Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Gambit Weekly : Time to Answer the Call : August 29, 2006

Gambit Weekly : Time to Answer the Call : August 29, 2006: "COMMENTARY 08 29 06

Time to Answer the Call
Last week in this space, we anticipated the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by looking ahead to the two-year benchmark, suggesting specific goals for New Orleans as it struggles to gain some traction in its recovery efforts. This week -- in an issue dated on the one-year anniversary of the killer storm -- it's appropriate to look back at the progress, or lack of it, since Katrina struck. The news is mixed: parts of south Louisiana are rebounding nicely, some parts are even flourishing -- and then there's New Orleans, which remains stuck on stuck."

DelcoTimes - Editorial: Post-Katrina blunders offer lesson in charity

DelcoTimes - Editorial: Post-Katrina blunders offer lesson in charity: "Editorial: Post-Katrina blunders offer lesson in charity
08/29/2006
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One year later and the shocking images of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast of Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina hit land last Aug. 29 are seared into most Americans’ minds. For two weeks, television video replayed scenes of destroyed homes, displaced residents and unclaimed bodies of the dead on streets once packed with tourists.

One year later and the same video images show little or no progress in most of the hardest hit areas. Bourbon Street is back. The French Quarter is back. But, according to electric bills and school enrollment figures obtained by the Washington Post, less than half of the pre-storm population of 455,000 has returned."

The Shreveport Times-"Nonprofits still awaiting repayment from FEMA

The Shreveport Times: "Nonprofits still awaiting repayment from FEMA
August 29, 2006

S
By Diane Haag
dhaag@gannett.com

A year after they housed thousands of evacuees, many nonprofits are still waiting for federal reimbursement of their expenses.

The quantity of agencies applying and the precautions to guard against fraud means the process has been slow, delaying money that churches and agencies would like to spend on other hurricane-related expenses.
"

Grantmakers Releases Donors' Guide to Gulf Coast :: PNNOnline ::

Grantmakers Releases Donors' Guide to Gulf Coast :: PNNOnline ::: "Across the Gulf Coast, local residents are working through community-based organizations to help their neighbors rebuild their homes and their lives after the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Their indomitable spirit attests to the vitality of the numerous rebuilding efforts that are taking place.


To assist the public in connecting to these critically important efforts, the New York Regional Association of Grantmakers (NYRAG) has produced a 137-page resource guide. The Donors' Guide to Gulf Coast Relief & Recovery distills and makes accessible invaluable information regarding nearly 400 organizations involved in recovery, rebuilding, and transformation efforts in hurricane-affected areas. Individual donors, businesses, and foundations will all find useful resources to help them make solid giving decisions that will help residents across the hurricane-ravaged region."

Monday, August 28, 2006

The Shreveport Times-"Katrina-giving: By the numbers

The Shreveport Times: "Katrina-giving: By the numbers
August 28, 2006


By the numbers

The world donated $3.3 billion after Katrina. Here's where it went:

American Red Cross: $2.1 billion

Salvation Army: $363 million

Catholic Charities: $146.5 million

Clinton-Bush Katrina Fund: $129 million

Habitat for Humanity: $122 million

Greater Houston Foundation: $75 million
"

Outlines Emerge for a Shaken New Orleans - New York Times

Outlines Emerge for a Shaken New Orleans - New York Times: "Outlines Emerge for a Shaken New Orleans


By ADAM NOSSITER
Published: August 27, 2006

NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 26 — At one edge of this city’s future are the extravagant visions of its boosters. Awash in federal cash, the New Orleans they dream of will be an arts-infused mecca for youthful risk-takers, a boomtown where entrepreneurs can repair to cool French Quarter bars in ancient buildings after a hard day of deal making."

Friday, August 25, 2006

Weathering Corruption

Weathering Corruption: "Weathering Corruption

Friday, August 25, 2006; Page A15

It's a familiar story line: When federal aid flows into a region devastated by a natural disaster, those charged with disseminating it do not always behave honorably in the chaos.

