Hurricane Katrina turned our region upside down in 2005 and exposed glaringly unacceptable social injustices. Our diocese responded by getting to work. The clearly inadequate response to the disaster at all levels of government, as well as the sheer size of the devastation, made it clear that we needed to become a hands‐on, mission‐oriented Diocese — and quickly. Katrina was followed swiftly by Hurricane Rita, which damaged many parts of the diocese lucky enough to have escaped Katrina — and struck again at some areas already devastated.  

We began immediately providing necessities such as food, water, and medical and pastoral care through various congregation-based ministries in the Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and North Shore areas. With the help of a generous grant from Episcopal Relief and Development, we soon began gutting flooded houses. Now, five years later, we boast two organizations borne out of tragedy, dedicated to rebuilding lives and providing homes —Episcopal Community Services of Louisiana (formerly the Office of Disaster Response) and the Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative. 

Local congregations stepped in and responded in a variety of ways to address immediate needs in the aftermath of these disasters. In Baton Rouge, St. Luke’s formed a partnership with Woman’s Hospital to house new mothers and their premature babies in the Parish Hall; St. James provided office space for the New Orleans‐based Bishop’s office and other New Orleans congregations needing a place to work. In New Orleans, the Church of the Annunciation began immediate work in partnership with the people of the Broadmoor neighborhood to rebuild flooded homes and assist families in their return to the city. Christ Church in Slidell served as a clearing house for immediate relief efforts on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. These few examples showcase the work of many — in a time of need, Episcopalians in south Louisiana responded with great energy and compassion.