Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle panned the White Houses move to cancel billions in foreign aid funding as illegal, and warned that it could have dire consequences on the fast-approaching deadline to fund the government.The White House on Thursday notified Congress of the administrations intent to cancel $4.9 billion in foreign aid funding through a "pocket rescission.""Last night, President Trump CANCELED $4.9 billion in America Last foreign aid using a pocket rescission," the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said on X. "[President Donald Trump] will always put AMERICA FIRST!"'BAIT AND SWITCH': SCHUMER WARNS OF BITTER FUNDING FIGHT OVER GOP CUTS PLANThe pocket rescissions package obtained by Fox News Digital includes cuts to a variety of foreign aid programs over several fiscal years that the administration argued did not comport with Trumps agenda. Included are roughly $520 million in cuts to Contributions to International Organizations account, over $390 million in cuts to the Contributions for International Peacekeeping Activities account, $322 million from the Democracy Fund, $445 million from the Peacekeeping Operations account and over $3 billion from Development Assistance.The rescissions process allows the president to make a request to Congress to cancel already approved funding within a 45-day period. Lawmakers successfully went through that exercise earlier this year when they approved $9 billion to be slashed from public broadcasting and foreign aid.TRUMP SIGNS $9B RESCISSIONS PACKAGE INTO LAW, REVOKING FUNDING FOR FOREIGN AID, NPRHowever, a pocket rescission is designed to skirt that 45-day window by coming so close to the end of a fiscal year that lawmakers wouldnt have time to weigh in. And the White Houses maneuver is already giving Senate Republicans and Democrats heartburn.Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, said in a statement that the move was an "apparent attempt to rescind appropriated funds without congressional approval."She also argued that the Government Accountability Office found that under the Impoundment Control Act, the law that governs rescissions, this style of pocket rescission was illegal."Any effort to rescind appropriated funds without congressional approval is a clear violation of the law," she said."Instead of this attempt to undermine the law, the appropriate way is to identify ways to reduce excessive spending through the bipartisan, annual appropriations process," Collins continued. "Congress approves rescissions regularly as part of this process."Fox News Digital reached out to the OMB and the White House for comment but did not immediately hear back.TRUMP SENDS $9.4 BILLION DOGE CUTS PROPOSAL TO CONGRESS, TARGETING NPR, PBSLawmakers will also have to grapple with how the pocket rescissions will affect negotiations to keep the government open. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., already warned that further attempts to claw back congressionally approved funding would be a bridge too far for Democrats.Prior to the announcement, Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., imploring both to meet with them to discuss the looming Sept. 30 deadline.In the letter, they specifically asked if more rescissions were coming.Now, Schumer charged that the "unlawful pocket rescission package is further proof President Trump and Congressional Republicans are hellbent on rejecting bipartisanship and going it alone this fall.""As the country stares down next months government funding deadline on September 30th, it is clear neither President Trump nor Congressional Republicans have any plan to avoid a painful and entirely unnecessary shutdown," Schumer said in a statement."In fact, it seems Republicans are eager to inflict further pain on the American people, raising their health care costs, compromising essential services and further damaging our national security," he continued.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., announced on Thursday his plan to deploy California Highway Patrol "crime-suppression teams" across the Golden State to prevent crime and promote public safety."While the Trump administration undermines cities, California is partnering with them and delivering real results. With these new deployments, were doubling down on these partnerships to build on progress and keep driving crime down," Newsom said in a statement.The officers will partner with local law enforcement officers in major cities, including Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Inland Empire, Central Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area, according to Newsom's office.The White House was quick to mock Newsom's crime rollout, telling Fox News Digital in a statement on Friday, "After Newscum spent weeks criticizing the presidents highly successful efforts to crack down on crime, hes reverted to his tried-and-true strategy: embracing and copying the Trump agenda."SCHIFF BLASTS TINPOT DICTATOR TRUMPS NATIONAL GUARD MOBILIZATION, WARNS OTHER CITIES ARE NEXTDespite the copycat accusation, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson acknowledged that "the more Democrats follow the presidents lead to crack down on crime, the better it is for the American people!""Stopping crime should not be a partisan exercise, but Democrats like Newscum have tried to make it