Louisiana sure does know how to band together and
assist those who are in a rut. When it comes to natural disasters and the
impact it has on us, we're never too short of help in the midst thereof and
beyond.
In 2020, Hurricanes Laura and Delta set many of us
back a bit. And with Hurricane Ida in 2021, there came even more devastation.
Hospitality workers tend to suffer the most when natural disasters occur.
Depending on their worksite and position, many of them may get laid off due to
the damaged job properties; others may have to work long hours in hotels for
people who need rooms. Even linemen that fix electricity poles work incredibly
long hours to get residents' power back on.
To get an idea of what hospitality workers do, here's
some insight: according to Ministry of Business, Innovation, & Employment,
a hospitality worker provides services to patrons of hotels, bars, cafés,
restaurants, clubs, quick-service restaurants, catering companies, casinos, or
similar businesses. That's some serious stuff. People go out to eat all the
time. People need hotel rooms when they're on vacation or may need some time
away from home for some peace and quiet or to get business done. And many
people enjoy gambling. These types of businesses get hit hard and lose a lot of
money when a hurricane hits. Those who work in cafés, casinos, and hotels get
physically and mentally exhausted from the stress they experience.
Hospitality workers need not fret any longer because The Louisiana
Hospitality Foundation is committing $100,000 to execute
their Hurricane
Relief Program. The program provides one-time $500
grants to eligible hospitality workers who have had some trouble
maintaining expenses. When Hurricane Ida made landfall, 25 parishes in
Louisiana were declared disaster areas by FEMA. Everyone, including thousands
of hospitality workers, had to decide, "Do I stay?" or "Do I evacuate?" Staying
meant living with the possibility of surviving without electricity and running
water. If you rode the hurricane out, you had to scurry pretty much to purchase
necessities after the storm. And getting generators was hell because so many
people were buying them all at once, sometimes getting more than one at a time.
Evacuating meant dealing with unplanned expenses for transportation, housing,
and meals to get you by until everything calmed down.
The storm resulted in closures and damages, which left
hospitality workers out of a job. Bills are still a factor and responsibility
for them. They have to live. They continue to search for help in any way they
can get it. But more is needed. Families will be thrilled to know that the Hurricane
Relief Program is giving them the support they need. Also supporting is Bud
Light, Bulleit Frontier Fund, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Commander's Palace,
Entergy, and other businesses.
Each applicant must meet all three program
eligibility requirements:
- Applicant
must live in one of the following 25 parishes: Ascension, Assumption, East
Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche,
Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles,
St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St.
Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, West
Feliciana.
- Applicant
must be directly employed at a Louisiana restaurant, bar, or hotel.
- Applicant
must have experienced a housing or utility financial emergency as a result
of Hurricane Ida.
Keep in mind that available funds are limited. That
means that not every qualified request for funding will be approved.
The following documents are required as
part of the online application process:
- Proof
of Residence: Applicant must upload ONE of the
following for proof of residence:
- Louisiana
driver's license (cannot be expired)
- Louisiana
state issued ID (cannot be expired)
- Lease
with applicant's name (must include all pages, from page 1 to signature page)
- Mortgage
statement with applicant's name
- Water,
Gas, or Utility bill in applicant's name (cell phone and internet utility
bills WILL NOT be accepted)
- Proof
of Hospitality Industry Employment: Applicant must
upload ONE paystub from their employer dated between July 1, 2021 and
August 29, 2021. Paystub must include the applicant's name, the employer's
name, and days worked in the above stated time period.
- Proof
of Financial Burden: Applicant must show proof of
financial burden for either housing or utilities expenses.
- If
applicant is applying for housing assistance, they must
upload one of the following:
- Lease
with applicant's name (must include all pages, from page 1 to signature
page)
- Mortgage
statement with applicant's name
- If
applicant is applying for utilities assistance, they must
upload one of the following:
- Water,
Gas, or Utility bill in applicant's name
Note: Cell phone and internet utility bills WILL NOT
be accepted.
To apply for the Round Two Hurricane Reflief Program, click HERE.
