TABLE OF CONTENTS
Descriptive Summary
Historical Note
Scope and Contents
Arrangement
Restrictions
Index Terms
Administrative Information
Description of Series
Series 1 – Government Assistance to Katrina Survivors
Series 2 - Private Agency and Corporate Relief to Hurricane Katrina Survivors
Series 3 – Aftermath; Impact of Survivors and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
Series 4 -- Hurricane Rita
Series 5 - Newspapers; 29 August 2005 – 20 September 2005
|
The Katrina Relief Effort in Houston:
Assistance Offered to Huricane Katrina Survivors by Public and Private Agencies
| | |
|
|
| Creator | Katrina Relief Contributors |
| Title | Katrina Relief Effort in Houston |
| Inclusive Date | 2005-2007 |
| Bulk Date | 2005 |
| Identification | MSS 1441 |
| Extent | 1.4 linear feet: 1 record storage box, 1 document storage box |
| Language | Materials are in English. |
| Repository | Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public
Library |
On 29 August 2005, the most destructive hurricane in U.S. history, with respect to personnel dislocation and property damage, struck the Gulf Coast States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. While the Galveston storm of 1900 was far deadlier, this storm caused disruption, physical destruction, and national dissatisfaction with all levels of government on a far greater scale. The estimated loss of life is 1,836 with property damage in excess of $81 billion. Much of the devastation resulted when the levee system in New Orleans failed. A large portion of the city was flooded by up to nine feet of water filled with sewage, chemical products from flooded plants and refineries, and occasional drowning victims. This lake of refuse remained for days, leaving homes and businesses beyond repair, requiring many blocks of the city to be torn down and removed. This task continues as of this writing and will do so indefinitely. Over 120,000 people lost their homes within hours. Relief efforts by the local, state and national governments were at first frustratingly unresponsive, then late, uncoordinated, and finally inadequate. Horror stories of violence and crime, later determined as exaggerated, emitted from the Superdome and symbolized the chaos. People were driven to escape from New Orleans by whatever means possible, including an unlicensed youth who stole a school bus, drove several people to Houston, and became a short-lived national hero.
It was in the actions of Houston and Houstonians that the nation found a significant measure of redemption. An ad hoc committee of businessmen, religious leaders, social agency directors and others headed by Mayor Bill White and Harris County Judge Robert Eckels worked tirelessly for weeks to coordinate a massive relief effort staffed by hundreds of volunteers from all walks of life. Harris County Domed Stadium, the Astrodome, on the south side of Houston’s downtown, became a massive dormitory without walls for the survivors as thousands of cots were set up on the main floor. Later, the George R. Brown Convention Center was put into service. As the 150,000 hurricane survivors arrived, security personnel checked identifications, weeding out those who might be a threat. Medical personnel diagnosed health problems, treated injuries, and administered vaccinations. Clothing contributed by area residents was distributed. People were fed. For the first time in days, survivors had access to sanitation facilities, clothing, food, medical attention, security from human predators, and even a small library, courtesy of the Houston Public Library. Efforts were made to reunite families and loved ones who had been scattered over thirty states from Arizona to Massachusetts without knowing who had survived much less where they were. There was little privacy and people had lost control of their lives but only gratitude was expressed.
By the middle of September, the convention and sports venues were vacant as survivors were moved into hotels, apartments and vacant homes, usually paid for by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Relocation was expedited as another major hurricane, Rita, bore down on Texas and southwest Louisiana, making landfall on September 24, 2005, causing considerable property damage in east Texas and western Louisiana. The overall disruption caused by the two powerful storms will require extensive recovery efforts.
As of the processing of this collection, survivors continue to need assistance as many are without employment and thus cannot afford rent or other basics of life. FEMA continues to struggle with the housing situation and its own internal difficulties. The welcome mat in Houston has been worn thin by the demands of people upon social systems that were inadequate to meet the needs of Houston before Katrina. The answers remain over the horizon.
Return to the Table of Contents
This collection is a series of records from various social agencies, the City of Houston, and other organizations that all made an effort to relieve the human and animal suffering of this disaster. It is an artificial collection in that these records were created by no one person or organization but were gathered from various groups to partially explain how Houstonians by the hundreds assisted the many thousands of survivors, all strangers to one another. The havoc wreaked by the storm, while the cause of this massive effort, is of secondary concern to this collection. Newspapers describing the storm’s impact can be found in Series 5 and extensive coverage can be found in other media.
The Collection consists primarily of copies of correspondence, emails, newspaper articles, brochures, newsletters, photographs, web sites, and other items created between August, 2005, and February, 2007. Additional material may be added.
Return to the Table of Contents
| | |
Arrangement
|
| This collection is arranged by subject and format. |
| |
| | Series 1 - Government Assistance to Katrina Survivors |
| | Series 2 - Private Agency and Corporate Relief to Katrina Survivors |
| | Series 3 - Aftermath; Impact of Survivors and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita |
| | Series 4 - Hurricane Rita |
| | Series 5 - Newspapers; 28 August 2005 - 20 September 2005 |
Return to the Table of Contents
Access Restrictions
None.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish or reproduce materials from the Katrina Relief Effort in Houston papers must be obtained from the Houston Metropolitan Research Center or the appropriate copyright holder.