one," she added. "President Trumps partnership with DC MPD has resulted in record drops in crime and countless dangerous criminals being removed from DCs streets."NEWSOM SAYS ITS TIME FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP TO GROW UP IN REBUKE OVER NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENTDuring a news conference on Thursday, Newsom criticized President Donald Trump for "militarizing American cities" amid the president's crackdown on crime in Washington, D.C. His announcement followed remarks at POLITICO's California Summit on Wednesday, where Newsom ridiculed the president's "authoritarian tendencies."Newsom also blasted the president for federalizing the National Guard in California without his request earlier this summer. Trump has since followed suit in Washington, D.C., and floated similar action in Baltimore and Chicago to fight crime.When Trump announced he was deploying the National Guard to the nation's capital earlier this month, he singled out Los Angeles and Oakland as "very bad" on crime and later said San Francisco had been "destroyed" by Democratic leadership."Todays announcement builds on successful CHP efforts already underway in Oakland, Bakersfield and San Bernardino. CHP officers assigned to crime-suppression teams will saturate high-crime areas, target repeat offenders and seize illicit weapons and narcotics," Newsom's office said in a statement released Thursday.According to the governor's office, in Bakersfield, San Bernardino and Oakland, where crime-suppression teams have already been deployed, officials made over 9,000 arrests, recovered almost 5,800 stolen vehicles and confiscated more than 400 firearms last year."By combining resources, intelligence and personnel, we can better disrupt criminal activity and strengthen the safety and security of communities across California," CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said.During Thursday's press conference, Newsom continued criticizing the Trump administration.Citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2023, Newsom said if Trump was serious about fighting crime in the United States, then he should send troops to Louisiana and Mississippi. Both red states have homicide rates nearly four times higher than California.Newsom's office also highlighted California's $1.7 billion investment in fighting crime since 2019, touting that homicide, robbery and property crime rates have dropped in line with or below pre-pandemic levels, according to Major Cities Chiefs Association data.The California governor made his announcement as some blue states and cities brace for the possible deployment of National Guard troops to fight crime in their communities.

The remains of an Israeli hostage who spent nearly two years in captivity in the Gaza Strip were recovered Friday, the countrys military announced."The body of Ilan Weiss, who was held hostage for 693 days in Gaza, has been recovered in a joint Israel Defense Forces and Israeli Security Agency military operation," the IDF said."Ilan was from Kibbutz Beeri and left his home on the morning of October 7 to join the kibbutz emergency response team. He was murdered and kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 Massacre," it added. "His wife Shiri, 54, and daughter Noga, 19, were taken hostage into Gaza and released during the ceasefire deal in November 2023."The body of a second Israeli was also recovered Friday and is now in the process of being identified, according to The Associated Press.ISRAEL ELIMINATES GAZA TERRORIST WHO TOOK PART IN OCT. ATTACK ON KIBBUTZ, TOOK YARDEN BIBAS HOSTAGE"Its a bittersweet moment that the Weiss family is reunited with their loved one, even though hes coming back not as they would have wanted," Rubi Chen, who believes his son is still in captivity in Gaza, was quoted by the AP as saying.Chen said his family had received intelligence that his son Itay did not survive the Oct. 7 attack, but Hamas has not provided any information about his sons whereabouts.The Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum said "Ilan was a devoted family man humble, principled, and a dedicated father to his daughters.""He loved hosting guests, tending his garden, and enjoying a beer. On weekends, he would go mountain biking with his brother-in-law Gil Boyum, a fellow member of the kibbutz emergency team who was also killed on that Black Sabbath," it added.ISRAEL RECOVERS REMAINS OF THREE MORE BODIES HELD BY HAMAS: 'NO VICTORY UNTIL LAST HOSTAGE RETURNS'As of Friday, there are 48 hostages left in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive, according to The Times of Israel."I offer my heartfelt condolences and support to the Weiss family and the community of Kibbutz Beeri upon the recovery of the body of hostage Ilan Weiss, of blessed memory," Israeli President Isaac Herzog wrote on X."Ilan showed courage and noble spirit when he fought the terrorists on that dark day. In his death, he gave life. And ever since, his family has shown extraordinary strength in their struggle for his return," Herzog continued."The horrors committed by Hamas, murder, torture, abduction, are crimes against humanity. The world must show moral clarity, apply pressure, and act for the immediate release of all the hostages. We will not rest until every one of them is brought home, the living to the loving embrace of their families, and the fallen to be laid to rest in dignity. Every last one," he added.