NEW ORLEANS – In observance of the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation of New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward, lowernine.org is launching a #50states ambassador fundraising campaign to continue momentum for the rebuilding and maintenance of homes for legacy Lower 9th Ward residents.
“lowernine.org has been dedicated to the short- and long-term disaster recovery and sustainable revitalization of the Lower 9th Ward since Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing levee breaches rendered 100 percent of residential properties uninhabitable. The organization’s affordable home rebuild program focuses exclusively on legacy residents – a 98.1% Black population, with an income level well below the national average,” said lowernine.org Executive Director, Laura Paul.
The #50states “ambassador” fundraising initiative will recognize a leader from every state committed to raising $1,000 by Sept. 30th to support lowernine.org’s ongoing work. The campaign is located here: https://support.lowernine.org/_50states.
“Over the years, lowernine.org has hosted volunteers from every state, and 35 different countries, who have helped repair and rebuild homes in the Lower 9th Ward. To date, the value of their volunteer labor exceeds $10 million,” said Paul.
The organization is also launching a new and improved website on August 23th, the date that Hurricane Katrina formed in the Gulf 20 years ago. Besides sharing the organization’s history and impact in the Lower 9th Ward, individuals and groups can sign up to volunteer for the home rebuild program, Tuesdays-Saturdays, and learn valuable home maintenance skills.
“Over the past 20 years, lowernine.org has fully rebuilt 98 homes and made repairs to over 400 more in this two-square mile neighborhood. The organization also operates a food pantry on Saturdays, providing commodities to an average of 160 households a week,” said Paul.
“The new lowernine.org website also features a timeline of significant events, from the 2005 storm’s development, landfall, and levee breaches, to more recent storms and destruction in the Lower 9th Ward, as well as significant structural and program failures in the area such as the Road Home Program and the Make it Right Foundation,” Paul said.
“If you believe in the importance of equitable disaster recovery, please consider making a donation to lowernine.org, a 501(c)(3) organization at www.lowernine.org,” Paul said.