Posted on January 2, 2007

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South Mississippi Struggling to Rebuild Homes, Philanthropic Base

While foundations and nonprofit groups continue to fund and build new homes for Mississippians more than a year after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, they are also working to build a more solid base for the kind of philanthropy that was lacking in the southern portion of the state before the storm struck, the Mississippi Sun Herald reports.

According to the New York City-based Foundation Center, as of June 2006 nonprofits headquartered in Mississippi had received only $21.3 million, or 3.7 percent, of the contributions that poured in from foundations and corporations after hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck. In contrast, Louisiana received $51.5 million, or 8.9 percent. (The District of Columbia, home to the American Red Cross, received most of the contributions — $199.1 million, or 34.5 percent.) Similarly, a report issued by the NAACP characterized the philanthropic base in Mississippi as "not robust," even as it called the opportunity for philanthropy to play an effective and creative role in building a better, more equitable Mississippi "tremendous."

Oxfam America, which established a presence in south Mississippi days after Katrina hit, has worked diligently to meet home repair and construction needs in the region and to increase the capacity of local nonprofit groups. But the storm and its aftermath exacerbated already existing problems, including a lack of affordable housing, said Bernadette Orr, Oxfam's Gulf Coast Recovery Program manager for rural Louisiana and Mississippi. The challenge now, she added, is to keep the nation's attention focused on the region's recovery and to continue to work to build the capacity of community-based groups.

That sentiment was echoed by Reilly Morse, an attorney in the Mississippi Center for Justice's Katrina Recovery Office. While noting that some foundations were eager to do capacity-building work, others were more comfortable working in and with established systems and charities. "It was spotty when it comes to working on low-income and minority communities," said Morse. "[But] we're hoping there will be a breakthrough on this between the foundations and the grassroots organizations."

Lee, Anita. “Charity Must Begin at Home.” Sun Herald 12/29/06.

Primary Subject: Philanthropy and Voluntarism
Secondary Subject(s): Hurricane Relief
Location(s): Boston, Jackson, Massachusetts, New York City, Washington, D.C.

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