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The Children’s Defense Fund – Texas and Children’s Defense Fund – Southern Regional Office are
committed to raising awareness about the challenges facing children, connecting
children and families to resources that help to meet their needs, and working
with partners to coordinate broad support to improve the well-being of
children. The Children’s Defense Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit child advocacy
organization that works relentlessly to ensure a level playing field for all
children.
This
newsletter is published to help families and communities in Texas, Louisiana, Florida,
Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands recovering from hurricanes to protect and
support children and youth. Please, share this information widely and let us know of
additional resources.
If
you have questions, wish to share articles, or have suggestions email us
at Harvey@childrensdefense.org. Thank you for remembering the most vulnerable among us as recovery goes forward.
NEW
RESOURCES AND ARTICLES OF INTERST FOR COMMUNITIES:
Your
Quick Checklist for Helping Children Recover:
- Try and keep routines as normal as possible. Kids gain
security from the predictability of routine, including attending school.
- Limit exposure to television and the news.
- Be honest with kids and share with them as much
information as they are developmentally able to handle.
- Listen to kids’ fears and concerns.
- Parents and adults need to first deal with and assess
their own responses to crisis and stress.
- Involve Children in Recovery —
After a hurricane, let children help in clean-up and recovery efforts in
age-appropriate ways as this participation may increase their sense of control
over the situation.
- Rebuild and reaffirm attachments and relationships.
Thank for this quick reminder from our friends at the American
School Counselor Association. For
more resources go to:
The
Disaster Assistance Improvement Program (DAIP) provides disaster
survivors with information, support, services, and a means to access and apply
for disaster assistance through joint data-sharing efforts between federal,
tribal, state, local, and private sector partners.
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© Photo - NBC News
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The
White House is expected to request a new $29 billion disaster aid bill. It
includes $16 billion in debt relief for National Flood Insurance Program claims
and almost $12.7 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund. Another $577m would go
to federal firefighting accounts for spending related to western wildfires. This
CBS article has more.
The National Child
Traumatic Stress Network offers resources in English, Spanish, Cebuano, and Waray to
parents and caregivers on how to assist
children and youth to cope with the loss and stress during the recovery process. Read
and share Trinka
and Sam: The Rainy Windy Day.
Read and share Disaster Recovery Updates from the National Law Income Housing Coalition.
Find
information about efforts to restore affordable housing after natural and
man-made disasters.
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