Apps available to help Hurricane Ida victims get assistance

HOUSTON - Thousands of evacuees are in Houston seeking refuge from the devastation in New Orleans after Hurricane Ida. Many are scrambling to find shelter, food, and necessities.

Many have lost their entire homes, some have lost everything. Some will need to stay in Houston for a while. Some may have to completely start over.

"He grabbed me because before I could pick up anything, the kitchen fell on us," said Ana Lee.

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Ana and Duriel Lee say their rental house came down around them and literally lost everything they had.

"My 7-year-old kept saying Mommy, are we going to die? That was the hardest part through it all, watching him tear up and cry because we lost everything," she said.

"I just gathered my family and clothes and we left because it was coming," said Jennifer Lopez.

The Lopez family is in need of food and necessities.

"It took us 12 hours to get to a Motel 6 we were able to find, for a family of five and a pet," she said.

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Gallery Furniture is one site offering food, drinks, a place to charge cell phones, and is connecting families with agencies that can offer shelter.

"We’re helping people get situated in Houston and find the best social services for their needs, and hopefully help them turn a bad time into an acceptable time," said Gallery Furniture owner Mattress Mack.

The American Red Cross says evacuees can use their app to find what they need.

"You can download the Red Cross app. It’s very useful, you can see where the shelters are located, the shelters nearest to you," explained Francisco Philibert with the American Red Cross.

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And another app to let their loved ones know they're safe.

"You can also go to www.safeandwell.org and this will offer a private space where you can list the status of your loved ones you are searching for," said Philibert.

"It's very difficult to be going through this again after it’s been 16 years since we went through Katrina," said Lopez.

"Everything we had, we worked hard for, that’s the hardest part to see it all disappear," said Lee.

If you're an evacuee and you don't know where to go, simply dial 211, the United Way Helpline. It will connect you to organizations offering shelter.