Hurricane Katrina:
Ten years later A
By Megan Brandsrud
ug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina
slammed into the Gulf Coast, wreak- ing havoc from the Florida Panhandle to western Louisiana and killing 1,833 people. Approxi- mately 90,000-square miles were declared federal disaster areas and 1 million homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed, making it the most destructive and costliest disaster in U.S. history. ELCA members took action
by off ering their time and skills to volunteer in the area and by giving more than $27 million to Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) to support recovery. LDR staff imme- diately began coordinating with its network of social ministry organiza- tions around the country to support the eff orts. Working with affi liates, it also provided disaster case man- agement services to approximately 11,000 households from 2005 to 2008 with the support of $8 million from Katrina Aid Today. A component of the ELCA’s
response was the emotional and spiritual care off ered to those aff ected by Katrina. Congregations and pastoral care services provided a ministry of presence and to dem- onstrate Christ’s compassion. “One of the greatest achieve-
ments of Katrina response for the Lutheran community was the outpouring of volunteers, and the
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Emma Giron’s house in St. Bernard Parish near New Orleans was one of the million homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. When she returned some months later, she found her home fi lled with mud up to her knees. In the months following Katrina, Lutheran Disaster Response arranged for volunteers to assist with home rehabilitation. Giron built friendships with the crew who helped fi x her house.
“We helped volunteers
steadfast ministry provided by Lutheran congregations and pas- tors in the areas aff ected by Hur- ricane Katrina,” said Kevin Massey, LDR associate director from 2005 to 2006. Congregations in the aff ected
areas set up hosting centers and provided hospitality to thousands of volunteers over the years follow- ing Hurricane Katrina. Christus Victor Lutheran Church in Ocean Springs, Miss., alone housed 50,000 volunteers from all 50 states and 20 countries at its Camp Victor. “What a Relief!” was a volunteer
program started by LDR as a 2006 alternative spring break program. It expanded to coordinate 50,000 volunteers during the four years fol- lowing Hurricane Katrina.
understand the realities of long-term response and the vital role they were playing,” said Mike Nevergall, LDR program associate from 2005 to 2007. “It’s neat to think back on how many young adults had a faith forma- tional experience as a part of those trips.”
Thank God for the Lutherans Emma Giron’s house in St. Bernard Parish, 5 miles east of New Orleans, was one of the million homes dam- aged by the hurricane. She and her sons managed to evacuate before the storm hit, but they knew from watching news reports from a Hous- ton hotel room that their home was right in Katrina’s path. “We went back to look at the
house and it was full of mud up to our knees. We would later fi nd out that there were snakes living in that mud,” Giron said. “I had no idea what to do. T at’s when the Luther- ans called me.” T at was about a year aſt er Hur- ricane Katrina. Giron, who had been
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