| Gulf Coast Recovery |
Plenty’s work in the Gulf continues.
Conditions faced by thousands
of survivors fail to improve.
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208 Hurricanes Gustav and Ike continue to wreak havoc on Gulf Coast citizens. |
| When Plenty went into the Gulf in the beginning of September 2005, we said we would simply try and fill in the cracks left from the work by the big relief agencies. We soon discovered the “big relief agencies” weren’t able to begin to cope with the size of the disaster. There weren’t just cracks. There were canyons to be filled..... |
| Reconstruction |
Along the Gulf Coast where the recovery from Katrina has been painfully slow, especially for the poor, elderly and others of modest means. Assistance to those most in need has been the focus of Plenty's work.
Thousands of Gulf Coast residents are still living in toxic FEMA trailers, still waiting for insurance money or government-promised “Road Home” money or any help from anyone to repair their homes.
Plenty's Katrina Recovery program Director, Tony Sferlazza (back row, right) with the welcome assistance of numerous skilled volunteers has been renovating the homes of FEMA trailer inhabitants. |
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One such home was completely remodeled from its gutted state to finished in 5 weeks for $11,000.
Skilled (building, electrical, plumbing) volunteers and volunteers willing to learn skills are still very much needed. |
Sheetrock is completed |
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2008 Hurricanes Cause New Damage |
Chauvin, Louisiana after hurricanes Gustav and Ike, 2008.
More funds are needed to help the people of Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Bernard Parishes who, sill recovering from hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, were hit again by flooding that the levees were unable to contain. |
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After more than 3 years of providing relief and support to hurricane Katrina victims in the Gulf, we’re continually amazed by the inability of government agencies to meet their obligations.
The more we learn about where the responsibilities for this disaster lie, the more we realize that although Katrina was a big and powerful hurricane, it should not have been the “worst natural disaster” in US history, and it wasn’t all that “natural.”
The shrinking of the wetlands and barrier islands has left the coast extremely vulnerable to storms while, at the same time, contributing to the intensity of the storms that do reach the coast.
Environmentalists, ecologists, and coastal land management experts have been warning of the consequences for decades. Whenever there was a choice between wetlands protection or more development, development always won.
Subsequent hurricanes in 2008 have continued to devastate the lives of people in the region. |
| While conditions faced by thousands of survivors fail to improve: |
- 50,000 families still in FEMA trailers are slowly being evicted.
- 90,000 homeowners are still waiting for promised “Road Home” money to repair their houses.
- The homeless population of New Orleans has doubled (to more than 12,000) since before Katrina.
- HUD intends to spend $762 million to bulldoze 4,600 public housing apartment units in New Orleans.
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More than 80% of the 5100 public housing units have been kept closed even though many
(like the one pictured right) have been inspected and declared structurally sound. |
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Public housing apartment units in New Orleans
scheduled for demolition |
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Base of Operations |
Tony and the Americorp volunteers |
Plenty’s Katrina Relief program now has a base of operations in Arabi, Louisiana which is adjacent to the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans.
The base is a 3 bedroom house that is being repaired by Program Director, Tony Sferlazza and numerous volunteers who come and go.
Tony, who is an experienced building contractor has been helping mostly elderly residents of greater New Orleans get their damaged homes livable again.
He has also been assisting with the renovation of community centers such as the Community Center of
St. Bernard Parish and the NENA Center of the Lower 9th Ward...more
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Volunteer Opportunities |
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One of the most inspiring aspects of Plenty's Gulf Recovery work has been the spirit of volunteerism that has emerged.
People from all over the country have contributed their skills and labor from the very first days of the disaster and Plenty has been able to function a conduit for that energy.
The work of volunteers comes in many different forms, often stemming from the inspiration of the volunteers themselves...more |
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We want to acknowledge the generous grants to Plenty from:
Partnerships
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Thank You to:
- Mike Wells and Daniel Evans Farkas for your vehicles
- Kevin Curley for the use of your land
- Thanks to the hundreds of individual Plenty donors that helped to make Plenty’s Katrina Relief Project the most highly funded Plenty project for one year in our history.
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