Oxfam America: US Gulf Coast Recovery

US Gulf Coast Recovery

A string of late-season hurricanes in 2005 spared few on the US Gulf Coast, but disadvantaged groups like immigrants, seniors, and the poor fared the worst. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita spurred Oxfam America’s first relief and recovery effort in the US – an effort that continues today. Oxfam is working with local partners on the Gulf Coast to address the needs of the region's most vulnerable residents and communities. With the arrival of Hurricane Gustav, we are supporting partners to provide emergency supplies and assistance in rebuilding.

Background

Late in 2005, a string of severe hurricanes hammered the US Gulf Coast. Their names—Katrina, Rita, and Wilma—will be forever linked with an ugly truth about our country: Poverty exists here in the US, and is particularly deep and persistent in the regions hit hardest by the hurricanes. The storms swept away the veil of pretense, revealing the face of a national shame. more »

What Oxfam is Doing

Oxfam's immediate response to the hurricanes has grown into a five-year, $12 million program in Mississippi and Louisiana, which focuses on safe and affordable housing as well as worker and immigrant rights. The program combines financial support to key partner organizations with on-the-ground technical support. more »

"Mirror on America"

How the state of Gulf Coast recovery reflects on us all.

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What You Can Do

Contribute to Oxfam's Gulf Coast Hurricane Recovery Fund.
Take action. Tell FEMA to deliver supplies to those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Learn more. Read "Mirror on America," Oxfam's report on the status of Gulf Coast recovery three years later. View our slideshows to watch the recovery and rebuilding effort unfold.
Want to do more? Oxfam has developed a number of tools and resources to help you organize events and educate others about humanitarian emergencies.

Stories from the Coast

	A Force of Nature Three years after losing everything in Hurricane Katrina, one grassroots leader is harnessing the power of community.
	In Louisiana, Some People Dread Evacuations Almost as Much as Hurricanes Evacuating for a hurricane can put a big dent in a family's budget.
	After the Storm: Oxfam takes stock, rushes aid to projects that can't wait Where poverty is concerned, hurricane Gustav picked up where Katrina left off.
	No one can do it alone: An Oxfam partner tackles hurricane disasters--past, present, and future Hurricane Gustav struck communities still struggling to recover from the devastating Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2005. Oxfam’s local partner TRAC is joining hands with other agencies to ensure that the recovery efforts are fair, coordinated, and forward-thinking.
	2008 DNC Roundtable: The State of Gulf Coast Recovery Oxfam, partners and Democratic leaders meet in Denver.
	Designed to Last, New Lift House Holds Promise for Louisiana—and Beyond Miss Betty Adams is the first recipient of a "Lift House"--a high-tech hurricane-resistant home.
More stories Read more stories about Oxfam's efforts to rebuild the US Gulf Coast.