Gulf Recovery Effort News Updates

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Slidell, La., family gets a fresh start with Habitat for Humanity
Before Hurricane Katrina hit, East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity in Slidell, La., had already approved Felicia Claude and her two children, 16-year-old Stacie and 10-year-old John, as a partner family. Felicia had contributed “sweat equity” by working on other Habitat houses.

A New Beginning
“I was just happy to live through it,” Stacey Mosley said, describing her experience during Hurricane Katrina. “I’ve never been through something like that -- and to be with my daughter -- I had to be strong for her and just hold it together.”

Habitat for Humanity celebrates 500th post-Katrina house
This past November Habitat for Humanity gave thanks as volunteers raised the walls on the 500th Habitat for Humanity home to be built since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ravaged the Gulf Coast. Built just outside of Mobile, Ala., the 500th house marks the halfway milestone in Habitat’s goal to build 1,000 homes along the Gulf Coast by mid-summer 2007.

Almost home
Alessandra Ricard recalls her reaction when she heard the frantic voicemail left from New Orleans by one of her sisters. “I heard it, and I think I just passed out,” said Alessandra, who goes by Sandy. “She was crying. And she was telling me she was on the bridge at the airport and she had run into one of our old neighborhood friends. He was telling her that he had seen my parents and my sister and my two nephews. They were all on the roof. They had been on the roof for two days.”

Change that tune
News that Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. and Habitat for Humanity would build a Musicians’ Village together generated worldwide buzz--and high hopes among low-income musicians and non-musicians alike in New Orleans.

Cars for Homes sponsors home in the Gulf
Before Hurricane Katrina hit, Rosario (Rosie) August and her four children had already qualified to become homeowners with Ginger Ford Habitat for Humanity.

At home on the bayou
Bob and Doris Meyer began an idyllic love affair with Habitat for Humanity in l997 when they signed on as volunteers with Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County in Tampa, Fla. Four years later, this energetic twosome would be lured from their home in the West Florida coastal community of Valrico to the Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP) in far-away South Korea.

Couple plans Habitat honeymoon
While other couples plan to spend their honeymoons on a luxury cruise to a tropical island or relaxing at an all-inclusive resort, Jillian Vieira and Joe Belanger plan to spend theirs swinging hammers on a Habitat for Humanity construction site. Early on July 1, the day after they wed in their hometown of Providence, R.I., the couple will catch a flight south, so they can build in Biloxi, Miss.

Baptist hands build 12 homes
More than 450 volunteers traveled to Baton Rouge, La., for the Baptist Blitz Build, from April 23 to May 5, to build 12 Habitat for Humanity houses with victims of hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Julie Justus, who works for Baptist World Aid, took part in the first week of building. Her reflection on the experience is reprinted from the BWA Web site with permission.