The New Orleans Mission typically provided up to 30,000 free meals per month and 300 beds per night, but when Hurricane Katrina roared through New Orleans on August 29, 2005, it disrupted these services. The storm destroyed the family center, severely damaged the women’s shelter and tore the roof off the men’s shelter, causing complete disrepair of the facility.

The damage went beyond physical– our donor database dropped from 28,000 to less than 3,000, resulting in little revenue. By the end of the first week following the storm, we laid off 90 percent of our staff. Despite such overwhelming circumstances, the Lord has been faithful.

What a blessing it was when HomeAid stepped in to repair our Women’s Center and construct a new Family Center. Today, our Women’s Center is in better condition than before the storm. Our new Family Center, a 4,400 square-foot home for up to 34 parents and children, was dedicated two days before Katrina’s two-year anniversary. It is a state-of-the-art, sustainable-design building. AmeriQuest Mortgage funded both centers, costing nearly $1.7 million.

When the New Orleans Mission re-opened the Men’s Shelter on September 17, 2007, it closed the chapter on Hurricane Katrina.

The storm had torn the roof off the Men’s Shelter and the subsequent wind and rain destroyed its interior. The top floor, where we house clients, needed insulated, tiled, painted and re-wired. Much of the drywall needed replaced. The repairs were financed by a generous $250,000 donation from Qatar, and throughout 2006 and 2007, volunteers worked tirelessly to restore this 30,000-square-foot facility.

Slightly more than two years after the storm passed over, all three facilities were again operational. The New Orleans Mission is grateful for the incredible support it received from across the United States and around the world.