A local nonprofit is planning a week of service events to commemorate Hurricane Katrina.
Rebuilding Together New Orleans does critical home repairs in the city with the help of volunteers and corporate partners like Entergy New Orleans.
“We live here. This is our home,” said Stephanie Willis. “(We want) to ensure that our communities, our families are living in safe, energy efficient and resilient homes.”
Next week, those volunteers will work on several projects in the lead up to the 20th anniversary of the storm.
“We believe we’re stronger together, and with a partner like Entergy, we’re able to invest in so many different houses, making their homes safer, not just today but into the future,” said William Stoudt, executive director with RTNO.
Organizers describe this as a citywide initiative, telling WDSU that they will repair homes in each council district. In addition to repairs, volunteers will weatherize homes in an effort to lower energy bills for residents.
Many of the people RTNO helps are low-income, older adults or veterans. It says most of its clients cannot afford to repair their homes on their own.
Sadly, some of those homes still have damage sustained during Katrina.
“We get thousands of requests every year, and there are so many homeowners who have still never been able to rebuild from storm after storm after storm,” said Stoudt.
RTNO has been working in the New Orleans area for almost 40 years and has revitalized more than 2,000 homes to date.
Homeowners do not pay anything for the repairs.
To support, sign up for assistance or volunteer with the nonprofit, click here.
READ MORE:Week of service projects to mark 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina