Hurricane Katrina - The Aftermath and Recovery


Volunteers of America has led the way in building new affordable housing in New Orleans to replace hundreds of homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Almost five years after the storm, elderly clients finally returned home to new homes in Mid-City New Orleans provided by Volunteers of America.

On the devastated Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast, Volunteers of America took an innovative approach to building new homes designed to withstand future storms.

Major League baseball players partnered with Volunteers of America, proving funding and time to help those on the Gulf Coast left homeless after Katrina.

Volunteers of America has helped tens of thousands of people in the Gulf Coast region rebuild their homes and communities over the past five years, and will continue this work for years to come.


Volunteers of America has been working to serve people in need in New Orleans and across the Gulf Coast for more than 100 years. In the five years since Hurricane Katrina, we have built hundreds of new homes to replace those destroyed by the storm, becoming one of the leading providers of affordable replacement housing in the region. Our network of service providers has helped tens of thousands of storm survivors rebuild their homes and their lives, providing everything from emergency food and shelter to medical care and case management. We were deeply rooted in the Gulf Coast community long before Katrina, and we plan to stay for many years to come.

Recovery Efforts

Images of Katrina's Aftermath
Hurricane Katrina was the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States.
Major League Baseball Players Help with Recovery Efforts
Major League ballplayers travelled to Alabama and Mississippi to help Hurricane Victims served by Volunteers of America.
Families Devastated by Katrina Rebuild their Lives
Meet three families who received shelter from the storm & rebuilt their lives thanks to the efforts of some of our local offices.
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Rebirth on the Gulf

Terraces on Tulane Grand Opening
We are building affordable housing in New Orleans & the Gulf Coast to help those displaced return home. The Terraces on Tulane recently welcomed home seniors.
The Connections of Caring
After Katrina destroyed his church’s sanctuary, Kenneth Hollins, pastor of New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Biloxi, moved into mission work of a different kind.
Rebuilding Homes, Restoring Hope
Learn how lightweight steel frame housing, that can withstand winds up to 150 mph, is being used to rebuild homes in Alabama and Mississippi.
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In Their Own Words

Coming Back Home
Forest Towers was damaged beyond repair and replaced by The Terraces on Tulane, a 200-unit community for low-income seniors. Watch as residents move back home.
Higher Ground - Staff Supporting People with Disabilities During Hurricane Katrina
Watch the dedication of our direct support professionals during and after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Louise Discusses Her Katrina Experiences
A client of Forest Towers when Katrina hit, Louise poignantly remembers her evacuation to the Convention Center and later to Austin, TX. In 2010, she moved into our Terraces on Tulane housing property.
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By the Numbers

Recovery, One Person at at Time
Volunteers of America has helped over 100,000 people in the Gulf Coast region since Katrina, providing services that range from food & medical care to new homes.
Rebuilding Homes, Rebuilding Lives
More than 1,000 housing units owned by Volunteers of America were destroyed by Katrina, but great strides have been made to help Gulf Coast residents return home.
Financial Resources
Volunteers of America has raised millions of dollars over the past five years to provide new homes and long-term support to Gulf Coast residents.
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