Organizations partner with The Actors Fund to administer the relief efforts on the ground

Los Angeles (September 11, 2017) - The SAG-AFTRA Foundation and the SAG-AFTRA Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund (MPPWF) have created a Hurricane Relief Fund specifically to provide financial support to SAG-AFTRA members affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation seeded the Hurricane Relief Fund with $200,000 and the SAG-AFTRA MPPWF matched the contribution for a total initial assistance pool of $400,000. The organizations will be reaching out to the entire 160,000 SAG-AFTRA membership for additional contributions and donations to the emergency relief fund.

The Actors Fund has partnered with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and SAG-AFTRA MPPWF in this critical effort to provide the social services and coordinate the grant reviews and approvals. The process has been streamlined to speed relief to those in need and consists of a quick, confidential application and consultation to establish need. During the consultation, the social services professionals at The Actors Fund will also assess each applicant’s need for additional assistance, programs or services.

SAG-AFTRA members are eligible to apply for the Hurricane Relief Fund if they are currently active and have paid their dues through April 30, 2017, and have been affected by either Harvey or Irma. Affected and eligible members may apply by contacting The Actors Fund intake services directly:

For those impacted by Hurricane Harvey, contact The Actors Fund’s Los Angeles Office -- (323) 933-9244, ext. 455 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For those impacted by Hurricane Irma, contact The Actors Fund’s New York City Office -- (212) 221-7300 ext. 119 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“As a Texan, the shocking images and devastating aftermath of Harvey, and now Irma, have really hit home. We are heartbroken for our fellow Americans, and our own SAG-AFTRA family, whose homes and lives have been upended because they happen to live in the paths of these unprecedented disasters. Our concern is not only for their safety, but also for what lies ahead,” said SAG-AFTRA Foundation President and actor JoBeth Williams. “We’re here to lend a helping hand to SAG-AFTRA members in their time of need. We have to take care of each other.”

“We are grateful to the SAG-AFTRA MPPWF for matching our seed money and to The Actors Fund for administering the services on the ground to SAG-AFTRA members in dire need,” said SAG-AFTRA Foundation Executive Director Cyd Wilson. “We are now focused on raising additional funds for our hurricane relief effort because the ultimate costs to rebuild are staggering.”

“These historic hurricanes have had devastating consequences for SAG-AFTRA members across the entire region.  We’re grateful to partner with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and The Actors Fund on this important effort to provide emergency relief to affected SAG-AFTRA members,” said SAG-AFTRA MPPWF Chair Maureen Donnelly.

“Our social work teams are working hard, as always, to provide timely and compassionate assistance for SAG-AFTRA members impacted by these tragic storms,” said Joe Benincasa, President of The Actors Fund. “The swift response of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and SAG-AFTRA MPPWF will help assure The Actors Fund is there for all members who need us and we’re truly grateful for this partnership.”

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is accepting donations directed to the Hurricane Relief Fund from individuals and corporate donors who wish to help provide support to hard-hit SAG-AFTRA members in the affected areas. Contributions can be made at sagaftrafoundation.org/donate.

Every donation counts, big or small, and all donations will provide direct assistance to hard-hit SAG-AFTRA members in the affected regions.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Acting Regional Administrator Dorothy Overal of the U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that SBA has approved $103,866,200 in federal disaster loans for Texas businesses and residents impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
 
According to Overal, SBA has approved 95 loans for $8,539,700 businesses and 1,046 loans for $95,326,500 for residents to help rebuild and recover from this terrible disaster.
 
“SBA’s disaster assistance employees are committed to helping businesses and residents rebuild as quickly as possible,” said Overal. Businesses and residents who sustained damages are encouraged to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov. This is the fastest way to get help. “Don’t miss out on any assistance you may be entitled to by not registering. You don’t need to wait for your insurance to settle or obtain a contractor’s estimate,” she added.
 
SBA representatives continue to meet with business owners and residents to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process, help them complete their application and close their approved loans at disaster recovery centers located throughout the impacted area. For a list of locations, visit SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/harvey. No appointment is necessary.
 
Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. The SBA can also lend additional funds to help businesses and residents with the cost of making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.
 
For small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations of all sizes, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.
 
Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace their damaged or destroyed primary residence. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
 
Applicants may apply online using SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
 
Applicants may receive additional disaster assistance information by visiting www.sba.gov/harvey. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at(800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call(800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.
 
The deadline to apply for property damage is Oct. 24, 2017. The deadline to apply for economic injury is May 25, 2018. 

HOUSTON, Sept. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Potts Law Firm, a Houston-based law firm, filed a class action on September 6, 2017, in the Harris County District Court seeking to represent all individuals and businesses recently affected by the San Jacinto River Authority's handling of "controlled release" of water from Lake Conroe on August 27, 2017. As a result of the release, it is estimated that thousands of homeowners and business owners' properties were flooded who had previously escaped flooding from Hurricane Harvey itself.

The lawsuit styled Thomas E. and Beth F. Ross, et.al. v. San Jacinto River Authority, et al., consists of two subclasses for (1) All Texas residential property owners who experienced flood waters at their property on or after Monday, August 28, 2017, in the area downstream of Lake Conroe affected by the rising waters of the San Jacinto River as a result of San Jacinto River Authority's decision to release water from Lake Conroe; and (2) All Texas commercial property owners who experienced flood waters at their property on or after Monday, August 28, 2017, in the area downstream of Lake Conroe affected by the rising waters of the San Jacinto River as a result of San Jacinto River Authority's decision to release water from Lake Conroe.

Plaintiffs owned property that was not flooding after Hurricane Harvey sat over Harris and Montgomery Counties on Saturday, August 26, 2017 and Sunday, August 27, 2017, but only began flooding on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 when the San Jacinto River Authority released water from Lake Conroe. After the release, Plaintiffs' property took on several feet of flood water. The suit seeks damages for the government's intentional taking of properties by flooding and seeks recovery for the repair costs to such properties, diminution in value of the properties, lost income or business income to the properties' owners, and any consequential loss of the flooding. Inverse condemnation occurs when the government takes private property but fails to pay the compensation required by Section 17, Article 1 of the Texas Constitution. Similar lawsuits were filed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and a class action was certified by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

"In the devastating aftermath of the flooding, Potts Law Firm stands ready to support our clients, our employees, and our community at this most challenging time", said Derek H. Potts, National Managing Partner in Houston. "This case is particularly important to us since it directly impacted so many friends, neighbors, and family members."

Widely recognized for their expertise in complex litigation and trials, Potts Law Firm has obtained record-setting verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients in state and federal courts across the country. The attorneys with Potts Law Firm are dedicated to fighting for the rights of victims of flood and wind catastrophes.

Residents of District E,
 
August 28th is a day that Houstonians will not soon forget. It was the day that thousands of Houstonians were devastated by a hurricane named Harvey. This storm disrupted our lives in major ways: destroying homes, changing school schedules, flooding our streets, and knocking out power across the city. In the aftermath, I cannot tell you how amazing it is to see Houstonians, Texans, and Americans coming together to support one another.
 
Having lived through Hurricane Katrina, I can tell you it is humbling to see emergency responders from Kentucky, California, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida, and Louisiana here to help in addition to more from Texas cities like Garland, Flower Mound, San Antonio, and Austin. We have neighbors sheltering neighbors and communities of people delivering meals. District E is resilient and full of amazing people that are working together to get things done.
 
In the wake of such a tremendous storm, District E is working hard to take stock of all impacted areas, these are the ones that we are aware of:
 
Kingwood
  • Barrington
  • Crosby
  • Deer Cove
  • Deer Ridge Estates
  • Dunnam Road
  • Enclave
  • Forest Cove
  • Huffman
  • Kings Forest
  • Kings Harbor
  • Kings Point
  • Kingwood Greens
  • Kingwood Lakes
  • Kingwood Villas
  • Riverbend
  • Riverchase
  • Royal Shores
  • Sand Creek Village
  • Trailwood Village
  • Woodspring Village
  • Woodstream Village
 
Southeast Houston/Clear Lake
  • Bay Oaks
  • Bay Pointe
  • Brook Forest
  • Meadowcreek Village
  • Meadowgreen
  • Northfork
  • Oak Meadows
  • Freeway Manor, North & South
  • Pipers Meadow
If your neighborhood is not included in the list above and you have been affected by the storm, please let the District E office know by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The District E office has been working extended hours, weekends, and holidays throughout the storm to try and get resources to the affected areas mentioned above. Office staff has been across the district to collect the street names of all blocks and homes with storm debris as well as roadways that have been affected by dysfunctional traffic signals. Please continue to utilize Houston 3-1-1 to report storm and flood damage as well as issues with traffic signals by calling (713) 837-0311. The Houston 3-1-1 smartphone application can also be used to report issues directly to the city, you can find the application in the iTunes store or Google Play.
 
