Press Releases
Released on December 1, 2008
RECOVERY CORPS' HEF PROGRAM A RESOUNDING SUCCESS
Millions of dollars go to families affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita
BATON ROUGE, La. -The most recent iteration of the Household Establishment Funds (HEF) program by the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps proved to be an outstanding success. In a matter of days, the agency pre-screened thousands of applicants and set appointments for nearly 1,700 families and individuals to receive up to $1,500 in rent, utility, and household furnishings assistance via the Recovery Corps’ Household Establishments Funds (HEF) program.
The HEF benefits are intended to provide one-time help for families attempting to re-establish or maintain their household as part of their recovery process from hurricanes Katrina or Rita.
This disbursement of more than $3 million targeted residents living in six Acadiana parishes. To date, the HEF program has provided assistance to nearly 10,000 households and disbursed approximately $12 million statewide to those attempting to rebuild their lives in the wake of the hurricanes.
“Once again, the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps has proven itself as a leader in human recovery,” said Dr. Monteic A. Sizer, Chief of Staff of the Recovery Corps. “Through our outcome-based programs, we will continue to provide opportunities to residents of Louisiana still struggling to reclaim their lives in the wake of Katrina and Rita.”
With appointments made, case managers began meeting with HEF clients today to begin disbursement of the benefits.
“The only regret,” admitted Sizer, “is that we could not do more. Based on the overwhelming response to this initiative, it confirmed what we already knew – that there are many thousands of people just in the six parish area that we were able to serve who are still struggling to recover. The need statewide is only magnified.
“As we move forward, the Recovery Corps will continue to provide much needed programs and funds to people who want to help themselves, but it is clear that many more resources are needed and many more people and organizations will have to get involved to help bolster the state and aid in the recovery process.”
The funds used for the HEF program were part of an allocation to the Recovery Corps by the legislature and Governor Bobby Jindal.
ABOUT THE LOUISIANA FAMILY RECOVERY CORPS
The Louisiana Family Recovery Corps (www.recoverycorps.org) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation based in Baton Rouge, La., and formed in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The Recovery Corps’ mission is to facilitate human recovery for the State of Louisiana in the aftermath of disaster, both natural and man-made. The Recovery Corps has partnered with human service and non-profit organizations throughout the state and the country to deliver assistance as effectively and efficiently as possible, allocating more than $55 million to recovery efforts and assisting more than 30,000 families and individuals since January 2006.
