Slowly, like so many others in the same position, Mack slowly found out about the whereabouts of his children and immediate family. Unfortunately, like other residents of the Ninth Ward, Mack was unable to so much as to see their homes and get some kind of closure or idea about was happening with their community, their futures and their pasts.

After seeing the incredible damage to his neighborhood and to his own home, Mack said that “I had never felt so vulnerable, violated and despondent as I did that day.” This was the start of a path that would have lifelong effects in both Mack’s world and the community that he now serves.

“I had my towing business and I loved working on antique cars, so I bought a building to do just that, seems that life had other ideas for me.” These words would ring more and more true as he found his calling and his passion. The original inspiration for the now indispensable Lower Ninth Ward Village is Mack’s memories of the community center that he enjoyed and frequented as a youth. He took his beloved building that was going to house antique cars and slowly gave over to the idea of building a “hub” for the entire Ninth Ward.

“What good would it be for me to fix my house and be back home if I was the only one on my block?” Mack, who to this day is still in a FEMA trailer, asked himself that very same question. This epiphany was the catalyst for change not only in Mack’s life, but for the community he loves and is a part of.

Eventhough, The Lower Ninth Ward Village is coming along and serves as a great meeting place for so many people and groups. Katrina Corps is asking you to help fund the repairs for Mack’s home. Instead of immediately fixing his own house and thinking of himself first, Mack started putting his own money and time into the idea of the Lower Ninth Ward village.

He needs $17,000 to complete the home with appliances. If each person gives $25 and each group gives $200 that would cover the expenses of this project.

On August 28th, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the southern coast of the United States.

An estimated 1,800 people lost there lives.

The storm caused more then $81 billion in damage.

The images of people on top of buildings, holding up signs, crying for help, became symbols of the devastation and the response.

We are recognizing one Madison woman’s commitment and compassion for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Given to people who have gone above and beyond through volunteering, Pam Murtaugh, is this month’s Jefferson award winner, and “Someone You Should Know.”

Eighteen months after Hurricane Katrina hit, Pam Murtaugh heard parts of the city still looked like the first days following storm.

“Every nook and cranny, the closet where you stored Christmas wrapping paper, the drawers where you held your canceled checks, all had been opened and washed together into this great heap by sewage and flood waters,” said Pam.

So from Madison, Pam rallied some friends and started Katrina Corps, an organization of volunteers ready and willing to do hard labor to bring New Orleans back to life.

“And, we showed up to say we’re inviting the youth of the nation to come and help us reclaim this city,” said Pam.

Volunteers give a week of their time, paying their own way.

Boots were on the ground starting Spring Break 2007. About 50 volunteers came that first week. Their mission: gut and clean out homes down to the 2 x 4′s.

“The very first week, Katrina Corps gutted more houses in a week than had ever been gutted by a particular group,” said Pam.

Pam was behind the scenes, helping to organize it all, giving her time and personal resources.

“Okay, you have to have trucks, okay, you have to have to feed people, you have to have hazmat suits, you have to have gas masks,” said Pam.

It is obvious Pam has mixed emotions about her time in New Orleans.

She now has lingering health issues from breathing in black mold.

She’s also torn between the amazing work volunteers have done and the mixed reaction they received there.

“Those that kept up appearances that they were supporting the recovery, and those that actually supporting of the recovery,” said Pam.

But Pam wouldn’t let some resistance stop her.

She was determined to help get people back into their homes.

“It was bigger than the work to be done,” said Pam. “It was honoring the families lives that had been there and making way for people to come home.”

Two and a half years later, Katrina Corps has gutted 120 homes, helped rebuild 210 homes and buildings, including schools, and has hosted more than 5,000 volunteers.

“I think she impacted a lot of lives,” said Jim Blair.

Jim Blair of Madison supported Pam’s mission and nominated her for the Jefferson Award.

“There were a lot of people who potentially would lose their home if they didn’t go through their homes and basically gut out the interior of their homes; the homes were going to be destroyed,” said Jim Blair.

