Evacuation drains scant reserves

Like thousands of New Orleanians, Karen Glapion said she was just barely making it economically when, two weeks ago, Hurricane Gustav barreled into her budget and capsized the delicate equilibrium that had kept her just above water.

It didn't take much.

In Glapion's case, it was just $350 -- the cost of an unplanned, six-day evacuation to a stepsister's house in Sugar Land, Texas. It was cheap compared with others' motel-driven evacuation costs.

But it was enough.

"Now I'm stressed," Glapion said. "Before, I could see my way (forward). But this put me behind.

"I spent my next car note getting out of town."

So Wednesday, Glapion took time away from her job at an eastern New Orleans day-care center to stand in line at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center to apply for food stamps under relaxed emergency standards put in place after Gustav.

She said she left with a plastic charge card that entitles her to $298 in food assistance.

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