Dear Friend of Broadmoor,
On behalf of the Broadmoor Improvement Association (BIA) and the Broadmoor Development Corporation (BDC): thank you for volunteering to help rebuild a part of our cherished New Orleans! Your work this week makes you part of a special group of people who have dedicated their minds, bodies, and spirits to our city’s revitalization. Without your help, Broadmoor – and New Orleans – could not fully recover.
As you may know, Hurricane Katrina devastated Broadmoor. When the levees failed, we took up to ten feet of water. The neighborhood has come a long way since then: as of June 2008, we have restored over 70% of our houses. But challenges persist: hundreds of blighted properties remain in need of rebuilding services, and the neighborhood poverty rate is triple the national average. We are counting on you to help us rebuild those remaining homes and restore the core social services that will serve as a foundation for a high quality of life.
Since Hurricane Katrina, the The Annunciation Mission has established itself as one of New Orleans’ leading faith-based recovery organizations. Duane is too modest to tell you himself, so we will write it: this mission is changing the way faith-based communities respond to disasters in the United States. We are blessed to have the mission as a partner in this endeavor, and we are blessed to have you as Annunciation volunteers. The ongoing success of our joint mission to rebuild this neighborhood is due to the hard work and dedication your communities have devoted to helping disaster victims in New Orleans and around the world.
Finally, please enjoy your time here in New Orleans! This packet includes some suggestions for things to do outside your work hours. Since your first visit is a brief one, we hope you will come back soon. This is a wonderful, lively city – and we hope you will understand why we are so committed to it.
Thanks to your help, Broadmoor is coming back better than before. You should know that from know on, we consider you an honorary Broadmoorian. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
LaToya Cantrell Hal Roark
President, BIA Executive Director, BDC
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