"The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems." --Mahatma Ghandi

Elevation requirements

Here is one example of a house that has been built according to the new elevation requirements for those living in the flood zone. This adds considerably more to the already expensive cost of rebuilding.

A mural created by Hands On Gulf Coast in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Biloxi

Warm ocean waters fuel hurricanes, and there was plenty of warm water for Katrina to build up strength once she crossed over Florida and moved into the Gulf of Mexico. This image depicts a 3-day average of actual sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, from August 25-27, 2005. Every area in yellow, orange, or red represents 82 degrees Fahrenheit or above. A hurricane needs SSTs at 82 degrees or warmer to strengthen.

View of Biloxi beach (longest man-made beach in the world) from Hwy 90, or Beach Boulevard.

THANK YOU TO ORGANIC VALLEY!

A big THANK YOU to Nick Levendoski and Organic Valley (http://organicvalley.coop/) for donating Wisconsin cheese to the volunteers at Hands On Gulf Coast!

IMPACT OF HURRICANE KATRINA IN MISSISSIPPI

• Many coastal towns of Mississippi and Louisiana were obliterated in a single night.
• The winds from Katrina hit the coast of Mississippi and lasted over 17 hours, spawning 11 tornadoes (51 in other states), and a 28-foot storm surge flooding 6-12 miles inland.
• Many, unable to evacuate, survived by climbing to attics or rooftops, or swimming to higher buildings and trees. Over 100 people were rescued from rooftops and trees in Mississippi.
• Afterward, over 235 people died in Mississippi, and 47 counties in Mississippi were declared disaster areas for federal assistance.

Mississippi and Louisiana

• Louisiana and Mississippi are among the poorest states and lack the necessary resources to fuel a full recovery.
• According to the 2000 U.S. census, Mississippi ranked 2nd only to District of Columbia in its poverty rate, making it the poorest state in the nation, with Louisiana ranking as the 2nd poorest.
• Mississippi also ranks 50th in the quality of its health care, while Louisiana ranks 49th. Both states also share the lowest level of educational attainment in the country.

AmeriCorps contracts

I am very pleased to say that 2 individuals who came down to help out on the Gulf Coast for the Spring Break trip I organized this past April are each signing 4.5 month AmeriCorps contracts here at Hands On Gulf Coast. Laina Breidenbach will be working in the area of construction, and Jesse Weber will be involved with youth development. They will be a great addition to our community, and will be joining us here over the next couple of weeks!

FACTS ABOUT HURRICANE KATRINA

• The rebuilding effort is expected to take at least 12 years.
• Hurricane Katrina was a Category 3 hurricane when it hit ground, and the eye passed close to the Mississippi/Louisiana border.
• Katrina pushed a 28-foot wall of water called a "storm surge." In Mississippi, the water rose for about 8 hours, and then drained. In New Orleans the same wave breached the levees and reversed the drains, but was then unable to recede, leading to the prolonged disaster period.
• At least 1,836 people lost their lives in Hurricane Katrina and in the subsequent floods, and the storm is estimated to have been responsible for $81.2 billion in damage, making it the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history.
• You can still come down and volunteer to help on the Gulf Coast...feel free to contact me for more information, or visit our website at www.handsongulfcoast.org.