HDR drive for Louisiana comes to a close

The generosity of our members and supporters shone in our Humanist Disaster Recovery (HDR) Drive for the Louisiana flooding. We raised over $10,000 for our beneficiary, All Hands Volunteers, and more than $2500 for Foundation Beyond Belief’s next Humanist Disaster Recovery (HDR) Teams volunteer deployment. To learn more about the difference between HDR Teams and HDR Drive, visit here.

FBB executive director Noelle George has decided that it’s time to close the HDR Drive and send the remainder of the funds raised to Louisiana to assist in the recovery there. We will continue to take donations for the HDR Teams deployment here.

“We are extremely grateful to our members and supporters for their contributions to recovery in Louisiana,” said George. “This $10,000 grant to All Hands Volunteers is just one of many examples of what humanists can accomplish when we unite with a shared goal. We are also very excited to send HDR Teams volunteers to help in recovery and we appreciate those who are supporting that effort.”

[The Lower Mississippi Forecast Center, a division of the National Weather Service, called the August weather system a “1000 year rain event” that dumped over 30 inches of rain on Louisiana in only a few days. Major response and recovery organizations deployed, but they were stretched thin and needed our support. Many displaced people are without the protections of flood insurance because areas with no history of flooding were affected. 

Effects from the flooding included:

• More than 40,000 homes damaged
• Nearly a third of Louisiana's parishes declared disaster areas
• 70,000 applications for FEMA assistance submitted
• 13 fatalities recorded
• Estimates of over a billion dollars in damage

HDR Drive

All Hands Volunteers, our Louisiana drive beneficiary, demonstrates a long-term commitment to communities impacted by disaster through its Respond, Recover, Renew model and has been recognized for this approach by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

The Humanist Disaster Recovery Drive is a joint collaboration between American Humanist Association (AHA) and Foundation Beyond Belief. Thanks to the AHA for helping us raise visibility about these important efforts!

HDR Teams

We have determined that the next HDR Teams deployment will be to Texas in order to rebuild after flooding there in April and May of 2016.  The deployment will take place in the fall of 2016 in Houston, one of the hardest hit areas from the historic spring flooding which killed seven people, left nine counties declared disaster areas, and caused more than $5 billion in damage. More details will be forthcoming as the event is planned. To sign up for HDR Teams (no commitment required), go here.

Please note: Foundation Beyond Belief does not retain any portion of donations directed to our beneficiaries. If you wish to support the efforts of FBB itself, we are always grateful for direct donations. Thank you!

*Any recurring contributions for disaster recovery drives, or one-time contributions that are received after a given drive is closed, may be directed to FBB HDR Teams. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Drives are closed publicly and funds raised are announced publicly at the end of a drive.