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Missouri quarterback Sam Horn went down with a devastating injury on his first snap of Thursday nights game against Central Arkansas, remaining sidelined for the entirety of the Tigers 61-6 victory.His injury comes amid an ongoing battle for the starting quarterback position withPenn State transfer Beau Pribula.Horn, a redshirt junior, came onto the field during the second series of the game with the Tigers already leading 6-0. He ran the ball 6 yards on his first play before appearing to take a hit to the lower body.WATCH ON THE FOX ONE APP START YOUR 7-DAY FREE TRIAL TODAYHorn remained on the ground as teammates attempted to help him up. He was eventually helped off the field by medical staff."[Im] very disappointed and sad with the injury to Sam and the injury to Blake Craig, and those two things are really disappointing, and we'll see tomorrow what the extent of those injuries are," head coach Eliah Drinkwitz told the media after the game.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"So, it kind of takes the damper a little bit off the win."Drinkwitz would not speculate when asked if Horns injury was expected to be aseason-ending injury. He said the team would know more after an MRI on Friday. Horn was spotted on the sideline in a full leg brace and walking on crutches after the game.TRAVIS KELCE, TAYLOR SWIFT MAKE FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE AS NEWLY ENGAGED COUPLE AT CINCINNATI-NEBRASKA GAMEHorns injury ultimately secured Pribulas claim as starting quarterback. The two signal-callers were still battling it out for the No. 1 spot at kickoff.Pribula finished 23-of-28 passing for 283 yards and two touchdowns, adding another 65 yards and two scores on the ground."I don't think he stepped up. I think he was just continuing to play the way he was playing," Drinkwitz said of Pribulas performance."I thought he did a nice job handling the situation. He knew he was going to play the first half, we knew we were going to run that formation pretty early in the game. Just disappointing that [Horn] got injured. It was a heck of a run."The Associated Press contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

An office employee's unusual lunchtime habit of narrating her food consumption out loud as she eats it has become the center of a workplace debate.The woman routinely comments on her meals, uttering things like, "Mmm, spicy little pickle today," or "OK, let's give this baby carrot a crunch," according to a recent Reddit post.One of the more memorable lines, a colleague shared in the post, was: "What's that? You're just a sad sandwich? Don't worry, I'm gonna eat you anyway."MAN CONFRONTS WOMAN OVER LARGE DOG IN FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT, SPARKING ONLINE DEBATE"I thought it was funny at first, but it happens every single day and it's getting kind of weird," the author of the post said.The writer said the co-worker's habit has become "really distracting" in their small, 15-person office. Eventually, the person confronted her during lunch, saying, "Hey, no offense, but do you realize you talk to your food out loud every day?"The woman laughed it off but appeared embarrassed and has since stopped with the narration."A few co-workers said I killed the vibe and that she was just being quirky," the Reddit user wrote."I feel kind of bad now. I didn't mean to shame her, but it was honestly getting distracting and hard to ignore."MAN BUYS LOCKED MINI-FRIDGE AFTER FOOD THEFTS, GETS CALLED 'WEIRD AND SELFISH' BY CO-WORKERSThe person then asked if she was wrong for "saying something."The thread quickly went viral, drawing some 3,000 comments and more than 12,000 "upvotes." While opinions were split, most Reddit users took aim at the original poster.WORKER'S UNUSUAL LUNCH SPOT BACKFIRES AFTER UNCOMFORTABLE CONFRONTATION: 'WAS I BEING DISRESPECTFUL?'"She wasn't hurting you or anyone else," one person said. "You should have removed yourself or used earplugs Let people have their harmless quirks."Someone else argued, "She has just as much right to be in the break room talking in an inside voice as you do to sit there silently."Other people said the annoyed employee could have dealt with the situation differently.For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle"You didn't need to call her out like that," a Reddit user commented. "You should have found a way to say that respectfully and privately."Others sided with the original poster, calling the narration inappropriate for the workplace."That vibe needed to be killed," one user wrote bluntly.Another said, "She can narrate her meals at home, but workplace etiquette matters."Someone else chimed in, "I sometimes say stuff like, 'Oh yes, that's what I'm talking about' when I eat my favorite food, but ONLY when I'm alone at home.""I understand how irritating it would be in a small office where you may not have the option of eating somewhere else," another person said. "The person with the bothersome, unnecessary habit is the one who should change."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERSheree Bryant Sekou, a leadership consultant and business etiquette trainer in Houston, said no one is in the wrong in the situation, but said that consideration is key in shared work spaces and that the original poster was "well within her right" to say something."The issue isn't conversing with her meals," Sekou told Fox News Digital of the worker who "talked" to her food. "The challenge is doing so in a manner and volume that is disturbing to others."She suggested the co-worker consider whispering also noting that the phrase "no offense" often makes people feel more offended, not less."Office vibe and culture should never take precedence over consideration and respectful behavior in the workplace," Sekou added. "Co-workers should feel open and free to share their experiences and concerns with one another in respectful, healthy ways."Fox News Digital reached out to the original poster for comment.

Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, has signed a new congressional map into law, securing an additional five Republican-leaning U.S. House districts ahead of competitive midterm elections expected in 2026.Abbott's signature on Friday marks the culmination of a partisan redistricting debate that has captivated the country's attention and inspired an eye-for-an-eye effort by California Democrats."Today, I signed the One Big Beautiful Map into law," Abbott said on X. "This map ensures fairer representation in Congress. Texas will be more RED in Congress."The Republican-controlled Texas House and Senate passed the new map through their respective chambers last week, following weeks of Lone Star State Democrats breaking quorum and fleeing the state to avoid a redistricting vote.And Republicans in the state were not shy about the reason why they wanted to tweak the map.ABBOTT SCORES BIG WIN IN REDISTRICTING BATTLE AS TEXAS DEMOCRATS' BLOCKADE COLLAPSESSen. Phil King, R-Texas, who carried the map in the Senate, contended that while the map created more competitive districts, he believed they would be won by Republicans during the 2026 midterm election cycle."[House Bill 4], I believe, should elect more Republicans to the U.S. Congress, but I'm here to tell you, there are no guarantees," he said.Texas Democrats aren't shy about their plans to challenge the map in court, either.Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder lauded state Democrats for their attempts to block the process and charged that Texas Republicans "have effectively surrendered Texas to Washington, D.C.""This isnt over well see these clowns in court," Scudder said. "We arent done fighting against these racially discriminatory maps, and fully expect the letter of the law to prevail over these sycophantic Republican politicians who think the rules dont apply to them."Abbott pushed for the creation of a new map to adhere to President Donald Trumps desire to not see a repeat of the 2018 election cycle, when Democrats handily regained the majority in the House and acted as a foil to the presidents legislative goals toward the end of his first term.The Texas map seeks to maintain the Republican majority in the U.S. House next year. Republicans managed to pass Trump's "big, beautiful bill" through Congress this year, fulfilling many of his 2024 campaign promises, including immigration and green energy reform and tax cuts. Democrats are already using the megabill as fodder for their 2026 campaigns, particularly on Medicaid cuts.Repeating a similar legislative achievement for Trump would face even more hurdles if Democrats win control of the House.But Abbott and the Texas GOP's effort could be in vain, given that California Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Democrats passed their own new map, which added five new Democratic-leaning seats in a bid to cancel out Trump's demands.However, the new California map is not yet official, and must be approved by voters in November to be enacted."The People of California will be able to cast their vote for a Congressional map. Direct democracy that gives us a fighting chance to STOP Donald Trump's election rigging," Newsom said on X.TEXAS GOP LAWMAKERS POISED TO FINALIZE TRUMP-BACKED MAP AFTER DEM REDISTRICTING WALKOUT ENDSWhile Republicans control a supermajority in deep-red Texas, Democrats were still needed to create a quorum in the House to actually move the process along.Dozens of Texas Democrats fled the state to stall the process, creating a national media frenzy and generating support from Democratic donors, including groups linked to George Soros and Beto ORourke, to help pay for their fines, travel and lodging.But Texas Republicans Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Speaker Dustin Burrows sought nationwide civil arrest warrants for the Texas House Democrats who broke quorum, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, requested the FBI track them down and the DOJ launch an investigation into the political action committees funding their escape.Democratic leaders announced early last week they would return for the second special session following California's plan to redraw its maps to soften the blow from the Lone Star State, ending the blockade and allowing Republicans to charge ahead.Texas House Democrats accused the GOP of crafting a map that was illegal and racially discriminatory, and they tried and failed on the House floor to add amendments to the bill that would have halted the process. Despite Democrats' best efforts, Texas House Republicans shot down a dozen amendments to the bill and passed