Legal Services Corporation President, Helaine Barnett, and Vice President, Karen Sarjeant met with our staff in Hammond on September 21.

Barnett was the civil director of the NYC Legal Aid Society during the NYC 9/11 disaster. Barnett said that the Katrina disaster is much greater than 9/11 given that so many are homeless and jobless because of Katrina.

Barnett and Sarjeant met with staff to discuss the legal problems created by Katrina and possible responses. Staff reported that many Katrina victims are faced with evictions, FEMA, insurance, unemployment, bankruptcy  and custody problems because of Katrina.

In inspirational remarks to staff, Barnett noted that the Katrina victims' extraordinary need for legal aid will continue for years and that our legal aid work is vital to the recovery efforts.

Barnett presented SLLS with a supplemental grant to partially offset our loss of revenue and increased costs from Katrina.

Brian Lenard, Karen Sarjeant, Roxanne Newman, Mark Moreau and Helaine Barnett at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services' Hammond office.