FEMA wants students to give money back

[babylonsister]

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/17092821.htm

FEMA wants students to give money back
By David Goldstein
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON - When Hurricane Katrina walloped the Gulf Coast nearly two years ago, Nora Watts fled New Orleans for higher ground like everyone else.

Like almost 2 million other evacuees, the Dillard University junior applied for disaster aid. She received two checks totaling $2,358, which she used to buy clothes and pay rent on an apartment.

Now the government wants its money back.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency began sending letters last summer to students who received aid, claiming they were ineligible and threatening prosecution and financial penalties if the money wasn't returned.

Watts, who grew up in Kansas City, Mo., and is now a student there, said students were encouraged to seek the aid by their schools, the media and FEMA itself. She said she was flabbergasted by the repayment demand.

"Everything I was hearing was, `You need to sign up with FEMA,'" she said. "I felt like I was taken advantage of. They never presented it like we would have to pay it back. I thought this was money for people who were displaced."

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[Joanne98]

1. To they want the VA Tech students to give their money back too?

[Sadie4629]

2. Um . . .

. . . what $$ were the VT students given?

[likesmountains 52]

3. Oh geez, my son was one of those...he had to live in a motel and move to another

state his senior year...he received and spent the $2000.00. I think the students probably did deserve the $$$..

[ClintonTyree]

4. My daughter too......

she lost everything. Her car (which was insured) clothes, computer, furniture, books.....everything. I'll be damned if she's going to give the money back so Bush can buy more bombs. She's just as entitled to FEMA aid as anyone else. Screw the government. :mad:

[likesmountains 52]

5. oh yeah, I forgot about all the moldy and otherwise ruined stuff!