it last Wednesday evening."Members, it breaks my heart to see how this illegal and rigged mid-decade redistricting scheme is dividing our state and our country," Rep. Chris Turner, a Democrat, said. "This is Texas, it's not Washington D.C. The impulses of outside politicians and their billionaire backers shouldn't dictate what we do in this chamber, in this House."Rep. Todd Hunter, a Republican who wrote the bill for the new map, countered that four of the five new districts were "majority-minority Hispanic," noting that each of the new districts now trended Republican. Still, he had no qualms as to why Republicans were pursuing changes to the congressional maps."The underlying goal of this plan is straightforward, [to] improve Republican political performance," he said.The Democrats blockade ended last week, when Abbott called for a second special session after their demands for California to also begin a redistricting cycle were met in an effort to nullify the map Texas Republicans were creating.

Deion Sanders is always prepared going into game days as Colorados head coach, but a certain smell during home games still surprises him.Sanders, 58, was asked if there was anything unexpected about Folsom Field, Colorados home stadium, and the Pro Football Hall of Famer didnt hesitate."The smell of weed in the second quarter surprised the heck out of me. Like every game Im like, Dang. It seems like its like a light-up quarter, you know what Im saying? Like so is this the quarter that yall chose?" Sanders said in an interview with CBS Sports Colorado.WATCH ON THE FOX ONE APP START YOUR 7-DAY FREE TRIAL TODAYThe eight-time Pro Bowler said its not just the second quarter in general, but a certain point in it."Like, Im serious, theres a TV timeout it never fails and Im like, Wow, whats going on? Cause you know Ive never been high a day in my life, so thats kind of new to me," Sanders said.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMSanders is entering his third season as head coach of the Buffaloes and has a 7-5 record at home in his first two years. In 2023, Colorado went 2-4 at home. In 2024, the Buffaloes improved to 5-1.This season will be Sanders first without Travis Hunter, last years Heisman Trophy winner, and his son Shedeur Sanders.Colorado will open its season at home on Friday at 8 p.m. ET against Georgia Tech. Sanders may have a different roster, but he can still count on the smell of weed in the second quarter.Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., disputed the effectiveness of prayers after the Minnesota Catholic school shooting on Thursday, saying students were "literally praying" when they came under attack.In a post on X, Newsom slammed White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt after she called MSNBC host Jen Psaki "incredibly insensitive and disrespectful" for her heated posts about prayers in the aftermath of mass shootings."These children were literally praying as they got shot at," Newsom wrote.TRUMP-TROLLING GOV GAVIN NEWSOM SUGGESTS 'COIN' IS COMING TO ONLINE STORE: TRUMP CORRUPTION COINHours after the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis that left two children dead, Psaki criticized those offering only thoughts and prayers in response to the tragedy."Prayer is not freaking enough,"she wrote on X, adding it doesn't end school shootings or make parents feel safe sending their children to school.During her MSNBC show Wednesday night, Psaki repeated the point.LIBERAL FIGURES LAMBAST 'PRAYERS' IN WAKE OF MINNESOTA CHURCH SHOOTING"Half the politicians in our country have little more to offer than thoughts and prayers," Psaki said in an emotional monologue. "That is all they are offering. Join all of us in praying for the victims was Vice President JD Vances response today. Thats what he said. Thats it. Please join me in praying for everyone involved, [President Donald] Trump wrote. We have seen this play out over and over again. There is a shooting. Then come the thoughts and prayers, and then comes the attempt to shift the focus. This is what always happens."Democrats have frequently criticized Republicans for not discussing violence prevention or gun control measures after mass shootings.Leavitt responded to Psakis remarks during Thursdays White House press briefing."I saw the comments of my predecessor, Ms. Psaki, and frankly, I think they are incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to the tens of millions of Americans of faith across this country who believe in the power of prayer, who believe that prayer works and who believe that in a time of mourning like thiswhen beautiful young children were killed while praying in a church," she said.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTUREShe continued, "It is utterly disrespectful to deride the power of prayer in this country, and it is disrespectful to the millions of Americans of faith. And I would encourage Ms. Psaki to pray for these families themselves, who need it right now more than ever."In another X post on Thursday, Newsom called out Vance for his comments in a Fox News Channel interview where the vice president said people should be able to pray and also work on preventing mass shootings."Do both, then," the governor wrote.Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.Fox News Digitals Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.

