Community Development

Ford president Susan V. Berresford visits the White House to join talks with President Bush about rebuilding in the Gulf states

New York, NY — January 20, 2006. Ford Foundation president Susan V. Berresford joined nineteen other philanthropic leaders at the White House yesterday in a meeting with President Bush to discuss recovery efforts in the Gulf states. Ford has committed an initial $12 million to support recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, with particular focus on the most disadvantaged communities.

The president, who was joined by First Lady Laura Bush, Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, Coordinator of Federal Support for the Gulf Coast's Recovery and Rebuilding Donald Powell and others, spoke of the federal priorities in the rebuilding effort and encouraged the nation's philanthropic leaders to continue to work together to find solutions to remaining challenges.

In the discussion, Berresford emphasized how foundations and local charities are playing a vital role in the first stages of recovery in helping meet the immediate needs of families and neighborhoods while longer-term government programs are being fine-tuned. She described how Ford and other donor foundations have enabled the Enterprise Corporation of the Delta to make over 400 loans in the affected regions. The loans have allowed families to make critical repairs to their homes, replace destroyed vehicles, and make rental deposits on new apartments.

Berresford also highlighted how a number of large foundations have helped cover administrative costs of new relief—oriented foundations created after Katrina to enable them to channel donations directly to people in need. This strategy was employed by Ford and other foundations in the wake of 9/11 and proved effective in speeding the charitable response.

"It was a candid and productive discussion about the critical challenges that remain for the communities affected by last year's hurricanes," Berresford said. "It was a wonderful opportunity to describe our support for programs that empower families to be active participants in the rebuilding of their homes, small business and neighborhoods."

To learn more about Ford's grantmaking in the Gulf states, click here.

The Ford Foundation is an independent, nonprofit grant-making organization. For more than half a century it has been a resource for innovative people and institutions worldwide, guided by its goals of strengthening democratic values, reducing poverty and injustice, promoting international cooperation and advancing human achievement. With headquarters in New York, the foundation has offices in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Russia.