We traveled to New Orleans with support from Sears to take part in the Fifty for Five event on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Invited to volunteer alongside Charles & Hudson, we joined a team committed to restoring homes and rebuilding lives in neighborhoods still recovering from the storm.
Today we worked with Rebuilding Together, an organization that brings volunteers from around the country to repair and rehabilitate houses for vulnerable homeowners. The project aims to complete repairs on 50 homes in five days. Our assignment was priming and painting one of the homes. The homeowners, who have been living in Atlanta since Katrina, are eagerly preparing to return to a house that is now nearly finished. Their situation echoes that of many families supported by Rebuilding Together.
While painting, we spent time with Walter, a lifelong New Orleans resident, and A.C., the lead from the Rebuilding Together affiliate in Indianapolis. A.C. described the organization’s core mission: helping low-income homeowners, seniors, people with disabilities, and military veterans preserve safe, functional places to live. That focus on stability and dignity for residents is at the heart of every repair and improvement they make.
Walter, who grew up in the city’s 8th Ward, spoke about his long-term commitment to the neighborhood and his regular volunteer work throughout the year. He reflected on his experiences during and after Katrina and emphasized the importance of rebuilding not just houses but the community’s future. He also shared a few local restaurant recommendations we’re looking forward to trying.
We also met an 84-year-old homeowner who is the fourth generation of her family to occupy her house. Severe water damage forced her from the home, and she has been living in a FEMA trailer while repairs were planned and carried out. Rebuilding Together is renovating her home, and she expressed deep gratitude to every volunteer who stopped to speak with her. She is overjoyed at the prospect of moving back and reconnecting with neighbors and friends after being displaced for so long.
Across the site we witnessed the same combination of dedication and care: volunteers donating their time and skills, and homeowners welcoming support that will restore stability and a sense of belonging. We look forward to meeting more volunteers and the many homeowners whose lives are being rebuilt through this effort.