The CBCF Disperses Katrina Relief Fund Contributions

In late September during the 35th Annual Legislative Conference, the CBCF Katrina Relief Fund was established to aid hurricane survivors. CBCF was fortunate to receive a promise of $100,000 from the General Mills Foundation, a long-time supporter of CBCF programs. The General Mills Foundation was committed to extending as much help as it could in light of the tragedy and issued a challenge to encourage nine other corporations to match their $100,000 pledge. As a result of the challenge grant, CBCF set a goal of raising $1 million by the end of December, 2005.

Over the next several weeks, Coca Cola and Grupo-Modelo each rose to the challenge and matched the $100,000 General Mills gift. CBCF also received contributions from corporate and private donors. By early winter CBCF had raised a total of $355,250 in mixed pledges and contributions.

In responding to fundraising efforts, CBCF President and CEO, Dr. Don Tharpe remarked that the year 2005 appeared to be a record year for charitable giving. Said Tharpe, “Many corporations and individuals indicated that they had spread their donations among the 2004 Tsunami, Hurricane Rita, the Pakistani earthquake and Hurricane Katrina. The sheer frequency of natural disasters over such a brief time period greatly affected CBCF’s fundraising efforts for Katrina relief. However, CBCF is proud of the generosity of its corporate and individual supporters.

On December 9, 2005, CBCF issued a $290,000 grant to the New Orleans-based Community of Faith for Economic Empowerment (COFFEE). COFFEE is right on the front lines providing crisis assistance to supplement rental payments for dislocated families and emergency food and clothing assistance. They also offer construction and rehabilitation assistance and loss mitigation counseling among other vital services such as, insurance claim filing assistance and foreclosure abatement assistance for those who have been unable to meet their mortgage payments. For more information on COFFEE, visit their website at www.coffee-neworleans.org.

The CBCF Katrina Relief Fund Committee has determined that the remaining contributions will be dispersed to another agency that is tirelessly working to help revitalize devastated areas of the Gulf Coast region. As part of the ReBuild Hope NOW Coalition, CBCF will continue to do all it can to assist in trying to help those affected by the hurricane to rebuild their lives and neighborhoods.

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