All of us here at ISAC express our sincere sympathy to our Gulf Coast neighbors dealing with the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina & Rita. In an effort to extend support and assistance to those of you working to aid the victims, the following information, guidance and resources have been compiled here in one location.

• Illinois residents returning to the state to attend college after being displaced from a gulf coast college will receive financial aid from ISAC programs if the eligibility criteria for the program is met.
• Student loan borrowers living in the affected areas are receiving 90-day administrative forbearances, relieving them of payment responsibility on their loans, as put in place by their lender or servicer. 
• ISAC College Zone Counselors will serve as a one-stop resource to answer questions about student loans and repayment for any evacuees coming to Illinois.
• Collection activities by ISAC, including letters, phone calls and wage garnishment, have been suspended to delinquent and defaulted borrowers in the impacted areas. 
• IDAPP is working with a number of local colleges and universities to make alternative loans available to impacted students displaced from colleges on the Gulf Coast, particularly those unable to qualify for Title IV assistance.

Questions regarding any ISAC activities can be directed to a College Zone Counselor (for students and parents), School Services (for high schools and colleges) or Lender Services (for lenders and servicers).

State of Illinois Initiatives

August 31, 2005 Press Release - announcing Illinois residents displaced from the gulf-region college may continue their education at Illinois community colleges

September 1, 2005 Press Release - announcing Illinois public schools are open to displaced students

September 13, 2005 Press Release - announcing that more than 400 displaced students have enrolled in Illinois schools, and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has taken action to help displaced teachers

January 6, 2006 Press Release - announcing federal Hurricane Education Recovery Act was signed into law on December 30, 2005, making grants available to Illinois schools serving children displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Hurricane Katrina Info for Schools - ISBE page with resources for schools enrolling children displaced by Hurricane Katrina

Federal Government Guidance and Directives

U.S. Department of Education e-mail address for inquiries from students, parents, schools, lenders and servicers - KatrinaFSAhelp@ed.gov 
RitaFSAhelp@ed.gov

2005 Federal Disaster Declarations - a listing of the impacted areas

IFAP Electronic Announcements - Hurricanes Katrina & Rita Guidance

Dear Colleague Letter GEN-04-04 - Guidance for natural disasters

Hurricane Help for Schools Page

IRS Fact Sheet for Hurricane Victims

Press Releases of Government Initiatives -
Higher Educaton Relief Bills

Other Resources

NASFAA Hurricanes Katrina/Rita Resource Page

campusrelief.org - campus-to-campus assistance, sponsored by the American Council on Education and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO)