The recovery after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina continues still today. When the storm ripped through the Gulf Coast in 2005, millions were displaced and thousands of homes were destroyed. Six years after the storm, people are still struggling to rebuild their lives and so much still needs to be done.
This is why Mosaic launched Operation Outreach. Losing a home means more than simply losing a house. A home is a safe haven, a place of comfort and warmth. Rebuilding a home means more than putting up walls. Families need to feel that they finally have a refuge from life’s storms. They need a place of beauty that welcomes them and greets them at the end of a hard day. Operation Outreach is dedicated to fixing and furnishing homes for families displaced by disasters.
This past July, we had the honor of helping some of those in need in the New Orleans area. We teamed up with the St. Bernard Project, Mark Wells of Hello Florida!, a destination management company that serves meeting planners, and Richard Carbotti of Perfect Surroundings, a special events design company, to help rebuild and refurnish two homes in St. Bernard Parish.
Jeffery and Raywin Jones found themselves living in a FEMA trailer after Hurricane Katrina forced them from their home of 14 years. Their need for a permanent home increased when their son Dale, a special needs child, was born after the storm. Similarly, Helen Green and her three children had been living with her mother after the storm destroyed their New Orleans’ home. The St. Bernard Project took both families under their wing and has been rebuilding their houses and generously invited us to join them. Before the trip our team worked with these families to created unique design plans with the Green and Jones family in mind. With their input and distinct taste we were able to incorporate their own tastes and even salvage pieces from their prior homes.
We set to work moving in furniture, laying carpet, hanging pictures and creating a home of which these families could be proud. Our fantastic team worked tirelessly in the rain to create a beautiful, welcoming safe haven. In all, 15,000 items were donated -- enough items to help even more households!
We want to thank everyone at Mosaic for supporting our efforts, and a special thank you to all our donors, fans and advocates that have helped us help so many others. And to the Jones and Green families, Welcome Home!
If you want to find out how you can help a family come home, check us out on Facebook!
