Two Years After the Spill: Much Accomplished, Much to Do

NASA's Terra Satellites Sees Spill on May 24, 2010

April 20, 2010, began as an ordinary day for residents of the Gulf Coast. Fishermen woke up early to head out for the daily catch, and news outlets reported on the perils of the U.S. economy. Outside, the skies were overcast with temperatures in the high 60s, standard conditions before summer’s suffocating humidity settled in. But by the end of the day that began as so ordinary, the lives of Gulf residents would be changed forever.

An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that day killed 11 workers and injured dozens more, and the spill caused approximately 5 million gallons of crude oil to gush into precious underwater ecosystems and vital fishing areas by the time the leak was stopped in July. The more we learned about the disaster, the more we mourned for the human, environmental, economic, and cultural devastation the region would experience. But as people of faith, called to care both for God’s creation and for our brethren in need, we were inspired to respond immediately to the disaster.

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New Year, Same Commitment

It’s a new year with new challenges and a new Congress, but the faith community’s commitment to the restoration and renewal of the economic and environmental systems of the Gulf Coast is not over. That’s why Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ), with support from the Union for Reform Judaism, recently announced the disbursement of $40,000 in grants to grassroots Gulf Coast organizations assisting those who are out of work, retraining people for new jobs and working on coastal restoration.

Through years of work across the Gulf Coast, JFSJ has developed a multi-pronged approach to restoration that includes grant-making to organizations that advocate and build power for marginalized communities, investing in community development corporations to strengthen local businesses and build affordable housing, leadership development for those working on the ground, and service learning programs that connect young people to the region. (more…)

Good news for Gulf Coast affordable housing development

originally posted on jspot.org: home of the new Jewish netroots
by Laura Wintroub

[update: the House passed the tax bill late last night by a 277-148 margin, sending the bill - with a one year GO Zone tax credit extension - to the President to be signed]

(New Orleans Times-Picayune)

We’ve written before about the Gulf Opportunity Zone tax credits, which were set to expire at the end of the year.  The end of those credits threatened to halt several important affordable housing and business development initiatives in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

Late yesterday came the good news that the Senate approved a one year extension through 2011 as part of tax bill.  Though it wasn’t the two year extension initially requested by Senatory Landrieu, her office expressed optimism in securing the hoped for two year extension in early 2011 after receiving bipartisan commitment  from Senate leaders.

Watch the proceedings from the Senate floor and read more here.

Thinking About Disaster Relief Before the Disaster Hits

The current Nonprofit Quarterly has an interesting article about innovative thinking happening at Southern Mutual Help Association, an organization based in rural Louisaiana directly hit by Katrina, about planning for disaster relief before the disaster happens.  Five years after Katrina, the Gulf Coast region continues to rebuild, and it continues to rely on financing and support raised in the aftermath of the storm to carry out those rebuilding efforts. (more…)

Isaiah Fund Receives CDFI Fund Support

On August 19, the Isaiah Fund, the interreligious, permanent disaster recovery loan fund that Jewish Funds for Justice hosts and manages, received a $100,000 Technical Assistance grant from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund.