Disaster Relief Handbooks
Providing information to those in need at a time of crisis is a pro bono priority at MoFo. What began as a response by the firm’s New York lawyers to the pressing legal and financial needs of those affected by the September 11th attacks has extended to the creation of multiple “Helping Handbooks” in response to natural disasters. Most recently, in response to California wildfires and mudslides, MoFo has issued a series of Helping Handbooks that offer individuals and small businesses affected by these disasters access to information and assistance that will help with recovery.
The Handbooks contain information on available sources of federal relief, insurance, employment, document recovery, fraud prevention, and other issues specific to each disaster. Dealing with legal and financial affairs is never easy but it is especially difficult amidst the grief and loss following a disaster. Producing these Helping Handbooks is a natural way for our firm to help individuals and businesses in affected communities to chart a way forward and begin to rebuild their lives.
MoFo Releases a New Version of its Helping Handbook for Those Affected by the Recent California Wildfires
On August 25, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that residents in Lassen, Nevada, Placer, and Plumas counties are eligible to register for disaster relief assistance as a result of the River and Dixie fires. To help residents in the affected areas navigate the options for aid, as well as the many issues they might face in the aftermath of the wildfires, Morrison & Foerster released a new version of our Helping Handbook.
The Summer 2021 California Wildfires Helping Handbook, provides up-to-date, practical information for individuals, families, and small businesses on subjects including housing, government benefits, insurance, FEMA assistance, replacement of lost documents, and fraud prevention. We encourage the widest possible distribution of this resource. Organizations may request free print copies in bulk by sending a request to Firehandbook@mofo.com. Prior versions of our Helping Handbook are also available below.
We have since released a supplement with information about two additional California counties, Tehama and Trinity, which were added to this disaster declaration on September 18, 2021, after the publication of the original handbook.
MoFo Releases a New Version of its Helping Handbook for Those Affected by the California Wildfires
In mid-October, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that residents in Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mendocino, Napa, San Bernardino, San Diego, Shasta, Siskiyou, and Sonoma counties are eligible to register for disaster relief assistance as a result of certain wildfires that started in September. To help residents in the affected areas navigate the options for aid, as well as the many issues they might face in the aftermath of the wildfires, Morrison & Foerster released a new version of our Helping Handbook.
The September 2020 California Wildfires Helping Handbookprovides up-to-date, practical information for individuals, families, and small businesses on subjects including housing, government benefits, insurance, FEMA assistance, replacement of lost documents, and fraud prevention. We encourage the widest possible distribution of this resource. Organizations may request free print copies in bulk by sending a request to Firehandbook@mofo.com. Prior versions of our Helping Handbook are also available online.
MoFo Releases an Updated Version of its Helping Handbook for Those Affected by the Ongoing California Wildfires
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced that residents in Butte, Lake, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo counties are eligible to register for disaster relief assistance. To help residents in the affected areas navigate the options for aid, as well as the many issues they might face in the aftermath of the wildfires, Morrison & Foerster released an updated version of our Helping Handbook.
The
provides up-to-date, practical information for individuals, families, and small businesses on subjects including housing, government benefits, insurance, FEMA assistance, replacement of lost documents, and fraud prevention. We encourage the widest possible distribution of this resource. Organizations may request free print copies in bulk by sending a request to Firehandbook@mofo.com.- English version
- Spanish version (current as of August 29, 2020, before Butte County was added to the federal disaster declaration)
MoFo Releases an Updated Version of its Helping Handbook for Those Affected by the Ongoing California Wildfires
The recent wildfires have caused thousands of Californians to experience unimaginable losses. In Northern California, the Camp Fire in Butte County is the most destructive wildfire in California history, resulting in the deaths of an untold number of individuals, leveling the town of Paradise and surrounding areas, and displacing thousands of families from their homes.
In Southern California, the Woolsey Fire in Ventura and Los Angeles counties and the Hill Fire in Ventura County have burned over 100,000 acres combined, resulting in at least three deaths, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate, and destroying over fifteen hundred homes and buildings.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced that residents in Butte, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties are eligible to register for disaster relief assistance. To help residents in the affected areas navigate through the options for aid and the various agencies providing it, Morrison & Foerster released an updated version of our Helping Handbook.
