Hosted by Bishop Charles Blake at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ, the meeting included an update on rebuilding efforts from Cynthia Willard Lewis, a New Orleans councilwoman; Joe Givens, a regional Council of Churches representative, and Carl Williams, the faith-based coordinator for the Louisiana Recovery Authority.

All three speakers agreed that in a city plagued by crime and despair, churches are desperately needed. “Unless the congregations come back,” said Givens, “the neighborhoods won’t come back. The role of the church is to rebuild families and rebuild lives.” Sadly, many churches in New Orleans remain shuttered. “People are looking for their pastors,” Givens added. “Eighty percent of churches have not returned.”  

Councilwoman Lewis pointed out that since Katrina, depression and suicide rates have risen in New Orleans. “People are wounded and hurting. In the midst of great loss, churches make sure that people don’t lose their souls.” 

Special guest Ambassador Andrew Young of Operation Hope announced an initiative designed to revitalize 36 churches in New Orleans. “It is clear that congregations in the Gulf area are still struggling to get back on their feet,” said Young. “This coordinated effort will help provide them with the support they desperately need to restore their places of worship.” 

The initiative will encompass 36 local churches working in partnership with 360 churches nationwide to unify efforts for the next two to three years. The effort hopes to create an institutionalized buddy-system for rebuilding centers of worship in New Orleans.  

“In this effort,” said Givens, “there is no more Baptist, Methodist, Jew or Catholic. There is no more Democrat or Republican. There is no more uptown or downtown. There is no more White, Black or Hispanic. We need to work together to rebuild as God’s people.” 

According to Colonel Bollwahn, Corps from across the Southern California Division have contributed to a number of Katrina relief efforts. In addition, the Family Services department has a caseload of approximately 1,000 Katrina evacuees. Out of the thousand, 300 to 500 individual and family cases are still open. 

“This past year, we assisted 300 Katrina clients in our Christmas Assistance program,” said Esther Casas, Director of Family Services, “Another 15 Katrina families were adopted in our Adopt-A-Family Christmas program.” 

Services provided to Katrina clients consist of rental assistance, utility assistance, crisis counseling, food, clothing, long-term case management, client advocacy, emergency lodging and shelter referrals, relocation assistance (bus or plane tickets) and health services (medical, dental, optometry and prescriptions.)

“The Salvation Army will take care of these families as long as the need exists,” said Bollwahn. “We’re committed for the long term. It’s what we do.”

After Katrina hit, former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan and Judge Dean Pregerson spearheaded Salvation Army relief efforts in a unique collaboration to assist Katrina victims called Operation Angel Island. Together with the Family Service Outreach Center in downtown Los Angeles, the programs transitioned more than 500 families toward independence by providing critical support services.