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Release Date: May 20, 2008
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: Gayla Keller, 202-572-8853
Washington, D.C. – Today, Douglas O'Dell, federal coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, met with founders of the St. Bernard Project to discuss cost-effective rebuilding models employed by the non-profit organization and several others in the Gulf Coast region. The briefing provided an opportunity for St. Bernard Project co-founders to detail actions taken in successfully rebuilding 121 homes in St. Bernard Parish and identifying critical elements to future success. The St. Bernard Project currently is coordinating more than 200 volunteers involved in the rebuilding of 27 homes throughout the parish.
"Faith-based and community organizations are the front-line defense in the long-term rebuilding process of the Gulf Coast region and they continue to remove barriers to housing and support services," stated General O'Dell. "Groups like the St. Bernard Project, Habitat for Humanity, and Catholic Charities are results-oriented and the insight they impart is invaluable and better informs policy and funding decisions at all levels of government. We will continue to ensure their voice is actively represented in the policy process."
The St. Bernard Project representatives summarized the public and private funding sources utilized to providing safe, sustainable housing for those who need it most; discussed the key role volunteers play in the success of their efforts; and touched on the critical mental health care needs of the population served. The organization was started in March 2006 by four volunteers who went to St. Bernard Parish to do relief work and were inspired to create an organization dedicated to providing vital resources and support to the St. Bernard community in a seamless and timely manner.
The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding has been engaged in facilitating and streamlining the recovery effort, providing key federal support and resources to state and local leaders, as well as reinforcing the federal government's commitment to the people of the Gulf Coast.
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This page was last reviewed/modified on May 20, 2008.