La. Proposes Group to Aid Storm Evacuees

[Pirate Smile]

La. Proposes Group to Aid Storm Evacuees

By DOUG SIMPSON
The Associated Press
Saturday, September 24, 2005; 10:37 PM

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Gov. Kathleen Blanco on Saturday proposed creating a nonprofit group that would provide services to evacuated Louisiana residents, much as refugees are settled in the United States after fleeing political persecution overseas.

The Family Recovery Corps would rely almost entirely on nearly $2 billion in federal money, plus some donations, Blanco aides said. It was unclear who would run the nonprofit, which relief groups and government agencies would be involved, and how contracts would be arranged.

The corps would provide a single clearinghouse of information and assistance to the estimated 1.3 million Louisiana residents who were driven from their homes by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Blanco contacted President Bush about funding on Thursday but has not heard back, said Andy Kopplin, Blanco's chief of staff.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/24/AR2005092401831.html