Photo: A family celebrates as they recieve the keys to their brand-new house from volunteers. (Bridget Nolan/St. Bernard Project)
Mardi Gras starts this weekend in New Orleans. While many will crowd the streets in celebration of beers and beads, some families will simply be thankful to have a roof over their heads.
After Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans in 2005, 1,800 people lost their lives and thousands more lost their homes. In an area known as St. Bernard Parish, more than 21,000 houses were ripped apart and their residents forced to find another locale to rest their heads.
Shortly after surveying the devastation, Zack Rosenburg and Liz McCartney founded St. Bernard Project (SBP), a nonprofit organization focused on rebuilding homes while providing mental health resources and job opportunities to affected residents. In just five years, the founders (along with hundreds of Americorps and civilian volunteers) have rebuilt more than 320 homes.
They have an aggressive plan to rebuild even more. Throughout February and March, SBP is on track to raise $265,000 in support of their "Get On The Float" campaign. Donate some cash, $5 or hell $5,000, and your name will be added to their virtual float as well as to their physical window in New Orleans, visible to those raucous Mardi Gras celebrants. There's no better way to become a part of the celebration!
Six years after Katrina, organizations like SBP are still vital. "I think many people tend to think there's been no initiative on the part of the homeowners," says Amanda Catalani, Marketing Coordinator at SBP. "But like [the Meshell family], many have done all the work they can. They just need a little help."
Catalani can recount multiple stories of other families whose lives have been restored to a sense of normalcy thanks to donations from regular people. It's cause for celebration, really, so "we end every build with a 'welcome home' party and ribbon cutting too," says Catalani.
C'mon, could there be any better reason to throw some beads?!
actTAKE ACTION!
Get On The Float
Donate to St. Bernard Project and have your name added to the float.