“It’s this amazing gesture of love that people are making in an ongoing way that I am just grateful to have been a part of,” said Pam. “It was needed to be done and I was able to help make it happen.”

Because of her vision and commitment, Pam Murtaugh, is this month’s recipient of the Jefferson Award.

“We can’t forget the potential for power that we have to do good and that because we are alive we can change the world,” said Pam.

For more information on Katrina Corps visit: http://katrinacorps.org/

AP photo
Vice President Joe Biden meets with members of the White House economic team earlier this month to discuss the economic impact of the Recovery Act.

WASHINGTON — Republican members of the Louisiana congressional delegation opposed it; Gov. Bobby Jindal used a nationally televised address to deride it; and many in New Orleans saw it as a missed opportunity to help the city’s hurricane recovery.

But the Obama administration’s $786 billion stimulus package is contributing in important ways to rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, Vice President Joe Biden told The Times-Picayune in advance of the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Biden’s comments marked the administration’s most vigorous and detailed defense of the stimulus bill in the face of local concern that the measure ignored the needs of a community recovering from the nation’s costliest disaster.

“A lot of money in the stimulus act — covering everything from construction, infrastructure to education — is money that is discretionary, and the discretionary money is designed to go to the places with the most need or the most innovation,” Biden said…

Retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Doug O’Dell, who was coordinator of the federal Office of Gulf Coast Rebuilding under President Bush when the Obama administration took over, said he had advised Janet Napolitano, before she took command of the Department of Homeland Security, that the new administration should use the stimulus package as an opportunity to transcend ongoing funding battles between FEMA and Louisiana officials in a number of high-profile situations.

Doug O’Dell
Advised Obama administration to use stimulus money to rebuild N.O. health care system

Among those situations, O’Dell said, were “Charity, Tulane, LSU Health Science, criminal justice facilities, Orleans Parish sewer and water” — all of which he said could have been rolled into a $1.5 billion “silver bullet to make all those problems go away, and still minuscule in the whole panoply” of the stimulus package.

Obama assigned Biden to oversee implementation of the two-year Recovery Act, which was signed into law in February. All the Republicans in the Louisiana delegation voted against the stimulus package, and Gov. Bobby Jindal rejected some monies that he thought “would ultimately burden the state with greater costs.”

“We only had a couple of governors who weren’t crazy about receiving billions of dollars,” Biden said.

But, he said, “we’ve announced over $3.3 billion just out of the Recovery Act for Louisiana, a significant portion of that — $2.2 billion — has actually been made available, and they’ve spent about a half a billion so far, and they are about on track as other states, . . . and I was really pleased, and I mean this sincerely, genuinely pleased that the governor has embraced this.”

‘Real-life dollars’

The Recovery Act includes 22 highway and transit projects in Orleans Parish, for which more than $50 million have been obligated.

“Two of the largest road projects are repairing hurricane damage (and) slated to begin this fall, likely November,” Biden said. “Twelve million bucks for Fleur de Lis Drive, near the levee breach at the 17th Street Canal — I’ve been stuck in traffic there — and $9.6 million for Earhart Boulevard, . . . actual real-life dollars going to projects that have been stalled since the hurricane.”

New Orleans has also received $7.6 million to be distributed this fall to those at risk of becoming homeless.

Biden also singled out a $5 million neighborhood-improvement grant for the Holy Cross neighborhood in the Lower 9th Ward.

For the full article: http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/08/_4309291_doug_odell_advised.html
Jonathan Tilove can be reached at jtilove@timespicayune.com or 202.383.7827.

We volunteered with Katrina Corps. (Please see photos.)
We saw people suffering, homeless, jobless, penniless and hopeless.
We saw people hurting … bad.
We feel sad because there is overwhelming work to be done and few resources. We need help.
We also saw hope and goodwill.
Would you be willing to donate…?

…Your time as a volunteer ( best experience in the world!)

