Entering lost/found data for Katrina
Thanks to melanie for the pointer.
PeopleFinderVolunteer is looking for people to help with data entry. Volunteers are transferring info from places like craigslist, where folks are trying to find lost family members (or reporting them found!), into a big central database. The database is not currently available to the public (as of 1030 pacific time) because the search engine fried, but they're working on it.
You sign up for a chunk of data, such as 20 entries from craigslist, and you comb for details about the missing person. I found the instructions pretty clear. It certainly takes you past the screen on your television. It can be emotionally wrenching or heartening. One chunk took melanie about an hour; one chunk took me about 3 hours. If you can't finish your chunk, it's easy to mark it and someone else will come along and finish it.