NYC HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF UPDATES (AS OF OCTOBER 13, 2005)

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1 HUMAN SERVICES COUNCIL OF NEW YORK CITY, INC. 130 East 59 th Street, New York, NY Phone: (212) Fax: (212) NYC HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF UPDATES (AS OF OCTOBER 13, 2005) NYC Katrina Response and Recovery Efforts Over the last month there has been a steady influx of persons coming from the Gulf region to New York State. FEMA estimates that there are over 5,200 FEMA-registered evacuees in the State, with approximately 2,400 residing in the City. The NYC Office of Emergency Management s Welcome Center has seen more than 1,370 households and over 1,200 made appointments to visit the Disaster Assistance Center (DASC). We have heard from many of you wanting to know more about how you (or your organizations) can help those evacuees who have relocated the City. At the end of this Update is more information about volunteer opportunities to provide urgently needed assistance. In addition, any organization which provides services to Katrina evacuees should be sure to get listed in the Resource Database of the Coordinated Assistance Network. This is the best way to assure that Katrina evacuees know about the services available. If you are getting this Update via , more information may be attached. Otherwise, contact Christy Gibney at cgibneycarey@safehorizon.org for information and forms. Helping Victims of Hurricane Katrina: Your Guide to Giving Wisely (From the Federal Trade Commission, September 2005) In the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, Americans are opening their hearts and wallets to help the affected communities in the Gulf Coast. The federal government is advising that the best way to provide immediate assistance is to donate money directly to established national relief organizations with the experience and means to deliver aid. If you re thinking about the best ways to provide help to those affected by the Hurricane, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation s consumer protection agency, has these tips to help you give wisely: Donate to recognized charities you have given to before. Watch out for charities that have sprung up overnight. They may be well-meaning, but lack the infrastructure to provide assistance. And be wary of charities with names that sound like familiar, or nationally known organizations. Some phony charities use names that sound or look like those of respected, legitimate organizations. Give directly to the charity, not the solicitors for the charity. That s because solicitors take a portion of the proceeds to cover their costs, which leaves less for victim assistance. 1

2 Do not give out personal or financial information including your Social Security number or credit card and bank account numbers to anyone who solicits a contribution from you. Scam artists use this information to commit fraud against you. Check out any charities before you donate. Contact the Better Business Bureau s Wise Giving Alliance at Don t give or send cash. For security and tax record purposes, contribute by check or credit card. Write the official name of the charity on your check. You can contribute safely online through national charities like Ask for identification if you re approached in person. Many states require paid fund-raisers to identify themselves as such and to name the charity for which they re soliciting. Charity Checklist Consider the following precautions to ensure that your donation dollars benefit the people and organizations you want to help. They're good practices whether you're contacted by an organization's employees, volunteers or professional fund-raisers, soliciting donations by phone, mail or in person. Ask for written information about the charity, including name, address and telephone number. A legitimate charity or fund-raiser will give you information about the charity's mission, how your donation will be used and proof that your contribution is tax deductible. Check out the charity's financial information. For many organizations, this information can be found online at or at GuideStar, 427 Scotland Street, Williamsburg, VA 23185; Ask for identification. The Telemarketing Sales Rule requires for-profit fund-raisers to disclose the name of the charity requesting the donation. Many states require paid fundraisers to identify themselves as such and to name the charity for which they're soliciting. If the solicitor refuses to tell you, hang up and report it to law enforcement officials. Call the charity. Find out if the organization is aware of the solicitation and has authorized the use of its name. If not, you may be dealing with a scam artist. Check with local recipients. If giving to local organizations is important to you, make sure they will benefit from your generosity. If a charity tells you that your dollars will support a local organization, such as a fire department, police department or hospital, call the organization to verify the claim. Watch out for similar sounding names. Some phony charities use names that closely resemble those of respected, legitimate organizations. If you notice a small difference from the name of the charity you intend to deal with, call the organization you know to check it out. Know the difference between "tax exempt" and "tax deductible." Tax exempt means the organization doesn't have to pay taxes. Tax deductible means you can deduct your contribution on your federal income tax return. Even if an organization is tax exempt, your contribution may not be tax deductible. If a tax deduction is important to you, ask for a receipt showing the amount of your contribution and stating that it is tax deductible. (Beware of organizations that use meaningless terms to suggest they are tax exempt charities. For example, the fact that an organization has a "tax I.D. number" doesn't mean it is a 2

