Reaching Older People in Need – AARP’s Hurricane Relief Efforts
When a disaster significantly impacts older populations, has a disproportionate impact on the vulnerable or low income, or affects the ability of older people to remain independent, AARP can help.
Hurricane Katrina and its devastating effects on the Gulf Coast, and indeed the United States as a whole, occurred just weeks before AARP's scheduled annual National Event was to begin in New Orleans. Our immediate response was to cancel the event and offer the thousands of AARP members who had purchased tickets and tours for the event the opportunity to direct some or all of their refund to the AARP Foundation to assist older persons affected by the disaster.
That was just the beginning. AARP and the AARP Foundation announced a program of donations and volunteer activities to assist older persons affected by the storm. We are also looking at ways to assist those affected by Hurricane Rita.
AARP Foundation Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund
In response to Hurricane Katrina, the AARP Foundation established the AARP Foundation Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund. The AARP Foundation committed $1 million to establish the fund. In addition to this donation, the Foundation is administering a program through which AARP members, employees, and volunteers may donate to the relief and rebuilding efforts. AARP will match these donations dollar-for-dollar, up to $1 million. A web site (www.aarp.org/foundation/relieffund) is available for member donations. One hundred percent of the monies collected go directly to benefit older victims.
These funds have begun to be disbursed to on-the-ground organizations that directly assist the 50+ population. Within days of the disaster, money had already reached organizations in Mississippi and Louisiana in need of basic supplies, such as food and water, for elderly victims. The AARP Foundation has also given grants to local organizations and church agencies that are providing hands-on relief to the elderly, such as food, clothing and basic necessities.
Our state offices are helping to identify recipient agencies. We have given funds to organizations in states directly affected and grants are being reviewed for organizations in states that have received large numbers of evacuees.
Volunteer Efforts
The outpouring of volunteer efforts continues. AARP Chapters, Foundation programs and Retired Teachers Association (RTA) units are among the hundreds who are donating time and funds to help Katrina victims.
Many of our chapters, both in directly affected areas and across the country, are providing hands-on support and are rallying to help victims. For example, in Arkansas, AARP chapters and volunteers helped the state Department of Human Services to complete evacuee documentation for the state, while another chapter provided volunteers to help feed babies whose parents' whereabouts were unknown and who'd been brought to Children's Hospital.
The AARP Foundation's litigation team has sent four attorneys to Mississippi. Other legal staff will rotate into the area for the next several months. Working with our state office and the Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division, they are focusing on defining where and how AARP can help the most in ensuring that the needs and rights of older victims of this disaster are addressed. The team also has assembled materials and legal resources that can be used by those helping older victims recover
.Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)
In addition, the AARP Foundation created and took the lead for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) nationwide in promoting and using "self-attestation" of income for all evacuees over the age of 55 in lieu of required documentation of income normally needed to enroll in our program. Our forms are now being used by other sponsors.
SCSEP was the only national sponsor of the program to provide on-site job support in the re-location centers in both Houston and Dallas. In Houston, we were in the Astrodome on the first day evacuees arrived, and left only when the evacuees were all moved. We set up enrollment programs at relocation centers in ten cities with large numbers of evacuees and SCSEP sites. The goal is to add 100 enrollees per city, for 60 days. Those enrollees will be placed with relief organizations and agencies to provide assistance.
Moving Forward
The first phase of our relief efforts has focused on hands-on support to meet the immediate needs of the hurricane victims. We anticipate this storm will impact housing, long-term care and other issues that are part of AARP's agenda, and we are now looking at how AARP and AARP Foundation can lend support to the long-term needs of elder victims and their families.
