2theadvocate.com | News | Report: Help of nonprofits running dry — Baton Rouge, LA

2theadvocate.com | News | Report: Help of nonprofits running dry — Baton Rouge, LA: "The nonprofit sector’s response to the 2005 hurricanes has been unprecedented, but, with money for volunteer services running low and “Katrina fatigue’’ running high across the nation, it is time for the government to take the ball and drive the recovery, a report released Monday stressed.

“The scale of the devastation is so vast in Louisiana and across the Mississippi Gulf Coast that only the government has the capacity to handle significant rebuilding,’’ the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana and the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government said in a joint report."

Realty Times -Hurricane Relief Update: Foreclosures, Housing, Taxes

Realty Times - Real Estate News and Advice: "Several federal agencies recently extended or clarified relief efforts for Gulf Coast residents suffering the devastating effects of storms that battered the region this year. On December 1st, both Freddie Mac extended foreclosure suspensions on homes and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continued paying the hotel bills of nearly 50,000 hurricane area evacuees."

Burlington Free Press.com | Local/Vermont-Professor explores disaster-aid rejection

Burlington Free Press.com | Local/Vermont: "Travis Nelson, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Vermont, has been studying this curious phenomenon. He counted 129 major global disasters over the past 25 years of an 'immediate' nature -- quakes, floods, tsunamis, storms -- with death tolls of at least 500. He discovered that in 24 cases -- about 20 percent -- the victimized country refused at least some of the aid being offered."

Disaster response group settles in case of Katrina donations - October 1, 2007

Disaster response group settles in case of Katrina donations - October 1, 2007: "Disaster response group settles in case of Katrina donations Printer-friendly version Noah's Wish, a nonprofit organization out of California that responds to the needs of animals affected by disasters, has agreed to a settlement following an investigation into how the group handled donations after Hurricane Katrina. The annual budget of Noah's Wish normally averaged $210,000, according to California's attorney general, but the group raised more than $8 million after Katrina and spent $1.5 million on responding to the hurricane."

Postbulletin.com: Life Vest: 12 hours of music for flood relief - Sun, Sep 16, 2007

Postbulletin.com: Life Vest: 12 hours of music for flood relief - Sun, Sep 16, 2007: "Life Vest: 12 hours of music for flood relief 9/17/2007 6:38:52 AM By Dawn Schuett Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN In the midst of flood recovery, peopled gathered Sunday in Rochester to throw a 'Life Vest' for those affected by the disaster. A fundraising concert and event -- dubbed 'Life Vest' by organizers -- brought together a dozen bands performing nearly 12 hours of music at the Rochester International Event Center and $20,000 in items donated by individuals and businesses for a silent auction and raffle. Ray Samson, executive director of the event center, said the benefit concert was a way organizers can help flood victims, including some of his employees, in their time of need."

Features | Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers

Features | Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers: "n several coastal hamlets in Sri Lanka the tide has turned for potters, batik designers and other entrepreneurs whose small-scale businesses were hit hard by the December 2004 tsunami. Boost for pottery Their trades are bouncing back and incomes increasing thanks to some post-tsunami assistance from developing countries."

Reuters AlertNet - SRI LANKA: Small grants turn tide for tsunami-hit entrepreneurs

Reuters AlertNet - SRI LANKA: Small grants turn tide for tsunami-hit entrepreneurs: "BENTOTA, 14 September 2007 (IRIN) - SRI LANKA: Small grants turn tide for tsunami-hit entrepreneurs BENTOTA, 14 September 2007 (IRIN) - In several coastal hamlets in Sri Lanka the tide has turned for potters, batik designers and other entrepreneurs whose small-scale businesses were hit hard by the December 2004 tsunami. Their trades are bouncing back and incomes increasing thanks to some post-tsunami assistance from developing countries."

Aust pledges aid after Indonesian quake - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Aust pledges aid after Indonesian quake - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): "Aust pledges aid after Indonesian quake By Jakarta correspondent Geoff Thompson Posted Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:20pm AEST As fears ease over the extent of damage caused by last night's massive 8.4 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, the Australian Government has provided $50,000 in assistance through the Indonesian Red Cross."

The Asia Foundation Puts Mobile Libraries in Motion for Local Sri Lankan Communities - Press Release

The Asia Foundation Puts Mobile Libraries in Motion for Local Sri Lankan Communities - Press Release: "COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The Asia Foundation is launching a new mobile library initiative aimed at helping an estimated 80,000 families and children who do not have access to the existing library services in four local authorities. Many of these communities were devastated by the tsunami, and schools and libraries are still in the process of being rebuilt. The mobile library initiative is being launched with support from the AIG Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), and Give2Asia, an organization founded by The Asia Foundation to promote philanthropy to Asia."

Chippewa.com

Chippewa.com: "When you stroll the streets of New Orleans, there are people coming and going, street musicians belting out tunes and horns blaring. Not to mention the wonderful smells of creole cooking and sweet sounds of hammers pounding. The city has come a long way since Aug. 29, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit. According to “The Katrina Index,” created by the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center, applications for new housing construction permits have now soared above pre-Katrina levels, enrollment numbers are rising at elementary and secondary schools and unemployment levels, which used to be extremely high, are back down below the national average. In addition, millions of cubic yards of debris have been cleared away and the levees are in the process of being rebuilt."