…posters for the class rooms and nurses offices (contact Ray@katrinacorps.org)

…an air conditioned mini van for volunteers to get back and forth to job sites
(They currently have to rent a van which costs $120.00 per day)

…windows for schools
(I did not see one window that was transparent. Imagine your child sitting in class and not being able to see out the windows.)

…extermination services for schools (the bug problem is bad)

…construction services (Is there a slow time of year when you could donate your services?)

…$ Money $ to buy supplies such as paint, tools, ladders, etc… no donation is too small)

To donate money go directly to http://www.katrinacorps.org/
Katrina Corps is under the umbrella of the non-profit organization Pangaea Quest, which has 501(c)(3) status. Your donation is tax-deductible.
(You do not need a PayPal account to make a donation; you may use any major credit card.)
Donate by Mail: We also accept donations via check. They may be sent to:
• Katrina Corps
2710 Dauphine st.
New Orleans, LA 70117
Thank you for your time. Please look at the video.
A Week Volunteering in New Orleans

We volunteered with Katrina Corps. (Please see photos.)
We saw people suffering, homeless, jobless, penniless and hopeless.
We saw people hurting … bad.
We feel sad because there is overwhelming work to be done and few resources. We need help.
We also saw hope and goodwill.
Would you be willing to donate…?

…Your time as a volunteer ( best experience in the world!)

…posters for the class rooms and nurses offices (contact Ray@katrinacorps.org)

…an air conditioned mini van for volunteers to get back and forth to job sites
(They currently have to rent a van which costs $120.00 per day)

…windows for schools
(I did not see one window that was transparent. Imagine your child sitting in class and not being able to see out the windows.)

…extermination services for schools (the bug problem is bad)

…construction services (Is there a slow time of year when you could donate your services?)

…$ Money $ to buy supplies such as paint, tools, ladders, etc… no donation is too small)

To donate money go directly to http://www.katrinacorps.org/
Katrina Corps is under the umbrella of the non-profit organization Pangaea Quest, which has 501(c)(3) status. Your donation is tax-deductible.
(You do not need a PayPal account to make a donation; you may use any major credit card.)
Donate by Mail: We also accept donations via check. They may be sent to:
• Katrina Corps
2710 Dauphine st.
New Orleans, LA 70117
Thank you for your time. See the photos in the Katrina Corps photo galleries!!
Please forward this to 5 people you know.

With Gratitude,

Annie Watson

…On a personal note I want to thank you for the attention and help you gave my daughter and her friends in the spring. Working with the Katrina Corps was a life changing experience for all of them.

Sincerely,

Mr. Allen, Santa Barbara, CA

I’m guessing I’m not the first person to say that to you. You’ve probably heard it a lot during your time here in the New Orleans area, from the people whose homes and schools you’ve worked to put back together and whose favorite public spaces you’ve helped revive, or from those who’ve just crossed your paths somewhere along the way. You may have also heard some variation on the theme, based on the memorable line from Streetcar Named Desire about relying on the kindness of strangers. Perhaps it’s grown old by now.

But be patient. Please indulge us for getting emotional at the sight of a busload of you, heading out for a long day of work or treating yourselves to ice cream after a job well done. It’s just that we find it kind of overwhelming that you’re back again, or here for the first time, after 3 1/2 years.

Think about that; at your age, 3 1/2 years is an awfully big chunk of time. It’s probably hard for you to fully appreciate how it feels to be well into 2009, yet still living amid the wreckage of 2005.

You also might not grasp what it’s like to feel as if the rest of the world moved on a long time ago. We keep hearing about Katrina fatigue — honestly, don’t you think we have it too?

Yet we work hard to remind people that the vast majority of the Katrina victims aren’t scam artists. They’re just regular people whose only sin was thinking that the federal government’s levees wouldn’t disintegrate, homeowners fighting to get back to where they were on Aug. 28, 2005, when they still had houses and communities.

So thank you for not needing to be reminded.

