Two years after Katrina thousands are still without homes. Plenty has teamed up with Brave New Films to produce a short documentary for the second anniversary of Katrina. Watch film and read reports of who Plenty is currently helping return to their homes. Watch the Plenty video Katrina Recovery: Stories of Volunteers Working to Save the Gulf Coast" (5 min. 45 sec., flash). Important links to organizations providing post hurricane relief. Visit the memorial Rhino Katrina Rebuilding Fund in honor of Gary Rhine.i Plenty Responds to Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina brought on the biggest natural disaster in US history, but as the world has learned, more than nature is responsible for how bad this disaster was and still is, even two years later. Experts had been warning for years that without wetland restoration and a halt to overdevelopment along the coast, the region would continue to be more and more vulnerable to storms. Nothing got done. Because of the very unnatural industrial destruction of nature's protective barriers, the wetlands and coastal islands, we knew a big one would wreak havoc. We didn't know the levees would fail. We didn't know federal, state and local government agencies would be so critically paralyzed. Katrina killed more than 1500 people; hundreds are still listed as missing. More than two million people were displaced, 400,000 homes destroyed. When the levees protecting New Orleans broke down 85% of the city was flooded. The storm's real financial cost will certainly exceed $200 billion dollars. Thousands of American citizens, appalled by what they were seeing on their televisions, rushed to the scene from all over the country loaded with food and water and medicines, ready to work. Plenty had a school bus loaded with relief supplies heading to the Gulf from Tennessee on September 2nd. On September 4th the bus was evacuating survivors from the New Orleans International Airport. Since that time, Plenty has sent more than forty relief supply runs and over 70 volunteers to the Gulf while providing financial support to other grassroots and local community agencies. Something we've realized about those who we found needing the most help is that they were hurting well before the storm. This disaster just ripped the curtain away. While much of the media has left, this is a disaster that is not only far from over, in some ways it is getting worse. The mental and physical health of many survivors, especially children and elderly, whose living conditions are not improving, is deteriorating. Tens of thousands haven't recovered their homes or livelihood, and basic services such as water, sewers, electricity and health care are nowhere close to what they were. Tony and Brian wiring a gutted house. Plenty’s work continues on the Gulf coast. Our field director, Tony Sferlazza, has been Plenty’s presence on the scene since May 2006. Tony aids local residents in the reconstruction of their storm-damaged homes, supervises volunteers, and represents Plenty as a member of the regional Parish Long Term Recovery team. He recently testified at the International Tribunal on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that was held in New Orleans and spoke about his eyewitness experience working in the area. Read an update on Tony's work. Now at the two-year anniversary of this man-made disaster, the U.S. has largely moved on and forgotten about the people in the Gulf. Supplies are short and your financial support is still needed. Our list of elderly people that are still living in FEMA trailers and need to get back into their homes continues to grow. Please support them and show them that they are not forgotten. For more information, please contact Plenty. Thanks so much for caring. Read about Plenty's Katrina relief efforts in 2005 and 2006 including firsthand reports from our teams in the field. Some of the people we are currently helping on the Gulf. Ms. Emma Prebost, 83, gutted he home by herself. Plenty has been helping her completely renovate the house since May of this year and the house is very nearly finished (roof repaired, new electrical wiring, sheetrocked and painted, new appliances...only still needing electrical fixtures, new flooring, some plumbing and appliances installed. Ms. Emma has been living in her tiny FEMA tailer since returning to St. Bernard Parish. Norma Grace is among the people Betty is helping. Norma is 75 and has a number of health problems, lives in a small house, (finally out of her FEMA trailer) with her daughter and five grandchildren. She takes a variety of medications which cost her $700/month under the new medicaid drug plan! Jesse Rogers, seen here with Betty Smity, is 50 and lives in a FEMA trailer with her son in a church parking lot. The church wants the trailer moved but Jesse has no place else to put it. Plenty volunteer Elaine Langley helped her pay her electric and water bill after both were turned off by FEMA. Edward (Jack) Posey is 61 and lives in a small FEMA trailer in a FEMA trailer "park." FEMA wants him to get an apt. but he lives on disability and can't afford rent. Doesn't know what he'll do. He has diabetes and back trouble. He had an operation for his back but it says it's worse and now his legs are badly swollen. Betty Smith who lives in Biloxi was "adopted" by Plenty volunteer Elaine Langley shortly after Katrina and with Elaine and Plenty's support has been assisting families in and around her neighborhood. Read accounts and watch a video about other hurricane survivors we are assisting on the gulf coast. To donate to Plenty's hurricane relief efforts, please visit our donation page or click button: You may also send a check to Plenty, Box 394, Summertown, TN 38483 Contact Plenty through email with any questions or ideas:plenty@plenty.org All donations to Plenty are tax-deductible. Thank you so very much.