The road to recovery after a major storm is a long one. On the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was hit by Hurricane Ida, a Category-4 hurricane that brought significant destruction to southern Louisiana and left hundreds of thousands of people without power in the summer heat. After the storm, NOAHH immediately began assessing the needs of the community, including our partner families and homeowners, and sending out our Construction Crew to help.
New Orleans Habitat has activated our Disaster Relief & Recovery Fund in response to Ida to provide immediate disaster relief resources and serve as the leader in long-term rebuilding efforts. Our friends at Houston Habitat for Humanity donated a truckload of blue tarps for use as temporary coverings for damaged roofs. NOAHH coordinated with local nonprofit Feed the Second Line, Thrive New Orleans, and City Councilwoman Cyndi Nguyen to help getting tarps to local culture-bearers and others in need.
NOAHH has deployed 800 blue tarps, provided guidance on FEMA applications to 88 partner families and Habitat homeowners, referred or assisted 85 members of the public who were seeking aid, and assessed 86 homes for damages, providing blue tarps for five, repairing two roofs, removing a fallen tree, and making other repairs to another four homes. Helping homeowners with insurance claims became a major project as well. Within a month of the storm, NOAHH initiated weekly volunteer projects for those affected by the storm, with the goal of helping people to stay in their homes.
“I own my home, and I’m gonna do all I can to keep it,” said Ronald Major, Jr., whose home needed extensive repairs after Hurricane Ida. “There’s a lot of people like me who can say they can get back into their homes because of Habitat.”
Lafitte Mayor Tim Kerner greets Habitat staff and volunteers during an Ida relief trip.
Volunteers taking a short break during a relief trip.
Damage to the Habitat offices after Hurricane Ida. Repairs are underway!
The A Brush With Kindness program addresses community needs that go beyond simply paint and roof tarps. NOAHH has completed nearly 300 home repair projects since the program began. To apply for home repair services, please email us at abwk@habitat-nola.org or call 504-609-3328.