You are not unique or even unusual for being here, but that doesn’t make you bit players. You are part of something enormous, something powerful. Every time you roll up your sleeves and pick up a hammer or screwdriver or shovel or paintbrush or garden hoe or ladle, you move a mountain.

Collectively, you’ve helped to save a way of life. My colleague Bruce Nolan, who writes about the flood of volunteers that hasn’t let up since the storm, swears that some of you have actually saved lives, literally, by showing up at exactly the moment when someone was ready to give up hope, and asking what you could do to help.

And you didn’t just help. You let people tell you their stories, allowed them to get some of the hurt out. You met people whose lives are very different from yours, and you showed them the respect and appreciation they deserve. You found joy in what’s quirky and wonderful about this place, and you gave it back to those who need it most. You listened, and for that, we thank you.

And there’s one other thing. You’ve shown enormous heart, even when your leaders have too often been heartless.

It was bad at all levels of government, but worst at the top, among the crowd that was in charge when the storm hit.

From the early days when they dithered while the city drowned, through years of bureaucratic fighting over rebuilding projects, they tried to distance themselves from the tragedy. They didn’t want to deal with it. They thought the people they represent all over the country didn’t have the will, or the interest, or the attention span, to rebuild an essential American city.

They talked down to you, in assuming you’d forgotten, or were too self-involved to care after the cable news moved on to the next big story.

You proved them wrong. And for that, we thank you most of all.

Stephanie Grace, Staff Writer, Times Picayune

If I’m lucky I’ll see you again before I leave for Australia. I am writing an email to all my friends about my trip and would like to include some of the stats that Marshall informed us about on our tour so if you have a source you prefer, I’d like to use that. Also I am encouraging them to donate to Katrina Corps…

M

We were told to go out and meet the people and to talk to them; I never expected to meet the people I did. And then to hear their stories was mind blowing. Talking to “Box” who is Fats Domino’s drummer, to talk to Miss Antoinette K-Doe; to talk to Guitar Slim Jr. whose father is a legend, to talk to Chucky C. To here what these leaders of jazz went through and yet how they continue to keep going gives me nothing but inspiration. As corny as it sounds, I benefited for more by going there than what I could ever give back. The dorm was not that great obviously, but all you do is sleep there so it personally didn’t bother me (and it was better than a gym floor). To all volunteers I say go to Bourbon street, talk to the musicians. Talk to the waiters and waitresses, talk to the voodoo priestess’. The group I was with went to “Naw’Lins Flava” twice. Yes the food was fantastic, but talking to Bruce the waiter and Chef Joy the owner made me realize just how incredible the city is. “Voluntourism” is my new favorite word.

I’m telling about my experience to all my co-workers in Carbon County Wyoming, and some are already wanting to go next year. Wyoming is a small state so word travels very fast amongst teachers throughout the state, so hopefully we will have more than just my name on that map for Wyoming.

In our area, we have some very well to do companies in the fields of oil, natural gas, and coal. If you have information I could give to these companies, I know they would probably donate money. Locally we have Devon (world’s largest oil exploration company) and Sinclair.

Thank you for your group and all that you do!!!
Tim Handle

Katrina Corps is currently helping clean up a former middle school and turn it into a community center/art center/etc called the Studio at Colton (http://www.cano-la.org/studio_at_colton.html). Our task today was painting on the third floor – through the day we got white on the walls and ceiling of an alcove and one hallway, then did the baseboards black in the alcove and three hallways. The day flew by and after painting baseboards all afternoon sitting on the tile floor my butt was so cold.

Part of the Studio at Colton is already open for business though, so as we painted through the day there was a steady stream of visitors coming by for the Prospect 1 art exhibit (http://www.prospectneworleans.org/) and a small craft fair. We just told the visitors we were the performance art piece. It was a good day…..

