August 29 marked the two year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and still there are tens of thousands of families without homes. 30,000 families are scattered across the country in FEMA apartments, 13,000 are in trailers, and hardly any of the 77,000 rental units destroyed in New Orleans have been rebuilt. To share some of these people’s stories, Brave New Foundation has put together a short film, "When the Saints Go Marching In.”

During the making of this video, BNW heard the heartbreaking stories of good people unable to return home. We have heard the story of the Aguilar family who lost their home to the storm and only received $4,000 in payments from their insurance company. We have met Mr. Washington, an 87-year-old man and former carpenter, who owned three homes prior to the storm. He is still living in a FEMA trailer today. And we’ve met Julie, who could have returned to her job and normal life, if the government had opened up the public housing units that she had lived in prior to the storm. You can watch their stories here:

Watch the video: when the saints


There is something very specific you can do to help. Sign the petition urging the Senate to pass the Gulf Coast Recovery Bill of 2007 (S1668), introduced by Sen. Chris Dodd (D, CT) and co-sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer [D-CA], Sen. Sherrod Brown [D-OH], Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL], Sen. John Kerry [D-MA], Sen. Mary Landrieu [D-LA], Sen. Barack Obama [D-IL]. Please call your senators and request that they support this important legislation. The bill is expected to come to a vote after Labor Day. Its passage will be an important step toward rebuilding the infrastructure in the Gulf Coast region.

Sign the petition: when the saints