Benefit Organizations
All profits from "Signs of Life: Surviving
Katrina"
will go to benefit the following organizations who
are
still providing post-Katrina relief work along the
Gulf Coast.
Common Ground Relief
Common Ground Relief was formed in the wake of Hurricane
Katrina to provide immediate aid to residents in the
Gulf Coast region and long term support in rebuilding
their communities in just and sustainable ways.
Hurricanes and flooding of 2005 devastated much of
Gulf Coast. Because of historic under investment in
public infrastructure, poor Black, Asian and Native
American communities were hardest hit.
In the days, weeks and months following Katrina, government
and official relief organizations have failed to meet
basic needs for shelter, food and healthcare in these
communities. Long standing injustices of racism, inadequate
healthcare, education and housing, ill designed levees,
and police harassment and brutality have been exposed.
Common Ground is working to meet the immediate needs
of these communities while initiating long term strategies
to address these problems and stabilize these communities.
Since Sept. 2005, Common Ground, a grassroots, volunteer
organization, has an average of 150-300 volunteers
on the ground at any time and a network of over 8000
volunteers. We have provided relief to 70,000 residents
in seven Parishes including Orleans, St.Bernard, Plaquemine,
Terrabone, St. Tammany, St.Charles and St.Marys.
Every day Common Ground volunteers support operations
in Algiers, Mid City, the 9th Ward and the Houma area.
Our vision of building a sustainable community has
expanded in the Woodland Apartments where we have
secured management rights to a 361 unit apartment
complex on 13 acres. With a strong Tenant Association
setting the plan, the residents are building a safe
community, rents have been reduced, and clean up and
repairs have begun. A community center, kids program,
community garden and computer lab are being planned.
Hands On Network
Hands
On Gulf Coast represents a dynamic approach to
disaster response; collaborating with non-profits
and faith based groups; utilizing the leadership of
local government; backed by corporate resources; and
mobilized by the sweat equity of volunteers. Hands
On Gulf Coast is a part of a growing global movement
of Hands
On Network affiliates that mobilize volunteers
to "Be The Change".
Hands
On Network’s mission has been bolstered
by a unique partnership with The Home Depot and other
members of the Corporate Service Council, an alliance
of 47 Fortune 500 companies and civic organizations
committed to mobilizing the corporate workforce to
be a community change force throughout North America.
The Hands On Campaign aims to inspire, recruit and
train 100,000 volunteer leaders to manage volunteer
projects in their own communities.
About Hands On Gulf Coast
Since September 2005, Hands
On Gulf Coast has:
- mobilized
more than 2,500 volunteers from nearly every state
in the country;
-
provided over 270,000 hours of service; housing
150+ per day;
-
delivered volunteer labor valued at $4.86M;
gutted more than 660 houses, including Biloxi City
Hall ($1.65M);
-
treated 240 houses for mold (labor costs per house
average $7K-10K per house).
About Hands On Network
Hands
On Network brings people together to strengthen
communities through meaningful volunteer action. We
are a growing network of a half million volunteers
changing communities inside and outside the United
States. Hands
On Network creates and manages nearly 50,000 projects
a year, from building wheelchair ramps in San Francisco
to teaching reading in Atlanta, to rebuilding homes
and lives in the Gulf coast communities.
Hands
On Network is currently made up of 58 national
and international volunteer organizations that act
as entrepreneurial civic action centers. Together,
we can help people be the change they want to see
in their communities.
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