Six years ago after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the levees in New Orleans failed. Many areas of New Orleans have not completely moved on, but the city is in motion thanks to volunteers and many high profile boosters here in the Hollywood of the South.
There's the new Ellis Marsalis Center in Habitat for Humanity's Musicians Village, founded by Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis. There is today's annual MSNBC-promoted Free Clinic. There's Make It Right, a sustainable neighborhood conceived by Brad Pitt and housing former 9th Ward residents. There's the Tim Robbins-supported Roots of Music marching band. The St. Bernard Project. Irvin Mayfield and Kermit Ruffin's week long trumpet throwdown for charities. Sandra Bullock's Warren Easton High School assistance. Instruments streaming in to the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund. There's the Edible Schoolyard, and Global Green. HBO's Treme has been describing life post-Katrina, and they're almost up to 2008. Many nonprofit projects were just getting into motion back then, and they've made great strides since.
As of Sunday, there's also the New Orleans Healing Center (photos below) housing a host of nonprofits and a new branch of Maple Street Book Shops.
Sincere thanks to those around the country who made every one of the above efforts possible. I am confident that they will keep their hearts as open to Hurricane Irene flood victims as they were for New Orleans.
Follow Karen Dalton-Beninato on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kbeninato
Harry Shearer: "Katrina" Plus Six
Keli Goff: What My Hurricane Irene Evacuation Taught Me About Poverty
Rep. Cedric L. Richmond: Remembering Hurricane Katrina
6 Years After Katrina, Lower 9th Ward Still Bleak
Six years after Katrina, praise for Irene response - CNN.com
Six years after Katrina, pockets of New Orleans languishing ...
6 years after Katrina, Lower 9th Ward still bleak - Yahoo! News