Baton Rouge, LA, (September 5, 2005) - Hancock Bank is scheduled to open 57 of its 103 branches Tuesday as the company continues help Gulf Coast citizens with their recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina.

The locations include 19 branches in South Mississippi - including the Gulf Coast - and 38 branches in Louisiana that are certified ready for occupancy.

Additionally, Hancock Bank has established phone lines for customers to call for assistance. For information regarding the status of specific branch locations or for customers who may want to verify the status of their Hancock Bank account, please call one of the following numbers:

Mississippi Customers: 1-800-448-8812
Louisiana Customers: 1-800-256-4636
Florida Customers: 1-800-726-0920

These lines will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.