The document discusses the history and culture of New Orleans and the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It describes how Katrina caused widespread flooding and the failure of the levee system, leaving 80% of the city underwater. In the aftermath, the government response was criticized for being slow and inadequate. The document then shares the author's experience volunteering with Common Ground Relief to help rebuild homes and the local environment in New Orleans.

1. Ryan Klavan

2.  New Orleans was founded on May 7, 1718 by Jean-
Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville
 It has remained an important port through the
Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Civil War
 New Orleans became a very unique city with many
cultures
 American, French, Creoles (from Haiti), African
Americans

4.  Fusion of cultures allowed a New Orleans culture to
form and thrive
 Mardi Gras
 Jazz
 Food
 Created close knit communities in neighborhoods

6.  French Quarter found on the highest ground in the
city
 As the city grew, people moved to areas below sea level
 In 1927, Congress created the Army Corps of Engineers
to design, build, and maintain levees and flood walls
around the city
 Again in 1965, a new grant of federal funds was
appropriated to restructure the walls but the project is
still not complete today.

9.  On August 23, 2005 a tropical depression formed over
the Bahamas
 The storm intensified very quickly due to warm water
and air temperatures
 Tropical Storm Katrina passed over southern Florida
on August 25.
 Passing over land weakened storm
 Regained strength quickly after moving into the Gulf of
Mexico

10.  As Katrina moved through the gulf it intensified to a
Category 5
 Katrina made landfall as a category 3
 Sustained wind speeds of 130 MPH
 It hit Buras-Triumph, Louisiana at 6:10 (CDT) on
Monday, August 29

14.  Response by local, state, and federal governments was
not good
 President Bush declared a state of emergency on August
26 in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama
 On August 28, Mayor Ray Nagin ordered a mandatory
evacuation for the city and the surrounding parishes
 Established the New Orleans Superdome as an
emergency shelter for those who could not leave

16.  The Media criticized the mayor Nagin for not issuing
an evacuation order earlier
 The Superdome housed 26,000 people over the days
 Katrina caused a total collapse of social structure
 Looting and Violence were rampant
 People trying to survive
 People also taking advantage of the situation for personal
gain

17.  President Bush ordered Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) to control and help and
lead federal response.
 National Guard and Coast Guard were sent in to rescue
stranded people.
 Many people moved to other states such as Texas to
escape the destruction
 FEMA gave trailers to 700,000 families and paid for
hotel rooms for people who had lost their homes

19.  After Katrina millions of dollars poured into funds to
help rebuild.
 But even seven years later the city and all of its citizens
is not restored to its former self…

21.  I have been going to Jewish summer camp for seven
years.
 This past summer I was a Counselor-In-Training
 This program is not only learning how to be a successful
counselor but it also includes a community service trip

22. 1. Contribute to the Community of New Orleans
2. Repair the Environment of south Louisiana
3. Personally Connect with the people whom I helped

23.  Common Ground Relief is a not-for-profit organization
providing short term relief for victims of hurricane
disasters in the Gulf Coast region and long term
support in rebuilding the communities affected in the
New Orleans area.
 Helps in areas
 Rebuilding
 Wetlands Restorations
 Legal Clinics
 Job Training

25.  After we landed and got acclimated at our new home
we took a bus tour with Mr. Ryan and Ms. Gloria
 Gave personal stories of living in New Orleans their
whole lives
 We Saw the different parts of the city and the
differences of recovery efforts
 Lower Ninth Ward
 Musicians' Village

28.  On day two we woke up and immediately got to work
 Painted
 Weeded
 Sledge-hammered a walkway
 But this was all for the organization and not for the
citizens of the area
 I was offered to work on another house so I jumped on
the opportunity to work somewhere else
 This is where I met Robert

30.  We were driven to a parking lot where we there were
many pots of young Cyprus trees
 Trees were to be replanted in the bayous
 Help stop erosion of the fragile coast and the death of
many trees by the BP Oil Spill
 We also helped transport scrap metal

32.  After getting back from planting the trees we were
given a walking tour through the lower 9th ward by
community leader Smitty
 He invited us to go to a community meeting about a
school that was to be built in the neighborhood
 Debate of where to put the School
 On August 7, 2011 the school board chose to go with the
community's wishes and build on the site they wanted

35.  The last day we were to work was to paint a house for a
elderly woman who had lost hers in the flooding
 The contractor walked out on her after she could not
pay
 We also cut the grass for the surrounding lots
 Very tall unsightly grass

37.  After working with Common Ground Relief, we moved
to Tulane University
 Took a more touristy end to the trip
 French Quarter Tour
 Swamp Tour (alligator watching)

38. 1. Contribute to the Community of New Orleans
2. Repair the Environment of south Louisiana
3. Personally Connect with the people whom I helped

39.  This trip was the most influential trips of my life
 I learned about people who were born with much less
than I was and then had it all taken away
 It has changed how I look at the world and very
possibly my future

40.  Images: NOAA and HurricaneKatrina.com, Common
Ground Relief
 Information: NOAA, HurricaneKatrina.com, and
Nola.com, Common Ground Relief