Nicaraguans Survey Hurricane’s Wreckage - New York Times

Nicaraguans Survey Hurricane’s Wreckage - New York Times: "TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Sept. 5 — Hurricane Felix spared much of Central America, but residents of the poor coastal communities of Nicaragua, where the storm struck land at full force, picked through the wreckage of their wooden huts on Wednesday and lamented losing the little they had. The Nicaraguan government’s estimates of the death toll varied Wednesday, with one official saying at least 18 people had died since the storm hit Tuesday and another saying the figure was at least 38, according to wire services. Scores more were missing, the wire services said."

Local voices from Katrina relief missions- al.com

Local voices from Katrina relief missions- al.com: "Here are some excerpts from recent reports received at The Huntsville Times from people who have worked or lived in the coastal areas affected by the 2005 hurricanes: St. Stephen's members first became involved in Katrina relief efforts at the processing center at First Baptist Church. We also worked in a coalition of area Episcopal churches to send supplies to Camp Coast Care in Long Beach, Miss., which is operated by Lutheran Episcopal Services."

Two Years since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: The Charitable Response - General - Advocacy Blog - OMB Watch

Two Years since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: The Charitable Response - General - Advocacy Blog - OMB Watch: "Two Years since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: The Charitable Response Nearly two years have passed since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and now is a perfect time to look at the charitable work in the area in terms of what has been accomplished, what needs to be done, and how charities point out the inequities that remain. The Chronicle of Philanthropy ($$) spotlights this discussion of charities and the hurricane recovery through a series of articles. An important point to discuss two years later is that charitable funds are still drastically needed."

BAW: Reopened MLK Charter School a Guidepost for New Orleans’ Post-Katrina Education Model

BAW: Reopened MLK Charter School a Guidepost for New Orleans’ Post-Katrina Education Model: "According to recent reports, less than 60 percent of the Lower Ninth’s pre-Katrina population has returned to the neighborhood. However, 70 percent of King’s students and 90 percent of the staff have returned. Before Hurricane Katrina’s flood waters swept through Martin Luther King Jr. School and its adjacent library in the New Orleans Lower Ninth Ward, every student had a library card, and so did most of their parents, says Principal Doris Hicks."

Golfers raise $20,000 for plane crash victims -- OrlandoSentinel.com

Golfers raise $20,000 for plane crash victims -- OrlandoSentinel.com: "With an urgency to provide help quickly, auction items, donations, golfers and 36 professionals in the sport were rounded up in three weeks to raise money for local families in a tragedy. The Mike Bender Golf Academy and the Timacuan Golf Club, which is owned and operated by Kitson & Partners Clubs, hosted the Mike Bender Charity Pro-Am tournament and clinic on Aug. 3 to benefit families of victims of a July airplane crash in Sanford."

La Crosse Tribune - 6.0

La Crosse Tribune - 6.0: "$313,000 collected for flood victims By RYAN STOTTS / La Crosse Tribune . The flood of 2007 in the region triggered a similar outpouring of money Friday, with more than $300,000 donated during a 12-hour fundraiser in downtown La Crosse."

FEMA reverses controversial policy that would have left nonprofits and public entities on the hook for millions - Money - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com

FEMA reverses controversial policy that would have left nonprofits and public entities on the hook for millions - Money - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com: "FEMA reverses controversial policy that would have left nonprofits and public entities on the hook for millions Posted by rmowbray August 24, 2007 9:08PM 9:10 p.m., Friday The Federal Emergency Management Agency has reversed a controversial insurance policy that would have left nonprofits and public entities on the hook for millions of dollars the next time a major storm strikes the New Orleans area, the agency said Friday. 'We have rescinded that policy,' said Gil Jamieson, the agency's Associate Deputy Administrator for Gulf Coast Recovery. 'It has caused a real furor down here. This was not the message we wanted to send to the business community.'"

North Jersey Media Group providing local news, sports & classifieds for Northern New Jersey!

North Jersey Media Group providing local news, sports & classifieds for Northern New Jersey!: "CLIFTON – People gathered with a Hispanic fraternity Thursday night in the backyard of a Broad Street home to raise money for those affected by the massive Aug. 15 earthquake near Lima, Peru. The event, sponsored by Lambda Theta Phi, was designed to attract as many as 200 people, with a goal of raising $10,000, said Ray Lago, who organized the event."

Nonprofits frustrated by new FEMA requirements - Money - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com

Nonprofits frustrated by new FEMA requirements - Money - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com: "Nonprofits frustrated by new FEMA requirements Posted by kquillen August 22, 2007 7:18PM 7:20 p.m., Wednesday About sixty stunned representatives of local hospitals, schools, universities, cultural institutions, churches and other nonprofits or governmental bodies expressed frustration Wednesday at what they believe are unrealistic new insurance and deductible requirements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency."

Death toll nears 500 in Peru earthquake | Video: Los Angeles Times Travel

Death toll nears 500 in Peru earthquake | Video: Los Angeles Times Travel: "IMA, PERU, 9:15 PM PDT -- The death toll in a massive earthquake that battered Peru's Pacific coast soared toward 500 on Thursday as rescue workers struggled to reach scenes of devastation and stunned victims appealed for medical aid, water and coffins."