Remembering Katrina - A word from Oxfam

A Word From Oxfam

Exactly two years ago today, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. That moment changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in communities from Alabama to Texas. But most of us expected things to be well on the mend by now.

They're not. After two long years, many people still have no home to return to. Tens of thousands of families are living in temporary housing. The basic building blocks of communities - schools, businesses, hospitals - are still devastated.

Meanwhile, the federal government has taken a hands-off approach toward the use of billions of taxpayer dollars and the fairness of the recovery. As a result, funds are not reaching the poorest households, low wage workers engaged in the rebuilding are abused, and no one is held responsible.

Please join thousands of people across the country and call Representative Murphy 202-225-4476 to ask Congress to keep America’s promise to the Gulf Coast by increasing oversight of recovery funds and allocating more resources for the region. And then tell us what they said.

Congress' pledges have dwindled, along with funding streams. We’re hearing a lot of talk from politicians this week about helping the Gulf Coast. But after two years, do they mean it? Congress needs a wake-up call and we need your help to make sure it listens.

Congress has made a lot of promises it hasn’t kept. On this two-year anniversary, we need to remind US representatives that much work remains to be done. Please ask them to recommit themselves to a fast, effective, and fair recovery through more oversight coupled with more funding.

When all someone wants is to go home, two years is a long time to wait. Please help us today in making sure Congress does all it can for the survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Thank you for your support of the people in the Gulf Coast.



Tim Fullerton
Oxfam America

www.oxfam.com