bill assistance, counseling, child care, after-school programs, senior services, disaster relief, and other programs in your area: www.211texas.org.
 

Texas Health and Human Services Commission

 Information on how to use your Lone Star Card and access your Medicaid benefits: www.hhsc.state.tx.us.

The Office of the Governor
 
 Information on Hurricane help: www.governor.state.tx.us/hurricane.

The City of Houston

 Information on Hurricane help: www.houstontx.gov.
 
 

The American Red Cross

 Those who must evacuate can register, or have someone register for them, on “Safe & Well,” at www.RedCross.org, to keep family members updated on their well-being once they have left.  

Disaster Unemployment Insurance

 Displaced workers in the 29 counties declared to be disaster areas could be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance.  Workers must file by October 15.  To file, go to www.texasworkforce.org, or call TWC from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time, at (800) 939-6631.

 The U.S. Department of Labor’s hotline, for those temporarily or permanently unemployed as a result of the storm: 1-866-4-USA-DOL (1-866-487-2365).

Emergency Food Stamp Benefits

 Texans with limited income who live in one of the 29 affected counties will be eligible for a two-month emergency Food Stamp benefit.  Proof of identity and residence is required to qualify.  Apply by visiting any of HHSC’s local benefits offices. Call 2-1-1 or visit www.hhsc.state.tx.us/medicaid/OfficeLocator.asp to find the office nearest you. If the office nearest you is still closed due to the storm, you can download an application at www.dads.state.tx.us/forms/H1010-B/H1010-B.pdf and fax it to 1-877-447-2839.

Food Safety 

 Food safety questions can be directed to “Ask Karen,” at AskKaren.gov.
 Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), available in English and Spanish from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday.
 Information on food safety during power outages, http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/SignFSIS/index.asp.

Help for Small Businesses

 The U.S. Small Business Association answers questions about disaster recovery assistance for Hurricane Ike: 1-800-659-2955, 1-800-877-8339 (hearing impaired), disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. 

Future Storms

 For advisories, tracking maps, and satellite and radar images: http://www.noaawatch.gov/ or http://www.nhc.noaa.gov.

 How to prepare for the next storm:  http://www.ready.gov.