PEARL, Miss. (WJTV) – The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is entering into an agreement with the American Red Cross to assist in temporarily lodging displaced residents from the March 24, 2023, deadly tornadoes.

Under this agreement, the American Red Cross will place eligible disaster survivors into hotel or motel rooms, and provide meals for those individuals and families for up to six months based on need.  

“Helping the impacted communities get back on their feet is our top priority,” said Gov. Tate Reeves (R-Miss.). “This contract with the Red Cross is going to be really important in getting Mississippians the resources they need to recover. We’ll continue to use every available resource to restore and rebuild our communities. We’re committed to being here for as long as it takes.” 

Red Cross and FEMA case managers will address the needs of each eligible citizen and support their recovery progress. As of Tuesday, April 11, more than 500 Mississippians are residing in local hotels due to the tornadoes.

To qualify for this program, survivors must register first with FEMA at DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362. Displaced storm survivors who need temporary lodging under this program should call: 1-800-RedCross. 

MEMA and Red Cross have partnered with a number of local hotels in the affected counties, Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, Montgomery, Panola, and Sharkey, or nearby counties that could accommodate. During this sheltering mission, hotel availability may change. The Red Cross may relocate residents to another facility if necessary.  

At this time, Mississippi is not releasing the address of these shelters due to the safety and security of those displaced storm survivors. Anyone needing shelter can call 1-800-RedCross.