BUTLER STUDENT VOLUNTEERS FOR KATRINA VICTIMS

INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 17, 2008)—Some college students use Fall Break to relax, but Butler University senior John McCullough wanted to do something more worthwhile on his vacation. McCullough organized a service trip for the Sigma Chi fraternity to aid the New Orleans recovery effort from Hurricane Katrina.

Geography is no boundary for McCullough, a Seattle native. He chose to study political science and history at Butler to live in a new part of the country, while still having the safety of extended family in the area. With the hopes of law school in his future, McCullough had two goals for his last fall vacation: he wanted to do something meaningful, but also escape the Indianapolis cold. He thought of New Orleans first because it was a part of the country he had never visited, so he started researching potential service opportunities.

“I got on the Internet and found dozens of relief organizations, so I literally spent all night sending emails,” McCullough said.
His search led him to Katrina Corps, a grassroots organization formed in December 2006 run entirely by volunteers that undertakes projects in New Orleans. The organization maintains flexibility in the projects it manages and helps rebuild houses and schools.

McCullough immediately decided to recruit his friends to help make his vision a reality. He found five fraternity brothers that were also enthusiastic about the opportunity and continued from there.
“It just came together,” McCullough said, “but getting the money to do it
was the hardest part.”
McCullough petitioned and received a grant from the Sigma Chi chapter to cover their gasoline expenses and then turned his attention to housing. He considered staying with Katrina Corps, which provides lodging for a small fee, but another student going on the trip knew a family that was moving to New Orleans a week after fall break. The family let the students stay in their house free of charge.
“That saved us a lot of money, but it was weird because there was no furniture… literally nothing,” McCullough said.
There was no time to lounge around the empty house, however, because they were kept busy working eight hours a day on the Colton School. The old high school was assigned for demolition, but Katrina Corps did not want the historic building with beautiful architecture and marble to be torn down.
Ray Thomas, project manager and leader of the volunteer effort for Katrina Corps, decided the school was an excellent project for the organization to take on.
“We couldn’t give up on the idea that there is something really positive to come from it,” Thomas said.
With the help of McCullough and his friends, the Colton School was remodeled to become an arts collaborative where children will be able to go after school to learn about different types of art– from painting to sculpting to metal working. The Sigma Chi men helped paint, clean up garbage, install doors and move heavy furniture to help prepare for the school’s opening.
“People were skeptical and said ‘oh, these are the frat guys’ when we came, but we ended up doing the dirty work,” McCullough said. “A lot of it was jobs other volunteers couldn’t or didn’t want to do.”

Thomas agreed that they all showed an excellent work ethic. Scott Lindemann, a long-time friend of McCullough and fellow volunteer on the trip, has always seen this kind of dedication in McCullough. Lindemann, a senior business major at Butler, said he is inspired by McCullough’s hard work.

“Whenever he has a chance to create opportunities, he does,” Lindemann said. “He gets an idea and runs with it. For this [project], he put his time and effort in, and it payed off.”
Katrina Corps wants to promote New Orleans as a city filled with culture and historical firsts, which is why the organization is dedicated to helping its recovery. McCullough said he enjoyed the atmosphere and laid back attitude of culture.
According to Campus Compact, an organization that encourages service-oriented events for students, alternative breaks like McCullough’s are becoming increasingly popular among college students. In 2007, this type of trip was the fourth most popular
civic engagement program universities offered. Although McCullough created his own experience, Butler provides an alternative break opportunity in which 45 students and advisors participated this year.
Thomas said Katrina Corps could not do what it does without the help of volunteers. McCullough is one of over 3000 volunteers that has helped Katrina Corps complete 400 projects in the past two years. The organization inspires its volunteers with the motto “impossible is nothing.” McCullough said through this experience he learned what a difference a few people can make, and that anything truly is possible.

“I had no idea how fun it would be. I’m already looking for opportunities to go back and help because it was so rewarding,” McCullough said. “I really felt like I made an impact.”