Return to the Table of Contents
| | |
|
|
| |
| Subjects |
| | Animal Shelters--Texas--Houston |
| | City councils--Texas--Houston |
| | Crime |
| | Houston (Tex.). City Council |
| | Hurricane Katrina, 2005 |
| | Mayor--Texas--Houston |
| | Public Schools--Houston--Texas |
| Subjects (Organizations) |
| | American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |
| | Citizens for Animal Protection Society |
| | Continental Airlines |
| | Covenant House (Houston, Tex.) |
| | Houston (Tex.). City Council |
| | Houston Texans (Football team) |
| | Interfaith Ministries (Houston, Tex.) |
| | Muslim American Society (Houston, Tex.) |
| | Salvation Army (Houston, Tex.) |
| | Second Baptist Church (Houston, Tex.) |
| | Star of Hope (Houston, Tex.) |
| | United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency |
| Subjects (Persons) |
| | Eckels, Robert, 1957- |
| | White, Bill, 1954- |
| | Young, Ed |
Return to the Table of Contents
The Katrina Relief Effort in Houston. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston
Public Library.
Acquisitions were made by contacting individuals and organizations with requests for information. Responses varied from those organizations responding in depth without prompting, to those who needed several reminders to a few who would not respond at all. Organizations were selected by their prominence in the relief effort, as they became known, and others that would not be considered mainstream. Newspapers were a ready source of information about ongoing events.
Processed by: Ron Drees, January, 2007.
Return to the Table of Contents
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Series 1 – Government Assistance to Katrina Survivors
|
| Folders 1 – 15 are concerned with the assistance provided by various government agencies at all levels, city, county, school districts, state and federal. The contents are primarily concerned with the City of Houston and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The primary concern of the latter organization in Houston was arranging and financing first hotel rooms and then apartment and rental home housing for the survivors. Other government agencies include Harris County who contributed to the relief effort by opening the Astrodome as a shelter. School districts enrolled thousands of new students, and the State of Texas prompted the Federal government for reimbursement. |
| Box | Folder |
| 1 | 1 | | Office of the Mayor; Correspondence; September, 2005 - October, 2005 |
| 2 | | Office of the Mayor; Correspondence; November, 2005 - January, 2006 |
| 3 | | Office of the Mayor; Press Releases;September, 2005 - November, 2005 |
| 4 | | Mayor, County Judge Honored; 2006 |
| 5 | | Schools; Discipline, Financing, Students; September, 2005 - March, 2005
|
| 6 | | Harris County; Building Codes; October, 2005 |
| 7 | | Harris County Citizen Corps; Web Page Printouts; 20 Sep 2005 |
| 8 | | Harris County Judge Robert Eckels; Interview;2005 |
| 9 | | Harris County Protective Services for Children and Adults; Families, Reunited;2005 |
| 10 | | Houston Public Library, Library Service to Katrina Survivors; September, 2005 - November, 2005
|
| 11 | | Tax Relief, Increased Collections; Suspension of Occupancy Tax, 2005 |
| 12 | | Texas Decision Making, Editorial; 2005 |
| 13 | | Federal Emergency Management Agency; Criticism, Funding, Housing, September, 2005 - January, 2007 |
| 14 | | Response, Emergency, Federal; Criticism;2006 |
| 15 | | Hurricane Katrina Relief, Reimbursement; Texas’ Needs; Federal Spending, 2005-2006 |
Return to the Table of Contents
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Series 2 - Private Agency and Corporate Relief to Hurricane Katrina Survivors
|
| Many social and religious agencies assisted with collecting food, clothing and money and providing housing. Their efforts frequently supported the shelter efforts of the George R. Brown Convention Center and the Astrodome. Fundraising was conducted by numerous social agencies and organizations as diverse as Houston’s National Football League team, the Texans. |
| Box | Folder |
| 1 | 16 | | Adventist Community Services; Donation Process, Items and Locations; 20052005 |
| 17 | | American Red Cross; Greater Houston Area Chapter; Newsletter; 2005 |
| 18 | | Assistance to Animals, General;2005 |
| 19 | | Catholic Charities; Assistance, Donations; 2005 |
| 20 | | Citizens for Animal Protection, Web Site Printout, 2005 |
| 21 | | Continental Airlines; Evacuation, Resettlement, PetSafe Evacuation;2005 |
| 22 | | Covenant House; Assistance to Youths; 2005 |
| 23 | | Donations Needed; Survivors; 2005 |
| 24 | | First Baptist Church, Worship Services; 2005 |
