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Recovering from Katrina and Rita By Johanna Lindemann Hurricane Katrina has been described as the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history. By now, we are all familiar with the scope of the storm's destruction: 90,000 square miles of federally-declared disaster, more than 1,300 deaths and some $130 billion in property damage across three states. The storm was also costly for Boys & Girls Clubs: seven Clubs were destroyed outright and 10 were severely damaged. Just as the floodwaters began to recede, Hurricane Rita advanced in the Gulf and struck on the morning of Sept. 24, knocking out power and bringing damaging winds and flooding rains to the region once again. Luckily, the damage from Rita was minimal for most Clubs along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. A Powerful Response Since these storms struck in early fall, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Clubs across the country have been working steadily to bring relief to affected Clubs and children. Offers of help have come from a variety of sources. Total monetary contributions received as of this writing amount to more than $1 million. Sources include the federal government, our corporate partners, Clubs and Club members nationwide, individuals, groups, and the general public. From Cape Cod, Mass., to Murray, Utah, Clubs have welcomed children displaced by Hurricane Katrina. To let communities know their Boys & Girls Club is standing by to support Gulf Coast youth, BGCA created a series of support materials, including print ads, a press release and public service announcements for local television markets to help Clubs recruit displaced youth and their families. Moving Forward Our ongoing job is to make life better for the survivors of this unprecedented natural disaster – especially the lives of the young people it is our mission to serve. BGCA has established a team to coordinate our response to the aftermath of the Gulf Coast hurricanes. Our approach is two-pronged: coordination of direct aid to Clubs and Club professionals; and effective management of donations and special funding. Hurricane relief donations and special funding must continue if we are to make hurricane-affected Clubs operational again. Projected income loss and capital needs are currently estimated in excess of $4 million. What the Future Holds The 2005 hurricane season not only brought physical destruction to homes, businesses and municipal infrastructure; these storms caused a more far-reaching disruption to everyday life. In Louisiana, site of the most severe storm damage, entire communities were evacuated, with no foreseeable date of return. Families were dispersed to all parts of the country, some as far away as Alaska. The sheer scope and speed of this disaster has touched the children of the area deeply. Many witnessed the suffering and death of relatives, and endured the loss of homes and communities in an instant. Rebuilding the lives of these young people will be a long-term proposition. But one thing is certain: Our Clubs will be there. Johanna Lindemann is director of strategic communications at BGCA.
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