The Gift of Home

I'm standing in the Lower 9th Ward, the poorest neighborhood of New Orleans. This is where the levee broke, and where thousands of people died during and after Hurricane Katrina.

When I first came here after the storm, houses were on top of houses. Cars were in trees. There was no life, and little hope.

But today something very different -- and very exciting -- is happening here. Actor and philanthropist Brad Pitt has launched a national fundraising campaign, and a local building project, that is the most sophisticated effort to rebuild New Orleans.

It's called Make it Right, and the idea I quite simple; for $150,000 Brad and his team of world-class architects will build a new home for a family in New Orleans. The homes are designed to Cradle to Cradle standards -- dramatically reducing energy bills and carbon emissions.

Initially 150 houses will be built, but as the project evolves the number will grow.

This holiday season every American family should do their part to help the families of New Orleans. The website that has been created www.makeitrightnola.org allows users to "gift" parts of houses to their friends and families for the holidays -- something far more compelling than a new sweater or a book.

So far the campaign seems to be working. In the first 45 minutes the website has been up over $16,000 has been raised.

Our government failed the people of New Orleans. It's up to the American people to make it right.

Comments

[overtheedge]

This is a generous project, and I applaud Brad Pitt, but what a shame that one of the first recipients is a convicted felon.

http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/usaopress/2007/txdv072007_04_11_green_plea.pdf

[Qbear]

BRAVO to Brad!

Pitt is also VERY savvy, he's putting homes in a variety of areas, because if a house is in an area the City has to provide electricity and water and sewer. I've heard 60% of the water New Orleans pumps, is wasted into broken pipes.

[WIDESTANCE]

i was completely with you until i got to the last line

'Our government failed the people of New Orleans. It's up to the American people to make it right.'

the american people have already stepped up when billions of THEIR tax dollars flew down the shithole of bush indifference, corruption, incompetence and utter mismanagement following katrina

the dutch have spent TRILLIONS of dollars to protect the entire north sea coastline of holland from flooding - they have spent BILLIONS to protect rotterdam, one of the largest shipping ports in the world from flooding

OUR GOVERNMENT IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING THE FUTURE OF NEW ORLEANS AND ITS INHABITANTS and just to say "oh well, they failed, now its up to us" is ridiculous

what is the point of building all these new houses without protecting them from the next direct hit?

[totalliberal]

Unfortunately Bushco will go on and on about how this proves the government should not get involved with helping the poor and displaced. He and his, so called, compassionate conservatives will tell us that we must leave all disaster relief to the private sector and faith based charities.

(Unless of course it is one of his friends in the banking or brokerage business. Then of course it is how much do you want and when?)