Hurricane Katrina:
Displaced Single Mothers,
Resource Acquisition, and
Downward Mobility
Jennifer Tobin-Gurley, M.A.
Lori Peek, Ph.D
Department of Sociology
Colorado State University
Hurricane Katrina
Loss and Displacement

Damaged 90,000 square miles of U.S. coast, killed ~1,800, and caused
$100 billion in losses

Forced relocation of 1.2 million people
Displaced to Colorado

14,000 in Colorado
Social Context


Half of the displaced from New Orleans
Evacuees more likely to be minorities, economically disenfranchised,
and living in inferior housing prior to the storm, with the poorest
families ending up the farthest from the Gulf.
Why Single Mothers?
13.6 million single parents raising 21.2 million
children in the U.S.
84% single mothers
16% single fathers
Number of single mother headed households
rising in the U.S.
Single mothers have the least economic resources
Percentage of Families Below the
Poverty Threshold
40.0%
38.9%
37.6%
35.0%
30.0%
24.8%
25.0%
21.0%
20.0%
15.0%
Series1
15.2%
13.8%
15.9%
14.7%
11.7%
9.1%
10.0%
Married
Couple
Series2
Male
Headed
5.7%
5.2%
5.0%
Female
Headed
0.0%
White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Percentage of Female-Headed
Families with Children under 18
Pre-Katrina New Orleans:
Women in Poverty
45.0%
41.1%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
32.3%
25.9%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
All Women
White
Black
FemaleHeaded
Theoretical Background
Gender and Vulnerability to Disaster
 Power relationships greatly influence preparation for and recovery from
disaster
 Pre-disaster social issues parallel post-disaster issues
 Women-headed households are the most vulnerable
Gender and Hurricane Katrina
 Women and children of color were the
most affected, but received the least
attention
Downward Mobility
 Loss of social and economic status following disaster
Research Objectives
1) Resources provided by relief agencies.
2) Resources needed by single mothers.
1) Resources accessed by single mothers.
Research Design
Post-Disaster Research
Qualitative Methods
Data Collection
Settings: Fort Collins, Denver, Colorado
Springs, Pueblo
Participants: 15 disaster relief providers, 8 single mothers
Gaining Entrée
Data Analysis
Disaster Assistance in Colorado
Needs and Resources Provided
Shelter and Housing
Food
Transportation
Employment
Childcare and Schooling
Health Care
Physical
Mental
Additional Resources
Disaster Assistance in Colorado
Challenges
Bureaucracy
Communication
Cultural Differences
Finding Evacuees
Illegal Activities
Displaced Single Mothers in Colorado
Needs of Single Mother Families
Housing Stability
Food
Childcare
Employment
Health Care
Social Networks
Downward Mobility and Resiliency
Downward Mobility
Finances
Government Assistance
Stigma
Employment
Social Networks
Self-Evacuation
Resiliency
Conclusion
Recovery-Related Difficulties
Food
Healthcare
Clothing
Unaware of public and private
resources
Conjunction of needs
Loss of safety net
Bureaucratic obstacles
Mistreatment based on race, region
of origin, social class, and/or household status (female-headed)
Childcare and
Schooling
Shelter and
Housing
Employment
Transportation