The Fall 2018 California Wildfires Helping Handbook provides up-to-date, practical information for individuals, families, and small businesses on subjects including housing, government benefits, insurance, FEMA assistance, replacement of lost documents, and fraud prevention.
We encourage the widest possible distribution of this resource. Organizations may request free print copies in bulk by sending a request to Firehandbook@mofo.com.
MoFo Releases Helping Handbook for Those Affected by Recent California Wildfires
The lives of thousands of people in Northern California have been upended by the wildfires that have damaged and destroyed homes, businesses, and lives. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that residents of Shasta and Lake counties are now able to register for individual assistance for losses stemming from the disasters. As those affected by the disasters begin to chart a way forward they, and the agencies that help them, desperately need information on a wide variety of topics that touch on the law.
Responding to this need, Morrison & Foerster has produced the
. The Handbook gathers in one place up-to-date, practical information on many subjects, including, among others, housing, government benefits, insurance, FEMA assistance, replacement of lost documents, and fraud prevention.The
is now available. We encourage the widest possible distribution of this resource.MoFo Releases Helping Handbook for Those Affected by Southern California Wildfires, Mudslides, and Related Disasters
The lives of thousands of people in Southern California have been upended by the wildfires and related mudslides that have damaged and destroyed homes, businesses, documents, and lives. On January 15, 2018, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that residents of Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties are now able to register for individual assistance for losses stemming from the disasters. As those affected by the disasters begin to chart a way forward, they, and the agencies that help them, desperately need information on a wide variety of topics that touch on the law. Responding to this need, Morrison & Foerster has produced the 2017-2018 Southern California Wildfires, Mudslides, and Related Disasters Helping Handbook. The Handbook gathers in one place up-to-date, practical information on subjects that include housing, government benefits, insurance, FEMA assistance, replacement of lost documents, fraud prevention, and many others. The Helping Handbook is now available online in English and Spanish. We encourage the widest possible distribution of this resource. Organizations may request free print copies in bulk by sending a request to Firehandbook@mofo.com and requesting the Southern California handbook.
MoFo Releases Helping Handbook for Those Affected by Northern California Wildfires
The lives of thousands of people in Northern California have been upended by the wildfires that have damaged and destroyed homes, businesses, documents and lives. As those affected by the fire begin to chart a way forward, they, and the agencies that help them, desperately need information on a wide variety of topics that touch on the law.
Responding to this need, Morrison & Foerster has produced the 2017 Northern California Wildfires Helping Handbook. The Handbook gathers in one place up-to-date, practical information on subjects that include emergency housing; government benefits; insurance; FEMA assistance; replacement of lost documents; fraud prevention and many others.
The Helping Handbook is now available online in English and Spanish. We encourage the widest possible distribution of this resource. Organizations may request print copies in bulk by sending a request to firehandbook@mofo.com.
Our hearts go out to those affected by Superstorm Sandy, which dramatically affected the New York and New Jersey areas beginning on October 29, 2012. We have prepared this Helping Handbook to assist those in the New York-New Jersey area who have been impacted by Superstorm Sandy. The Morrison & Foerster Foundation has also donated $100,000 to fund disaster relief efforts.
Superstorm Sandy Helping Handbook
This Handbook provides an overview of the issues that individuals, families, and small businesses might experience as a result of the storm. We are grateful to acknowledge that the structure and much of the content replicates the Disaster Assistance Relief Manual compiled by Sarah Alba of Legal Services NYC with assistance from The Legal Aid Society, two organizations that have vast experience providing civil legal services to low-income persons living throughout New York City.
This Handbook is current through November 16, 2012, but the information may change if federal, state, and county governments adopt additional measures to assist victims of Sandy. This Handbook does not constitute legal advice, and readers should not rely on or act upon the information in this Handbook. We urge you to also consult additional resources which may be more current that are specifically designed to assist those affected by Superstorm Sandy. Hard copies of the handbook are available free of charge from Carol Bockner or Dana Alamia at the New York City Bar Association, cbockner@nycbar.org or dalamia@nycbar.org.