Access to cash post-Hurricane Katrina
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Check cashing uneven
Not all banks, though, have opted to be as generous with noncustomers because of the fear of fraud.

Some, as a result, have been cashing personal checks drawn on accounts at affected banks only on a case-by-case basis, or as a one-shot deal, or limiting the dollar amount they are willing to pay out, even when a noncustomer has proper identification.

In such cases it then falls to relief agencies such as FEMA and the Red Cross to provide people with more-tangible help.

Expedited assistance with emergency needs of food, shelter, clothing and personal necessities is being made available to individuals as they apply to FEMA online at www.fema.gov or by calling (800) 621-FEMA or (800) 621-3362. Currently, the amount of money available through the expedited assistance program is $2,000 per household. This money is targeted for residents most affected by the disasters from Mississippi and Louisiana, persons who might not have the usual means of identifying damage to their property or who might be unable to provide necessary documentation.

Once individuals register with FEMA for assistance, funds will be made available either through the use of an electronic transfer to put the money directly into their bank accounts in some locations, or via a check that can be delivered directly to individuals by way of the U.S. Postal Service. In circumstances where individuals did not have access to direct-deposit banking or were unable to receive checks, FEMA implemented a pilot program for a new assistance delivery tool: a debit card.

The FEMA debit card
FEMA's plan was to deliver debit cards to recipients at limited sites in Texas and was aimed at helping only those most in need. However, after running into problems, this approach was scrapped in favor of more traditional assistance methods.