The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reaching out to people in north Texas who left their homes in Louisiana because of Hurricane Ida. They're eligible for federal aid programs, but need to register with FEMA to receive that assistance.
FEMA is offering $500 to evacuees to pay for food, medicine and other basic needs through its Critical Needs Assistance Program. More than 131,000 people from Louisiana have already received that assistance.
FEMA also operates a program to help people cover the cost of short-term hotel stays after a disaster. The Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program is open to people affected by Hurricane Ida.
People can register for those programs by calling FEMA at 1-800-631-3362 or using the web site disasterassistance.gov