Thanks again,
Jake Gafner

http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=9337173

Tara, Volunteer Coordinator

Miho


Thank you so much to everyone who participated…their time, energy, and
products for this doozie of an episode. It was the most massive effort
ever and it was just amazing the group that came together to pull it all off.
The house and the church both turned out so, so great. The families and
members of the church will benefit from your contributions hopefully for
many generations.

Learn more here: http://www.extremeneworleans.com/

If you catch the episode, look for KC volunteers in the blue shirts!

I am a preschool director who recently had one week off in June prior to the start of our summer program. Since my life tends to be very hectic as a single mom with a full-time career, I often look for places to go on my vacation that are relaxing so I can de-stress from the school year. However, having had a year filled with much drama, I decided to look for something different as I felt the need to bring some perspective back into my life and I thought volunteering might be the way to do this. I came across your organization through volunteermatch.com and decided the opportunity that was presented to help schools in New Orleans get ready for returning students was particularly interesting to me and would allow me to give back to the educational community. The age range of volunteers also allowed me to bring my teenage son along as well and offered him the opportunity to connect with people outside of his life in San Francisco and put in some community service hours for high school credits.

During the week we spent with Katrina Corps, we had the opportunity to work in the New Orleans area on two gutting and restoration projects -one outside of the city and one in the lower 9th ward. We also helped beautify a school in the city that had not had flooding but was well-used and in need of some tender loving care. It was all extremely exhausting, hard, hot work but was well balanced with outings in the evenings to have fantastic meals and hear great music. I somehow came back from the trip feeling very refreshed, rejuvenated and emotionally at peace more than I ever have from one of my relaxing vacations! My goal was to lend a hand and hopefully, help my son get a new perspective on his life (i.e. quit the griping about not being able to download music quickly to his ipod because his laptop is too old, etc.). Not only were these goals accomplished but my son also gained a focus in life. He has decided he wants to quickly finish high school and then head back down to continue helping out with the rebuilding process, focusing on the New Orleans and the Gulf Region disaster relief. I couldn’t have asked for more! Since my family originally came from Louisiana and some are still based there, having him reconnect to his roots was an added bonus.

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to give back. Your organization is not only changing the lives of those affected by Hurricane Katrina but also the volunteers who work with you. I look forward to volunteering with you in the future as does my son, Eric!

Best wishes,

Annette

I know it sounds cliché, but the smells and sounds are what I remember most. There is so much about New Orleans that, from a glance, I did not like: the drinking, the partying, the smoking, the strip bars. But somehow things that mattered more to me showed themselves: Jazz clubs, Art, Tattoos, Southern drawls, Humid sticky, sweatiness, Kind folk, Volunteers, Genuine Hearts, Southern cuisine, Music, and more music. A Groove that was contagious.

I wanted so badly to paint my heart out—paint every school that needed painting. But, I have learned from my battle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that balance is key. So, I worked with Ray, Spencer, Marshall & Terry to make it happen my own way (with breaks, and one day off to rest). Ray set the schedule for the day. Spencer kept me company with his cute pup Casey. Marshall and Terry worked the field with me, and all were true caretakers. We also worked with RSD (Recovering School District). Troy, a 6’5” native Orleanian was RSD’s lead. His enthusiasm was infectious. There was also another guy from Americorps, Chris. He was working 40-hour weeks, with minimal pay. By the end, I helped manage 450 volunteers from Tulane University—wow that was a hefty ride. Katrina Corps was always front and center, happy to help me find my way. I appreciated their hospitality.

After visiting Ernie K. Doe’s and Preservation Hall Jazz band, I spent the rest of my free time in the 9th ward. I was and still am shocked. It is amazing to me how much neglect I saw, how fragile human life is to nature and how action, rather than lip-service, is the only way to unite and repair. Everywhere I turned in New Orleans, I felt warmth and welcome. I hope to return soon for volunteer experience II.

Thank you kindly and sincerely,

Quinn

Maggie
Woodlands School
Milwaukee, WI

I am trying to raise money for you guys. I hope something comes of it.

I love you all and will be back.

With love and gratitude,
Annie