Fox Nation's "Meet the American"has launched its second season, with "America's Newsroom" co-anchor Bill Hemmer taking viewers through fascinating stories of American exceptionalism.Each episodehighlights the individuals whose ideas, perseverance or innovations have left an enduring mark on American culture with an entire episode devoted to pickleball. (See the video at the top of this article.)Fox News' Hemmer joinsretired American sportswriter and columnist for The Detroit News, Mike O'Hara, to reveal the roots of the game.FOX NATION'S 'MEET THE AMERICAN' UNCOVERS SURPRISING ORIGINS BEHIND BELOVED AMERICAN TRADITIONS IN NEW SEASONThe two recount the life of Joel M. Pritchard, the founder of pickleball. Pritchard was a Seattle business executive,Washington stateRepublican legislator and father of four.He was also a U.S. Army veteran serving in World War II.One summer day in 1965, at his home on Bainbridge Island, Washington, Pritchard was looking for ways to entertain his children.His children, along with his friend, Bill Bell, went to a local badminton court. The men did not have proper equipment for a badminton match but improvised.Pritchard and Bell created a makeshift game on the badminton court with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERAfter their eventful afternoon, the men shared the game with their friend Barney McCallum, refining the game and creating rules.The sport "combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong," says USA Pickleball, the sport's governing body.It's "played both indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes."For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleWhat began as a family fun game is now thefastest-growing participation sportin America, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA).Major League Pickleball was founded in 2021 by entrepreneur Steve Kuhn.The league has 22 teams with16 premiers and six challengers.Fox News Digital's Taylor Penley contributed to this report.

As Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast in 2005, it reshaped the way nonprofits approach disaster relief, focusing on recovering the "whole community.""I think one of the things about long-term recovery is that you don't just build back the same way, but you build back smarter and stronger," said Jeff Jellets, emergency disaster services director for the Salvation Army's southern region.When Jellets first arrived in New Orleans, he saw piles of debris along the streets. The beach was empty. Not even the foundations of the beautiful homes that once stood along the shoreline were spared. All remaining evidence of life was stripped out piece by piece and taken to the sea.During the first few hours, he and his team were somewhat calm. "Were going to be OK," Jellets thought to himself, but didnt foresee the monstrosity that Katrina would inevitably become."Then the levees obviously breached, and at that point, what was already a significant catastrophe just became much, much worse," he said.ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, AUGUST 29, 2005, HURRICANE KATRINA SLAMS GULF COAST, CAUSING MASSIVE DAMAGEAt that moment, the Salvation Army, whose sole purpose is to protect those with no way out, became a victim of the storm, losing facilities in Pascagoula, Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi. But that didn't stop their efforts. According tothe Salvation Army's report in 2005, the organization served more than 4.7 million hot meals and 6.8 million sandwiches, snacks and drinks. They also offered emotional and spiritual support to nearly 103,000 people.Now, 20 years later, Jellets reflected on the improvements the Salvation Army has implemented post-Katrina, and on how the storm demonstrated the critical need to include nonprofits and community organizations in recovery efforts.Jellets outlined the three major operational changes the Salvation Army implemented post-Katrina: expanding feeding capabilities, pre-stocking of supplies and enhancing communications technology."We really expanded our mass-feeding footprint," he said. "We changed the design of a lot of our vehicles to a more pickup truck-style that is a little more low profile, more durable and can get into some of those disaster areas."Leading up to Katrina, Jellets says a lot of the response was on-demand, locating supplies as needs came up. To combat that, they now have about 300,000 square feet of warehousing dedicated to disaster use. The shelves are lined with supplies."In our warehouses ahead of this hurricane season, we've got shelf-stable meals, we have cleanup kits, tarps, infant supply