In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Ida, the country was reminded of the resolve and resiliency of Louisianans, as communities began to rebuild in earnest.
At AT&T, we recognize the incredible contribution local businesses and organizations have provided to community recovery efforts, including helping affected survivors navigate their situations and working to rebuild critical infrastructure that was lost or damaged during the storm.
That’s why, in addition to our multi-million dollar commitment to further harden our network against extreme weather by burying fiber-optic infrastructure, we are supporting the state’s recovery efforts through a total of $675,000 in donations to local funds and organizations.
$375,000 – Hurricane Ida Relief Fund to support critical response and recovery efforts being made by community foundations across Southeast Louisiana.
- The fund is a collaboration between the Office of the Governor, Greater New Orleans Foundation, Bayou Community Foundation in Houma, Northshore Community Foundation in Covington and Baton Rouge Area Foundation (BRAF), which is the fiscal agent for the fund.
$100,000* – SBP (formerly the St. Bernard Project), which delivered humanitarian support immediately after the storm hit, to support ongoing stages of the recovery phase.
- Current focus is assisting affected survivors to help navigate recovery, mucking and gutting homes, and mold remediation. To date, SBP has led the charge with:
- 185 roofs tarped
- 107 projects completed: muck and guts, debris removal, mold remediation, tarping.
- 1,712 volunteer hours served.
- 447 volunteers registered to serve.
- 507 individuals and 11 organizations trained in recovery process.
$100,000* – Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC) to support the deployment of charging stations and wi-fi solutions throughout Louisiana, connecting communities and local emergency management organizations impacted by power and communication outages.
- Through this important work, ITDRC has supported over 87 locations and counting.
$100,000 – Black Business Works Fund to help Black-owned businesses located in federally declared disaster areas to apply for $2,500 micro-grants.[1]
* indicates AT&T Foundation donation.
The tireless work by and on behalf of Louisianans embodied the strength of resiliency. We recognize that the power and communication outages during and after the storm created difficulties for Louisianans to connect to each other and to local emergency management.
So, we’re doubling down on our network resiliency commitment in the community.
- We are fast-tracking our network hardening investment by burying fiber-optic infrastructure previously deployed on poles across some of the hardest hit areas during Hurricane Ida, with a targeted completion in the first half of 2022.
- The primary focus of the project is work in parts of Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, St. Charles, St. James and Terrebonne parishes.
With over 3,200 employees who call the Bayou State home, we’re proud to stand with and invest in Louisiana’s communities and support recovery efforts from Hurricane Ida.
[1] Federally declared disaster areas include Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemine, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John The Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana. Businesses can apply online at urbanleaguela.org/fund and foundationforlouisiana.org.
