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A coalition of local business and industry organizations lead by the Terrebonne Economic Development Foundation launched on Tuesday, November 3, 2021, a privately funded initiative to provide short-term temporary housing to local residents and workers displaced by Hurricane Ida.
“With the support of business and industry in our region and charitable investments from private donors, we are excited to launch this housing initiative for Terrebonne and Lafourche to get individuals and families into safe and stable housing. We believe that the private sector can play a critical role providing housing solutions that supplement the public programs for emergency housing,” said, Dr. Michael Garcia, Chair of Terrebonne Economic Development Foundation Board.
Other local business groups participating in the housing initiative include Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, Lafourche Chamber of Commerce, Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce, South Louisiana Economic Council, South Central Industrial Association, and Bayou Industrial Group. Additionally, the program will enhance the efforts of many community nonprofits which have been working on the ground to provide housing assistance to impacted residents of Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes.
The program is providing new and used travel trailer housing, with the first delivered to some of the hardest hit families. These families are identified by community partners who are doing work in these communities and assisting us with ensuring the limited supply gets to those who are most in need. These community partners include Hache Grant Association, the Helio Foundation, the United Houma Nation, the InterTribal Council, the Pointe – au – Chien
Tribal Council, Catholic Charities Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Terrebonne Parish NAACP, and Louisiana Shrimp Industry Coalition.
The first phase investment was led by a group of very generous donor organizations which have committed to help provide stable housing in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, including:
- Bayou Community Foundation – $500,000
- Chevron – $100,000
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation – $250,000
- Chandamuri Foundation – $100,000
- BHP – $500,000
“We truly appreciate the generosity of these donors and their commitment to the bayou region. We have got a lot of work ahead of us, and these donations will assist in our efforts to provide stable housing for our citizens in Terrebonne Parish (The Good Earth),” said Gordon Dove, Terrebonne Parish President.
“As our region begins the long road to recovery, thousands of local residents remain homeless or continue to live in unsafe or unhabitable dwellings. Addressing this housing crisis is a priority for Bayou Community Foundation. This innovative program will help to fill our critical housing needs, provide safe housing to some of our neediest residents, and help our community begin the process of rebuilding,” said Bayou Community Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Armand.
“The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation has committed $5M to Hurricane Ida relief and as part of this we are proud to partner with these organizations to address the critical need for housing in South Louisiana,” said Michael Tipton, President of the Foundation and Head of Community Relations for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. “We know that having a safe and stable place to live is a critical social determinant of health and given the devastation of Hurricane Ida, this investment is one way we can begin to help meet the housing needs of those who are supporting their neighbors and are helping the region move forward on the path to long-term rebuilding. We hope other businesses and philanthropic organizations across the country will join us in addressing the housing needs in the Bayou Region.”
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the people of southeast Louisiana who have been impacted by Hurricane Ida,” said Leah Brown, public affairs manager for Chevron’s Gulf of Mexico Business Unit. “We’re proud to partner with the Terrebonne Economic Development Foundation on this important initiative and help the Bayou Region during this challenging time. Our hope is that by having access to housing, residents will have the stability they need to recover from the storm and rebuild their lives.”
“At BHP, our purpose is to bring people and resources together to build a better world,” said Graham Salmond, General Manager, North America, and Caribbean for BHP. “Housing – one of the most basic needs – is critical to the economic and social recovery of those in our host communities in South Louisiana. We are pleased to partner with Terrebonne Economic Development Authority to stand in the gap and help the communities rebuild from the effects of Hurricane Ida.”
Terrebonne Economic Development Foundation and the business organizations will continue efforts to seek additional funds to implement the second phase of this program to continue to provide support for rebuilding our community. If you would like to contribute to the Bayou Business Community Housing Initiative, you can donate at www.paypal.me/TEDFO or contact TEDFo at 985.873.6890. If you need emergency housing, please contact the community partner listed above.