3 charity; every nonprofit and for-profit organization must have a tax I.D. number. And an invoice that tells you to "keep this receipt for your records" doesn't mean that your donation is tax deductible or that the organization is tax exempt.) Be skeptical if someone thanks you for a pledge you don't remember making. If you have any doubts about whether you've made a pledge or previously contributed, check your records. Be on the alert for invoices claiming you've made a pledge. Some unscrupulous solicitors use this approach to get your money. Ask how your donation will be distributed. How much will go to the program you want to support (as opposed to other programs of the nonprofit), and how much will cover the charity's administrative and telemarketing costs? Refuse high pressure appeals. Legitimate fund-raisers won't push you to give on the spot. Be wary of charities offering to send a courier or overnight delivery service to collect your donation immediately. Consider the costs. When buying merchandise or tickets for special events, or when receiving "free" goods in exchange for giving, remember that these items cost money and generally are paid for out of your contribution. Although this can be an effective fund-raising tool, less money may be available for the charity. Be wary of guaranteed sweepstakes winnings in exchange for a contribution. According to law, you never have to donate anything to be eligible to win. Avoid cash gifts. Cash can be lost or stolen. For security and tax record purposes, it's best to pay by check. Charity Check-Up Many charities use your donations wisely. Others may spend much of your contribution on administrative expenses or more fund-raising efforts. Some may misrepresent their fund-raising intentions or solicit for phony causes. Before you open your checkbook, check out the charity you're considering with these organizations: BBB Wise Giving Alliance 4200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 800 Arlington, VA (703) American Institute of Philanthropy 3450 Lake Shore Dr., Suite 2802 E Chicago, IL (773) GuideStar 427 Scotland Street Williamsburg, VA (757)

4 Your Local Charity Registration Office Most states require charities to be registered or licensed by the state. Check with your state Attorney General's office or Secretary of State. You can find a list of state charity regulators at the National Association of State Charity Officials Web site Many smaller, newer or local charities may not be rated by the organizations listed here. Some fraternal organizations, such as police and fire groups may not be rated at all. If the charity seeking your donation is not listed or rated, follow the precautions listed under Charity Checklist to help you determine whether an organization deserves your donation dollars. Where to Complain If you believe an organization may not be operating for charitable purposes, is making misleading solicitations or is ignoring requests to be placed on a "do not call" list, contact your state Attorney General, your local consumer protection office or the Federal Trade Commission. (The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit or call toll-free, FTC-HELP ( ); TTY: The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.) DONATIONS NYDIS opens Katrina Evacuee Clothing Mart NYDIS accepted an invitation by the NYC Office of Emergency Management and the Mayor's NYC Clothing Bank to support the distribution of new clothing to New York City's Katrina evacuees. With volunteers from various faith communities and clothing from the Mayor's Volunteer Center, NYC Clothing Bank, the Salvation Army, the Attorney General's Office, World Vision, and several manufactures who donated directly, a self-shop clothing mart opened at the Riverside Church on Thursday, September 22 nd, and served over 300 evacuee families in seven days. The Clothing Mart is now at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church at Church and Barclay Streets. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 10 am-6 pm. Evacuees must have registered with the American Red Cross or at the DASC, and have a referral form to use at the Clothing Mart. The Katrina Evacuee Clothing Mart will remain open as long as the DASC at 80 Centre St. (map) is operational. Each family is permitted to take 7 outfits (including an interview suit) per person. Families are also given one $4 MetroCard per family member. To support NYDIS s relief work, please contact: Gili Chupak at (212) or KatrinaRelief@nydis.org. 4

5 For more information on other organizations accepting donations, go to: New York City Office of Emergency Management at National Organizations Active in Disaster at REMINDERS Disaster Assistance Service Center The Welcome Center and Disaster Assistance Services Center (DASC) is now located at 80 Centre Street (at the corner of Centre and Worth Streets). Evacuees who require assistance should first report to the Welcome Center to schedule an appointment at the disaster assistance center. Disaster assistance services include: Disaster Medicaid Disaster Food Stamps Public Assistance Referrals Child Welfare Counseling Education Funeral Expenses Missing Persons Immigrant Services Housing Vouchers: Food, Metrocard, Clothing, Furniture, Phone Support for seniors DASC hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 80 Centre St. is accessible by the 4, 5, and 6 subway lines to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall or the J, M, and Z lines to Chambers St. Call 311 for additional information. HOW CAN YOU HELP? Become a DASC Volunteers Volunteers are needed to provide assistance to evacuees as they navigate the system. Positions may include intake specialists, exit interviewers, greeters, runners, technical support, and community buddies. New York Cares is the lead agency for coordinating volunteer activities at both the Welcome Center and DASC. Anyone interested in becoming a DASC volunteer should contact New York Cares at (212) or visit the website at Please note that training will be provided to all volunteers. Register for the Red Cross Volunteer Training Program Are you interested in volunteering to help those affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita? The American Red Cross of Greater NY is recruiting, training and deploying 2,500 disaster responders to 5

6 Golf Coast States to help survivors of the hurricanes in the next few months. Information about the Chapter s New Volunteer Training Program, including dates, times and locations, is available now at Registration can be made online or by calling (877) REDCROSS, ext Register to Volunteer Through United Way of New York City United Way of New York City and The Mayor's Volunteer Center have partnered to create which provides an easy way for New Yorkers who want to help to search available volunteer opportunities. Any organization can easily register its volunteer needs on this site. United Way of America's website, also offers information on volunteer opportunities in the Gulf Coast Region. Thank you to all who have provided offers of assistance and guidance on how to approach the provision of services in NYC. Please continue to keep us informed of your thoughts, efforts, and suggestions. If you are working through your national networks to support the operation, let us know what you are doing, and what opportunities there may be for the human services sector to assist. For more information on HSC s NYC Katrina Relief efforts, please contact Ruthlyn Noel at noelr@ujafedny.org. 6