| 25 | | Fundraising; Houston Katrina/Rita Fund, Texas Care, Fundraisers;2005 |
| 26 | | Good Fellows; Christmas Needs; 2005, 2006 |
| 27 | | Hurricane Katrina Relief Projects; Web Site; Volunteer and Donation Requests; 2005 |
| 28 | | Houston Relief Agencies, General; 2005 |
| 29 | | Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Web Site, Reunions; 2005 |
| 30 | | Individual Aid Efforts; “Drop Yer Drawers,”2005 |
| 31 | | Interfaith Ministries; Neighbors2Neighbors; Emails, Presentation;2005 - 2006 |
| 32 | | Jewish Congregations; Assistance to Survivors, Holy Services;2005 |
| 33 | | Joint Hurricane Housing Task Force; Web Site Home Page; 2005 |
| 34 | | Muslim Hurricane Relief Task Force; Articles, Press Releases; 2005 - 2006 |
| 35 | | Neighborhood Centers, Inc.; Furniture for Survivors;2005 |
| 36 | | Presbyterian Children’s Homes & Services; Newsletter;2005 |
| 37 | | Salvation Army; Artifact, Apron;2005 |
| 38 | | Salvation Army; Commentaries;2005 |
| 39 | | Salvation Army; Emails and Talking Points;2005 |
| 40 | | Salvation Army; Local News Releases, Newspaper Articles; 2005 |
| 41 | | Salvation Army; Statistics and Reports; 2005 |
| 42 | | Salvation Army; Territorial Statistics; 2005 |
| 43 | | Second Baptist Church; Magazine, Volunteer Training; 2005 |
| 44 | | Star of Hope; Katrina Impact Upon Seasonal Donations, Press Release;2005 |
| 45 | | Tax Reductions; 2005 |
| 46 | | United Way; Post-evacuation Assistance; 2006 |
| 47 | | Volunteers; Articles, Training;2005 |
Return to the Table of Contents
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Series 3 – Aftermath; Impact of Survivors and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
|
| The relocation of thousands of additional people into the greater Houston area, caused difficulties, such as increased crime and overcrowding in schools, and opportunities, as medical people opened their practices in Houston while New Orleans cooks and chefs brought their culinary skills to area restaurants. |
| Box | Folder |
| 1 | 48 | | Business Impact; Cancellations, Closings, Cost Increases, Opportunities, Repair Work; 2005 |
| 49 | | Crime; Survivors as Victims and Perpetrators; 2005 - 2006 |
| 50 | | Dismissal of Call-Takers; n.d. |
| 51 | | Houston’s Image After Katrina; Articles; 2005 |
| 52 | | Katrina and Rita; Retrospective in Pictures and Words; 2005 -
2006 |
| 53 | | Medical Expenses; 2005 |
| 54 | | Planning and Evacuation; 2005 |
| 55 | | Sports; Games, Teams, Fans;2005 |
| 56 | | Survivors; Changes in Public Tolerance, 2006 |
| 57 | | Survivors; Employment, Difficulties and Successes; 2005 - 2006 |
| 58 | | Survivors; Oral History Project; 2006 |
| 59 | | Survivors; Recovery, Resettlement, Restart, Return;2005 - 2006 |
| 60 | | Survivors; Return to New Orleans;2005 |
| 61 | | Survivors; Scattered Throughout the U.S.;2005 |
| 62 | | Survivors; Uninsured; Strain on System;2005 |
| 63 | | Letter, Meal of Kindness, Thanks for Houston’s Support;2006 |
Return to the Table of Contents
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Series 4 -- Hurricane Rita
|
| While Hurricane Rita did not cause the devastation of its month-earlier predecessor, Katrina, it did cause a mass evacuation of an estimated 2.5 million people from the upper Texas Gulf coast, particularly Houston. The evacuation resulted in 107 deaths because of accidents, more than were caused by the hurricane directly. Anticipation of a direct hit from Rita forced governments and relief agencies to evacuate Katrina survivors for a second time. On this occasion, Katrina survivors ended up hundreds of miles away, in different states, cultures and climates, compounding their misery. Where Rita hit, it created its own misery of heavily damaged homes, churches and other buildings along with considerable physical discomfort as utilities were unavailable for weeks. |
| Box | Folder |
| 1 | 64 | | Community Aid to Rita Victims;2005 |
| 65 | | Rita; Damage in Texas, Losses; 2005 |
| 66 | | Rita; Damage in Southwest Louisiana, 2005 |
| 67 | | Rita Evacuation; Casualties, Analysis;2005 |
| 68 | | Rita; Infrastructure Threat; 2005 |
Return to the Table of Contents
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
Series 5 - Newspapers; 29 August 2005 – 20 September 2005
|
| Several weeks of newspapers, edited to focus on Hurricane Katrina, describe the disaster, suffering, chaos and relief efforts. |
| Box | Folder |
| 2 | 1 | | Katrina Approaches, Newspaper Article; 28 August 2005 |
| 2 | | Newspapers, 29 Aug 2005 - 3 Sep 2005 |
| 3 | | Newspapers, 4 Sep 2005 - 9 Sep 2005 |
| 4 | | Newspapers, 10 Sep 2005 - 15 Sep 2005 |
| | | Newspapers, 16 Sep 2005 - 20 Sep 2005 |
Return to the Table of Contents
|