kits, and so we can access those critical supplies a lot faster," he said.In the aftermath of the storm, one of the biggest challenges they worked to overcome was the ability for survivors to communicate."It was a definite challenge very early on in Katrina," he said. "We did a lot of health and welfare inquiries via amateur radio."Since then, the Salvation Army has utilized modern-day technologies for disaster relief."Our latest communication piece is to put satellite internet access on top of our feeding units," he said. "So now when you get into the disaster area, if you turn on that satellite vision, get a clear view of the sky, not only can we talk to one another, but we can actually let survivors connect their phone to the internet and then tell their families, Hey, we're OK."Its not just about adopting new technologies. Katrina led to an important idea: the assumption of a "whole community approach." These values, the response efforts already instilled in a community from before the storm hit and years beyond that, strengthen the community and build resilience. The coordination of nonprofits, like the Salvation Army, plays a huge part, as they were there before disaster struck.VOLUNTEERS HELP REBUILD NORTH CAROLINA HOMES 10 MONTHS AFTER HURRICANE HELENE"The Salvation Army has not left New Orleans," said Meghan Foley, the Salvation Armys national director of emergency services. "We're there for that long-term recovery, which two decades later is continuing, and we're continuing to build that community resilience day after day.Foley says she feels that each family they interact with is a step towards building community resilience in preparation for the next disaster. To her, if one more family is set with resources, that's one more family who can recover quickly and carry themselves through a potential disaster."You've got to manage expectations," Jellets said. "To be so involved takes time, a 10-year plan where they not only rebuild homes but also learn the importance of rebuilding the intricate connections that make up a community.""It showed us recovery can't just be about rebuilding structures, it has to be about rebuilding the lives and communities too," said Foley.After the Biloxi facility was destroyed, the Salvation Army knew it didn't have time to rebuild, so it continued operations out of a large tent, which included a field kitchen to provide meals.Jelletsemphasizes that in cases like these, adaptability is key.Today, on that site stands a new Kroc Center, with a pool, recreation center and generators funded through a state hazard mitigation grant, allowing it to be a disaster relief shelter if need be."Building Back Stronger, I think, is one of the hallmarks of a good recovery piece," said Jellets.Since the Salvation Army operates in almost every ZIP code in the United States, they realize that every community is different, and the recovery process doesnt resemble a cookie-cutter model."If you're tied into the fabric of that community and understand what the economic and cultural nuances are, you're going to be much more in tune with what the priorities are in terms of the reconstruction and then the continual rebuild,"Jelletssaid.Jelletstold Fox News Digital that what they've developed over time is their goal, not just to help them through the immediate storm but to provide other underlying social service issues as well.The New Orleans Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center was heavily damaged. To Foley andJellets, part of the long-term recovery is providing people with the tools they need to not only survive, but to live.Working on these issues allows the Salvation Army and other nonprofits to not fixate on immediate needs, but on important social service needs that can be exacerbated by disasters.In another instance,Jellets recalled an elderly lady they had helped by reconstructing her house in the early days of Katrinas aftermath.Jellets, happy he thought his work was done, asked the woman how she felt."If you could change something, what would you like to change? And she said, 'I really wish I had neighbors.'"Most of the young professionals moved away with their families. She had little interaction with anyone. To see that lady still upset after having a new house was a turning point forJellets. A house can only get you so far,making him realize the value of community solidarity."You have to help the community," he said. "We look at responses since then to Hurricane Ian, or even now, what we're doing withHelene is trying to be inclusive and bring back the community as a whole. Because if you don't, it doesn't rebound."