Is bad weather responsible for U.S. corruption?"

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Study of the Recovery, Role, and Capacity of States and Localities Damaged by the 2005 Hurricanes

Study of the Recovery, Role, and Capacity of States and Localities Damaged by the 2005 Hurricanes: "Study of the Communities Damaged
by the 2005 Hurricanes


Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana



NELSON A. ROCKEFELLER
INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT


A Joint Project of


PUBLIC AFFAIRS RESEARCH
COUNCIL OF LOUISIANA







*
GulfGov Reports:
One Year Later




The Katrina and Rita hurricanes of 2005 devastated many communities along the Gulf Coast. Homes and businesses, roads and bridges, and other important community facilities were destroyed. Many thousands of Gulf Coast residents were displaced, and cleanup and recovery challenges are enormous."

Hurricane Katrina, Coastal Protection and Reconstruction Efforts

Hurricane Katrina, Coastal Protection and Reconstruction Efforts: "Hurricane Katrina, Coastal Protection and Reconstruction Efforts

Don Basham, Chief of Engineering at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Dr. Ed Link of the U.of Md and Director of the Interagency Peformance Evaluation Taskforce (IPET); and Dr. Robert Traver, Villanova U. and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Foreign Press Center Briefing
Washington, DC
August 22, 2006

1:05 P.M. EDT

Real Audio of Briefing


MODERATOR: This afternoon we have a briefing from three people who will be talking about Hurricane Katrina and the Army Corps of Engineers and what the Corps has done since Katrina and some of the lessons learned from that event.

With us we have Don Basham, who is Chief of Engineering at the Corps, we have Ed Link of the University of Maryland, and who is also Director of the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force which looked at Katrina, and Robert Traver of Villanova University and the American of Society of Civil Engineers.

They will be -- we’ll start off with a few comments from each of them about the hurricane, about the system along the Gulf Coast, what we’ve learned and what we’re doing going forward and then open it up for your questions. So thank you for coming, and I think I’m going to turn it over to Don first off."

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

USATODAY.com-In Katrina, compassion met adversity

USATODAY.com: "In Katrina, compassion met adversity
More work awaits stricken region — and the country

By George H. W. Bush & William Jefferson Clinton

Next week will mark one year since Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast and cut a swath of destruction that was truly of biblical proportions. Together, our nation watched in helpless horror as the winds and the waters surged — killing more than 1,000 loved ones and wiping away once-vibrant communities. In essence, Katrina was an American tsunami: The devastation and despair it randomly cast throughout the Gulf Coast was painfully evocative of what we saw when we toured the Indian Ocean perimeter together in 2005."

Help center opens for Katrina evacuees - Yahoo! News

Help center opens for Katrina evacuees - Yahoo! News: "New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin opened the first of a planned series of service centers designed to help Hurricane Katrina evacuees outside Louisiana return to their hometown and rebuild it so it's 'no longer a city of haves and have nots.'"

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Philanthropists gave $577 million in relief

Philanthropists gave $577 million in relief: "Philanthropists gave $577 million in relief
But that's probably the max, study says
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
By Bruce Alpert

WASHINGTON -- First the good news.

U.S. foundations and corporations provided $577.1 million in private contributions through the end of June for relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts related to last year's Gulf Coast hurricanes, according to a new report by the Foundation Center.

The bad news is that more assistance is unlikely. Only 7 percent of the surveyed foundations, according to the report, expect to make additional hurricane-related commitments beyond September."

Friday, August 18, 2006

Public Service Group Considers 'Government After Katrina'

Public Service Group Considers 'Government After Katrina': "Public Service Group Considers 'Government After Katrina'

By Stephen Barr
Friday, August 18, 2006; Page D04

The nonprofit Partnership for Public Service is launching an initiative called 'Government After Katrina' to look for ideas that can help the government operate more effectively and polish an image that was tarnished by a sluggish response to the hurricane.

'We need to leverage the occasion of Katrina's anniversary to focus new energy to the issue of improved government performance,' said Max Stier , president of the partnership, a nonpartisan group that seeks to revitalize federal service and encourage young people to take up careers in government."

Charities Stock Up on Marketing Supplies for Hurricane Season

Charities Stock Up on Marketing Supplies for Hurricane Season: "From late August to early October, Americans are on alert for something beyond their control: the hurricane season.

The devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma from last year still can be felt, and one has to question how organizations have prepared for another disaster.

'After every major disaster we do a 'lessons learned' to prepare ourselves better and to see what we need to fix,' said Margaret Carter, interim director of direct response fundraising for the American Red Cross, Washington. 'Katrina was felt on the largest scale, so we therefore need scalable solutions.'

The Red Cross raised $2.067 billion for relief from hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. It spent $1.787 billion, about 85 percent of that money. The rest is for its Hurricane Recovery program, which will assist victims in the coming years as needs arise."

Thursday, August 17, 2006

New Orleans pained, proud of Katrina documentary - Yahoo! News

New Orleans pained, proud of Katrina documentary - Yahoo! News: "ey came from down the block and from hours away to see director Spike Lee's view of how Hurricane Katrina changed their lives, and New Orleanians were sad and proud of what they viewed.
ADVERTISEMENT

'Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? We do,' Gerry Carter said early on Thursday after joining thousands who watched the premiere of Lee's film 'When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts.'"

newsarticle - Philanthropy Journal-YFunding Katrina relief

newsarticle - Philanthropy Journal-Your online source for news about nonprofits, social issues, and policy change: "
Funding Katrina relief

Corporations, foundations gave over $577 million to effort, report says.



Over 400 foundations and corporations have committed more than $577 million to immediate relief and ongoing rebuilding efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, a new report says.

The vast majority of those institutional donors say donations made in response to the 2005 hurricanes did not affect their regular giving, says the Foundation Center's report, 'Giving in the Aftermath of the Gulf Coast Hurricanes: Report on the Foundation and Corporate Response.'"

BayouBuzz - Ford Foundation Says Grants To Gulf, Louisiana New Orleans Over 20M

BayouBuzz - Ford Foundation Says Grants To Gulf, Louisiana New Orleans Over 20M: "The Ford Foundation announced today that its grants for Gulf Coast recovery will surpass $20 million around the time of the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The amount doubles the initial commitment made by the foundation in the wake of the disaster.

"

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Judge Rules for Insurers in Katrina - New York Times

Judge Rules for Insurers in Katrina - New York Times: "Judge Rules for Insurers in Katrina

By JOSEPH B. TREASTER
Published: August 16, 2006

A federal judge in Mississippi sided with home insurance companies yesterday and ruled that they did not have to pay for the flooding that destroyed tens of thousands of homes in Hurricane Katrina."

Monday, August 14, 2006

The Chronicle, 8/17/2006: Rebuilding the World a Storm Destroyed

The Chronicle, 8/17/2006: Rebuilding the World a Storm Destroyed: "Rebuilding the World a Storm Destroyed

Operation Blessing


THE ROCKY ROAD AHEAD
Charities face an unprecedented challenge as they help people battered by Hurricane Katrina rebuild. But they have been helped hundreds of thousands of people who are volunteering to help organizations like Operation Blessing, which has been removing trees toppled by the storm.

NEARLY $3.3-BILLION has been raised by the largest U.S. charities in response to Hurricane Katrina, a Chronicle survey has found, some $2.7-billion of which has already been spent on recovery."

Philanthropy: Who Gave What for Katrina Relief

Philanthropy: Who Gave What for Katrina Relief: "Philanthropy: Who Gave What for Katrina Relief
A survey of donors in the aftermath of the Gulf Coast hurricanes finds corporate foundations were the leaders in funding recovery efforts


Foundation Center released a report on Aug. 9 titled 'Giving in the Aftermath of the Gulf Coast Hurricanes: Report on the Foundation and Corporate Response,' the second of a series of three reports on the subject. The first was released earlier as a summary of immediate findings"