Fact sheet – progress after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Habitat for Humanity’s hurricane-response program was implemented to help low-income, hurricane-affected families in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama build permanent housing.

The program began immediately after Hurricane Katrina and expanded after Hurricane Rita. Now, the Gulf Recovery Effort is being led directly by the Habitat affiliates along the Gulf Coast.
Construction

• The first Habitat hurricane-response house began construction in early October 2005, just six weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit.

• The 500th hurricane-response home began construction in November 2006.

• The 700th hurricane-response home began construction in January 2007.

• More than 1,300 Habitat hurricane-response homes have been built.

• Tens of thousands of volunteers have worked with Habitat for Humanity to carry out recovery efforts.

Partnerships

• Habitat is working with other organizations to help low-income families in the region.

• Habitat’s ongoing partnership with Church World Service is helping to fund the repair of nearly 650 homes for low-income families over a three-year period.

• Habitat’s partnership with Rebuilding Together helped to repair 235 houses.

• The Habitat for Humanity and Church World Service home-repair partnership was given the “Award of Excellence” by the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (April 19, 2007).

• Habitat is working with The Salvation Army to increase building capacity, provide housing for volunteers and make homes along the Gulf Coast more affordable.

• Lutheran Social Services and other Katrina Aid Today consortium members are also actively engaged in helping families find appropriate housing solutions, including Habitat homes.

• Habitat volunteers have also helped remove debris and clean more than 2,500 homes in preparation for rehabilitation.

Additional facts

• The work in the Gulf Coast continues as Habitat continues to help families build homes in more than 1,600 communities across the United States and Canada, and in more than 90 countries around the world.

• Habitat for Humanity was the first home builder to start construction in Mobile, Ala., after the storm.

• Work began in November 2005, and the first family moved into its new home in March 2006.On May 21, 2007, in St. Bernard Parish, La., Habitat for Humanity raised walls on its 1,000th hurricane-response home with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn. Habitat also raised walls on its 1,001st home to signify the ongoing, long-term effort.

• In May 2008 the Carters returned to the Gulf Coast for the 2008 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, where thousands of volunteers helped to build more than 250 Habitat for Humanity homes.

Habitat for Humanity has built its infrastructure along the Gulf Coast and currently requires 1,000 volunteers per week. Volunteers can get involved in the effort by visiting the “Volunteer Opportunities” page and then contacting a Habitat affiliate directly.