On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath served as one of the most catastrophic events on U.S. soil, displacing hundreds of thousands of residents.
The National Urban League and its affiliates immediately stepped in, assisting victims with food and clothing, connecting them to vital government resources and serving as a national advocate for the hurricane's survivors.
Our own New Orleans Urban League affiliate, devastated by the hurricane and relocated temporarily to Baton Rouge, still helped over 500 victims. Urban League affiliates stepped up to the challenge, providing for the short- and long-term needs of Katrina survivors.
In 2005, they provided more than 30,000 hurricane survivors job training and employment, housing counseling and placement services, thanks in part to generous support from Citigroup, Freddie Mac and Nehemiah Foundation, among others.
The league immediately proposed its "Katrina Bill of Rights," which advocated for a 9/11-like victims compensation fund, the right of every New Orleans resident to return and rebuild, the right to vote and the first right to employment in rebuilding the Gulf Coast.
Since the disaster first struck, the league hasn't let up in its efforts to get Katrina survivors back on their feet. In 2007, the NUL called for a National Katrina Summit, lobbied for swift passage of the Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act and teamed up with BP to launch the Gulf Coast Economic Empowerment to connect minority contractors with rebuilding work.
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