The remaining contents of this newsletter is a list of resources our office has gathered that will help to transition your family into recovery. We thank State Representative Huberty for providing this printable resource sheet that you may print and distribute. I encourage all District E residents to stay strong as we begin to heal our great city.
 
District E Town Hall Meetings Cancelled
 
Council Member Dave Martin has cancelled the upcoming town hall meetings in Kingwood, scheduled for Tuesday, September 12, and in Clear Lake, scheduled for Thursday, September 14, until further notice. Due to the recent weather events and catastrophic flooding in our areas, the District E office is and will continue to focus their efforts on the recovery of our council district as well as the City of Houston.
 
At this time, an alternate date has not been scheduled. Once we confirm a new date with our scheduled speakers, we will notify the community. 
Kingwood Volunteer Opportunity

Supplies are arriving from Detroit and Arkansas in coordination with a former Kingwood resident of 25 years and are scheduled to arrive at the Kingwood Community Center (4102 Rustic Wood) tomorrow! 

We are looking for volunteers to help distribution these supplies on Friday, September 8th, Saturday September 9th, Monday, September 11th, Tuesday, September 12 and Wednesday, September 13.  

To sign up to volunteer click here. 
Southeast Houston/Clear Lake Trash Update

The District E office is still working to solidify trash and flood debris pick up with the City of Houston Solid Waste Department for the Southeast Houston/Clear Lake Area of our district. I assure you that our office is doing all that we can to apply pressure to City departments to get our south sector the resources it deserves and will fight until they are received. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any concerns with trash and flood debris pick up in the Southeast Houston/Clear Lake Area.
City of Houston Resources

The City of Houston Emergency Information Center has prepared information and resources to help the community's storm recovery. Regular updates can be accessed at www.HoustonRecovers.org.
 
For emergencies call 911
For non-emergencies call HPD at 713-884-3131.
 
City of Houston Emergency Information - https://www.houstonemergency.org/
 
Groups or individuals interested in volunteering, please register at http://volunteerhouston.org/
3-1-1 Help and Information Line

Phone:  311 or 713-837-0311
City TDD:  713-837-0215
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website:  www.houstontx.gov/311/
Smartphone App - Available at App Store & Google Play
 
To request information about:
  • Food assistance
  • Water safety concerns
  • Referrals to shelters
  • Heat emergencies
  • Trash pickup schedules
  • Evacuation registration
  • City curfew
 To report:
  • Flood damage to your home
  • Flood hazards
  • Illegal dumping
  • Traffic signal outage
  • Potholes
City of Houston Solid Waste Department Information
 
Storm debris will be collected on an ongoing basis until further notice. Please place debris at the curb separated into the following piles:

  • Leaves, logs, plants, tree branches (do not bag).
  • Construction & demolition material - carpet, drywall, furniture, lumber, mattresses
  • Appliances - dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, water heaters
  • Electronics - computers, radios, stereos, televisions, other devices with a cord.
  • Household Hazardous Waste - cleaning supplies, batteries, lawn chemical, oils, oil-based paints, stains and pesticide
Council Member Martin and the City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department is asking residents to remove all parked vehicles from the streets in areas hit by the storm to facilitate easy access of the heavy equipment during debris collection.
 
Recycling Collection
Curbside single stream recycling collection will be suspended until further notice. Customers may bring recyclables to neighborhood depository locations or the Westpark Recycling Center located at 5900 Westpark, Mon.-Sat., 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. 
 
Yard, Junk, And Tree Waste Collection
Yard, junk, and tree waste collections will be suspended until further notice due to the need of extra personnel for debris collection related to disaster recovery.
 
For more information, visit www.HoustonSolidWaste.org or call 3-1-1.
Clear Lake/Southeast Houston Resources

Clear Lake ISD Cares Recovery & Distribution Center at McWhirter Elementary
300 Pennsylvania, Webster 77598

Clear Creek ISD staff and volunteers have been working together at McWhirter Elementary Gym to gather supplies for CCISD effected families. For more information, you can call the center hotline at 281-284-4831 or visit http://www.ccisd.net/ccisdcares. Items can be delivered to the front of McWhirter Elementary.
 
FEMA in Freeway Manor
FEMA will be at St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church, 2217 Theta Street, Houston TX 77034 this Saturday, September 9 from 10 am - 12 noon.
Kingwood Area Resources

TDAP shots: All Walgreens that are open in the Lake Houston Area are stocked with the TDAP shots. Almost all medical insurance covers the cost of the TDAP shot, if there is no medical insurance the cost of the shot is $64.00 and that's just the price of the shot without insurance.
****Tdap is a combination vaccine that protects against three potentially life-threatening bacterial diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Td is a booster vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria. It does not protect against pertussis.****
 
Lake Houston Area Relief Fund - https://www.facebook.com/LHAReliefFund/
FEMA Disaster Assistance

Registering online is the quickest way to register for FEMA assistance. If you are unable to access the internet, you can also call 1-800-621-3362.
 
For a list of Disaster Recovery Centers click here.

Additional resources include: 
 
SBA - Disaster Loan Assistance - eligible areas, apply online, and application status
Texas Workforce Commission - Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Additional Hurricane Harvey Resources
 
Houston Food Bank Helpline
If you need food and supplies call the Food Bank Helpline 832-369-9390 to find a pantry near year. Individual help offered during time of disaster.
 
Texas/United Way HELPLINE - Call 2-1-1
United Way of Greater Houston has the 2-1-1 helpline where you can call and find out what community and social programs or services, such as food, shelter, health clinics, and counseling services you may need, are closest to you. HELPLINE is free and available 24/7 in many languages. https://www.unitedwayhouston.org/our-211-helpline
 
Red Cross 1-800-RED-CROS
Shelter and resources 1-800-733-2767 - http://www.redcross.org/
Red Cross Safe and Well: Report that you are safe or to search for others:
 
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has a variety of programs and services for individuals and families efforts are coordinate with United Way of Greater Houston 2-1-1 HelpLine where you can call and find out what programs or services are closest to you.
 
Looking for your towed car?
Visit: www.findmytowedcar.com. You will need to enter the complete license plate number or the vehicle identification number (VIN).
If in the unincorporated area of Harris County, call the Harris County Sheriff's Message Center tow line at 713-755-6042.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Acting Reginal Administrator Dorothy Overal of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Office announced today that SBA has approved $51,025,100 in federal disaster loans for Texas businesses and residents impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
 
According to Overal, SBA has approved 36 loans for $3,248,400 for businesses and 524 loans for $47,776,700 for residents to help rebuild and recover from this terrible disaster.
 
“SBA’s disaster assistance employees are committed to helping businesses and residents rebuild as quickly as possible,” said Overal. Businesses and residents who sustained damages are encouraged to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov. This is the fastest way to get help. “Don’t miss out on any assistance you may be entitled to by not registering. You don’t need to wait for your insurance to settle or obtain a contractor’s estimate,” she added.
 
SBA representatives continue to meet with business owners and residents to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process, help them complete their application and close their approved loans at disaster recovery centers located throughout the impacted area. For a list of locations, visit SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/harvey. No appointment is necessary.
 
Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. The SBA can also lend additional funds to help business and residents with the cost of making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.
 
For small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations of all sizes, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.
 
Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace their damaged or destroyed primary residence. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
 
Applicants may apply online using SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
 
Applicants may receive additional disaster assistance information by visiting www.sba.gov/harvey. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at(800) 659-2955 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.v for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call(800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.
 
The filing deadline to return applications for property damage is Oct. 24, 2017. The deadline to return economic injury applications is May 25, 2018. 

  1. Huffman ISD authorizes $500,000 for storm recovery work
  2. Humble ISD approves KHS-SCHS combined campus
  3. Onward and Upward
  4. Acts of kindness abound