September 12, 2008
Contact:
Lynn Long, 504-669-0576, L2media@cox.net
Erin Angell Collins, 202-220-6317, ecollins@nw.org
Hillary Rowe, 404-526-1299, hrowe@nw.org
NeighborWorks America Announces $223,000 in Hurricane Gustav Relief Grants to Gulf Coast Partners
Washington, D.C. –
NeighborWorks America is providing $223,000 in emergency relief grants to organizations in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The grants support groups helping residents who evacuated prior to the storm with food and shelter needs as they return to their communities.
The groups receiving assistance include:
- Lafayette Restoration Center, Lafayette, La.
- Southern Mutual Help Association, New Iberia, La.
- United Houma Nation, Raceland, La.
- Hancock County Development Foundation, Bay Saint Louis, Miss.
- Boat People SOS, Biloxi, Miss.
- Gulf Coast Latin American Association, Biloxi, Miss.
- Housing 2010, Moss Point, Miss.
- Community Service Programs of West Alabama, Inc., Tuscaloosa, Ala.
One group, Lafayette Restoration Center, is finding good use for their grant. Lafayette Restoration Center assisted with the evacuation and reentry of over 100 community members. More than 50 homes in the community were destroyed, including the home of a Lafayette Restoration Center volunteer and her daughter. The volunteer and her daughter, a college student at the University of Louisiana, lost everything when a tree demolished their home and destroyed all of their possessions, including an electronic wheelchair belonging to the student. Lafayette Restoration Center will work to rebuild this community and provide the student a new electronic wheelchair using this funding.
NeighborWorks is one of the country’s largest housing and community development organizations and is actively engaged in Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts. NeighborWorks is supporting an array of rebuilding activities across the Gulf Coast to meet its rebuilding goals, including the development or rehabilitation of 10,000 affordable housing units.
NeighborWorks America CEO Ken Wade said, “Many of the residents returning to their homes following Hurricane Gustav are still recovering from the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The groups we support today have been a vital link to community recovery and NeighborWorks is committed to the continued support of these organizations.”
NeighborWorks America is managing its Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts from two regional offices in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Jackson, Mississippi. The offices are staffed by James Ross and Wes Miller respectively.
About NeighborWorks America
NeighborWorks America creates opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. Since 1991, we have assisted nearly 1.2 million low- to moderate-income families with their housing needs. Much of our success is achieved through our support of the NeighborWorks network ― more than 230 community development organizations working in more than 4,400 urban, suburban and rural communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $15 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation’s leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals. www.nw.org.
