August 17, 2016 

Dear Friends,

Unfortunately, and maybe fortunately, SMHA has HUUUGE experience in disaster recovery and rebuilding communities better than before.

We are having flashbacks to the Katrina / Rita disasters of 2005. So many around the country helped SMHA recover / rebuild 1,064 homes, churches and businesses in over 120 rural towns, cities and settlements across coastal Louisiana.

We did it again after the BP Oil Spill when fishers were devastated and livelihoods damaged. We are still helping fisher families recover with our long-term Fisher Loan Fund.

SMHA is focusing in the West End of New Iberia that is most in need. One third of the City of New Iberia’s 30,000 residents live in the West End.

SMHA has been working with the leadership and families of the West End community for over seven years. As we raise the resources for re-entry, tear-out, detoxing and re-building lower walls, we will be able to work with the West End Council of Leaders (WECNA) to recover family homes inundated by the flooding.

Our area had three more inches of rain last evening. As I write this message to you today, Wednesday, torrential rains are upon us again.

I will give an update tomorrow.

Lorna Bourg, CEO, SMHA

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