November 8, 2005 — Houston had a problem. Some 125,000 people who had lost their homes after Hurricane Katrina had fled to the city, and Houston officials had no way to communicate with them other than radio and television.

Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation (FWCRC) had a solution. The Houston nonprofit, part of the national NeighborWorks® network of more than 240 community development and affordable housing organizations, set up a communications network that could reach 24,000 evacuees in an eight-hour period through e-mail, voice mail, pagers, and fax machines. In addition, Fifth Ward CRC set up 100 computers for evacuees seeking assistance at Houston’s Toyota Center in the weeks after the hurricane.

FWCRC already had the infrastructure to deploy these resources so quickly, thanks to a 2003 ‘i-community’ grant of $3 million from Hewlett-Packard aimed at bridging the ‘digital divide’ and investing in underserved communities. The grant, obtained with assistance from NeighborWorks America, leveraged $3 million in additional investments from other technology partners including CISCO, Powerware, Elinear and Phonoscope. When Katrina evacuees began coming to Houston, this project team led by Harold Price, vice chairman of the FWCRC board, immediately began deploying technology equipment needed to ease the displacement and duress.

Recognizing that not everyone is technologically savvy, Harvey Clemons, chairman of the FWCRC board, through his affiliation with the National Baptist Convention of America, provided 5,000 evacuees with Sprint phone cards to connect families who had become separated after the hurricane.

‘How Can We Help?’

In addition to communications technology, Fifth Ward is providing a host of other services to Katrina evacuees in Houston. “We looked at our basic programs,” said Fifth Ward President/CEO Kathy Flanagan-Payton, “and asked ourselves ‘how can we use what we have to help?’”

FWCRC has helped 2,500 people register for FEMA assistance. More than $12,500 in gift cards for local grocery stores were distributed to families in Houston’s fifth ward that are hosting evacuees. Flanagan-Payton, also chairman of the board of an area charter school, ensured that 30 children were placed in local schools and received free transportation, uniforms, breakfast and lunch. Fourteen children received after-school care. In addition, 300 families (representing 1,200 people, including 750 children) were placed in unfurnished apartments owned by FWCRCand Pleasant Hill CDC.

FWCRC also manages an evacuee resource site at Houston’s Disaster Resource Center, providing information to evacuees 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Twenty computers with Internet access are available on-site.  Three full-time FWCRC employees, including two evacuees from New Orleans, work at the center. “It’s important to the evacuees to have a peer counselor who can relate to their experiences,” said Flanagan-Payton. [Read related story]

In a dramatic turn of events, 20 families seeking case management and counseling services from Fifth Ward CRC received a big surprise. Celebrity musician and producer Dr. Dre made a $1 million commitment to assist families that had been self-sustaining before the hurricane. A total of 50 families received $20,000 from Dr. Dre at a ceremony, which had been held under the guise of a regular case management class.   “There wasn’t a dry eye in the place,” said Flanagan-Payton.

About NeighborWorks America and Fifth Ward CRC

NeighborWorks America provides financial support, technical assistance and training for communities across the nation, including the NeighborWorks network – a nationwide network of more than 240 community development organizations working in more than 2,700 urban, suburban and rural communities across America. These organizations engage in revitalization strategies that strengthen communities and transform lives. In the last five years alone, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $8.5 billion in reinvestment and helped more than 500,000 families of modest means purchase or improve their homes or secure safe, decent rental or mutual housing. For more information, visit www.nw.org.

Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation was established in 1989 by residents of the 5th Ward of Houston, civic leaders, business owners, ministers and

educators. Fifth Ward CRC has a long history of providing quality development projects and services, which include counseling, technical assistance, capital and financing alternatives and development. Today, Fifth Ward CRC is broadly recognized as a national leader and is frequently sited as a model for community redevelopment. For more information, visit the Fifth Ward Web site at www.fifthwardcrc.org.